Feeding fussy discus

[BigDaddyAdo]

So i have had these two new discus for 5 days now.

They dont come out much until the light is off, then they will swim around. They will hook into live worms and freeze dried worms but thats all they will eat. They dont go near Discus Dinner, beefheart mix or NLS.

My question is should i stop with the other foods and try to force them to accept frozen food???

[scott bowler]

hey there Bigdaddyado its not uncommon for the fish to not to eat for a few weeks some time as new , i would try some live blackworms , or brine shrimp , see how you go with that scott

[BigDaddyAdo]

They are already eating live worms and freeze dried worms. I want them to eat frozen food and dry food. ;)

[Hollowman]

It does sometimes take a few weeks to get them to eat everything you want them to. My new fish took two weeks to really get going, now there is no stopping them. Just persevere. :wink:

[BigDaddyAdo]

Should i keep going with the worms though? I figure that they will ignored frozen, etc if thy think worms are on the way.

[Hollowman]

Sorry Ado, what type of worms?

It sometimes helps to let them go without food for a day or two, then they will want to eat anything you put in there.

hth

[BigDaddyAdo]

Live black worms and freeze dried blackworms.

[BigDaddyAdo]

I will not feed them until this afternoon. They didnt eat yesterday as i only offered frozen food.

[Hollowman]

Just show 'em who's boss Ado :lol:

[BigDaddyAdo]

Whats my wife/daughter/son got to do with this????

[Hollowman]

Whats my wife/daughter/son got to do with this????

:shock: :lol:

[BigDaddyAdo]

I tried to show them whose boss. I offered some Discus Dinner.....They ignored it and hid behind their DW.....

[BigDaddyAdo]

They also really dont like the light much. Once its off they come out and swim around the entire tank but when its on they hide.

[Hollowman]

Sometimes we must just remember that we are in charge, leave the light on, they will get used to it. If you keep on catering to their every whim, then they will control you.
Too much fussing is not good imo. For instance, my fish get fed when I am ready, I know that each time I pass the tank they will be there wanting a feed, but I will wait until I am ready. Same goes for the light and for the selection of foods. They will adapt, you just have to be a bit hard with them now and again. :wink:

Ado, get the wife to feed them next time :D

[BigDaddyAdo]

LOL

I have the light running as usual and i have even done a couple of water changes. I stick my hand in the tank several times a day also.

Im thinking that maybe they dont recognise the discus dinner or NLS etc as food.

I have a few cubes soaking in some garlic. I will feed that to them in the morning.

Its funny how all other discus i have had have been little pigs and not shy at all but they were juvis when i got them. These guys are probably near on a year old and are completely different. i guess thats one of the joys of the hobby. :)

[lpiasente]

well the discus are the boss in my house. They beg I feed.They even let me know when it's time for bed . They all go to one end of the tank together and we know it time to turn the lights out. haha Who ever thought fish were stupid :)

[BigDaddyAdo]

Tried again this morning.... Still not eating. I have had them for a week now. They have not eaten in 3-4 days (since i stopped feeding them worms).

Whats next?

[BigDaddyAdo]

As its been a few days since they last ate should i give them a feed of worms?

[BigDaddyAdo]

So here's my latest plan....

I bought a worm feeder cone today. When i get home i will put some live worms, freeze dried worms and discus dinner in the cone. The idea is that while trying to eat the worms they will inadvertantly comsume the frozen food also. This is an effort to teach them that discus dinner, beefheart mix, etc is also food. Once they get a taste for it hopefully they will accept it as food.

[xrboy_85]

Good work bigdaddy

I feed my frozen blood worms and brine schrimp from cones. when i tried to get them on discus dinner it took me a good 2 weeks trying every 2nd night. i hand feed them by hand because the cone doesnt allow them to peck it through the holes, now they just about eat my fingers off. also gives a good oportunity to intereact with your hands my guys come and rub up against my hand while they are waiting for their turn to attack the cube!!!!

The know in my tank who HANDS out the food ha ha

[BigDaddyAdo]

As i was setting up the cone i knocked the tank and one went nuts. They have been in hiding ever since. I tried to get them out with some live worms but to no avail. if the worm hits them in the face they will eat it, otherwise they dont want to move.

ITS PISSING ME OFF !!!!!!!

Theres a good reason as to why im not known as "Ado the Patient".
;)

[lpiasente]

deep breaths

[shannon]

Are these fish in a quarantine tank?.Did you purchase these fish from a lfs

[BigDaddyAdo]

They are not in a QT as the tank only contains a pair of Apistos atm.

Yes. I purchased them from an LFS.

[shannon]

Did you see the fish eat before you purchased them,and if so what did they eat?Are they still darting around alot?.How is there breathing,are they breathing out of both gill all the time.
Only reason i ask is it could be external parasites or even internal,how many days or weeks have you had these guys for? :)

[BigDaddyAdo]

They breathe fine. They also poo fine. I didnt see them eat before i bought them (yeah yeah i know).

They only dart around when they get startled. I have had them for 10 days now.

[Mr Wild]

As I said in my first post you need more in there - I mean more discus they do school and 2 is never enough unless they pair up to breed.
5 or more IMO has always been a good number to have.

[BigDaddyAdo]

Im hoping that these two are a pair. No more discus will be added to this tank.

[Robdog]

Do a George Dubya Bush and "Stay the course" Ado.
Don't attack an Arab nation for their oil, but keep doing what you are doing in regards to playing the food hardball game. They'll come around eventually. What you are doing with the worm cone sounds like a good idea.
If you notice any signs of wasting or losing condition then maybe try a different approach

[BigDaddyAdo]

They have definately lost condition but things are looking up.

I just finished doing a water change, vac the substrate, cleaned the glass messed around with plants, rocks, etc and banged the crap out of everything but they didnt freak out once.

The feeding cone didnt work yesterday so i tried hand feeding them tonight. They were in their usual hidey hole. One was facing me and the other was facing the back of the tank. The one facing backwards ignored me the entire time so i concentrated on the one that was facing me. I first hand fed him a couple of live worms which he accepted. I then tried some frozen blood worms which he again accepted. I did this a few times and then gave him a break hoping he would pick at the worms on the substrate but he didnt so i stirred them up and he ate them as they swirled around. Then he picked at them when they settled. I got all excited and tried some frozen beef heart mix. He was a bit tentative but seemed to understand that it was food and had a pick at it. I left some on the substrate and he ate most of it.

I will try the same tomorrow hopefully with both of them this time.

:P :D :!:

[BigDaddyAdo]

They will happily eat freeze dried black worms from my hand. They even seem more relaxed when my hand is near them than when its not. I gave them both a good feed tonight and will continue with this for another day or two. Then i will really start to push the beefheart mix and discus dinner.

[lpiasente]

It is very frustrating when they don't eat, sound as though it's getting better.

[xrboy_85]

good work ado!

steady as she goes!!