Juvenile Discus feeding schedule with a fulltime job

[TimB]

Hi all!

I recently joined this forum and already gained loads of help and experience from you guys!

I bought about 10 juvies (2inch) 1,5 weeks ago and they are doing great! I have just finished college so I had a nice 2 week break where i could feed them during the whole day. I am feeding them whatever they eat which kinda boils down to about 1 blister of beefheart and/or crustacean mix 5-6 times a day and they love it!

But now after college its times to wear the big boy pants and start making a living of my own with a job. So starting next week ill be working a 9-5 job and I am wondering how i should go around my feedings if i want to keep up with the growth...

Would it be okay if i feed them once I leave for work, then right when i get back and a last time before the lights go out? Then i would feed 2 blister at a time and it would kindoff boil down to the same amount of food.

Hope to hear your thoughts!

[LizStreithorst]

Buy one of these. They work better with pellets than they do with flake. https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/accessories/installation/feeding_fish_feeder

[fishbubbles]

Buy one of these. They work better with pellets than they do with flake. https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/accessories/installation/feeding_fish_feeder

Ditto, I own 8 of these and haven't had any issues. Most of mine are filled with Al's Discus chow.

[RogueDiscus]

I would agree with trying to incorporate the auto-feeder, but I think you could do fine with the feeding schedule you suggest. I'm wondering what your water change regimen is. That matters, too, and feeding more at a time might not be really necessary, especially if it wouldn't get eaten right away. Your water quality could become more of an issue.

[Filip]

Kudos for your effort and approach on discus keeping Tim .
I think it would be perfectly enough if you feed them good prior going to work , and 2-3 times more after you come home from work .
At least this was the schedule I grew mine 2 inchers with , and it has worked for me .

Here is my grow out thread , you can browse it through to see and compare discus Sizes through the months.I hand measured and recorded their growth through months , so you may find that helpful to compare growth with :

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?128066-65-G-Stendker-juvie-mix-growout-thread

[TimB]

Thanks for all your support! I've had a busy week and didnt have time to order the feeding machine. On top of that i'd prefer not to feed dry food (this is just a thing my local stendker dealer told me he does, so it could be complete hogwash). I have been feeding them on th proposed schedule for a week now and, even though very hungry when i get home, they seem fine.

Regarding my WC schedule: i try to do 25-50% daily and most of the times im able, but sometimes i dont have the time for daily's, so I do a 50-70% the next day instead. Bottom line, at least a 50% water change every other day

Cheers!

[Willie]

Welcome to the rat race! Most of us have full time jobs and breed discus at the same time. I mush up beef heart in the morning. I'll dump a lot in because they peck at it all day. They get fed again when I get home and once more later in the evening. They grow well, maybe not perfect, with this feeding. Of course, they'll get fed 6 - 8 times on the weekends. :p

To optimize growth, I think its far more important to do huge water changes. Mine get 100% water change every morning before I go to work. This is a small batch in a 37 gal cube this morning halfway through the water change (half of them are behind the sponge).

114355

Willie