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Jody
09-13-2018, 08:57 AM
I thought I would tap into the experience of the members of the forum on this one:

When acclimating new discus how long does it take them to start eating regularly?

When should I do my first water change with new discus?

When should I up the feeding to 4-5 times per day as they are 3-3.5 inches?

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I received the fish yesterday and they are not interested in food quite yet.
Filip
09-13-2018, 09:51 AM
I thought I would tap into the experience of the members of the forum on this one:

When acclimating new discus how long does it take them to start eating regularly?

When should I do my first water change with new discus?

When should I up the feeding to 4-5 times per day as they are 3-3.5 inches?

--------------------------

I received the fish yesterday and they are not interested in food quite yet.

1. It's very individual but give them at least one week before they start eating .

2. If your water is aged you can and should start the next day . I woul perform at least 50% WCs daily especially in the starting 3-4 weeks .
3.You up and dose feedings according to their needs .
Pour food , give them 30 min to eat and vacum the leftovers(turn off filters during feedings if they are strong and use prefilter to prevent food and poop rotting in your filter ) . Do this 2-3 times a day and they will start eating eventually.
P.s ask the breeder what did he fed them with and try to start with their favorite food.
Second Hand Pat
09-13-2018, 10:25 AM
Hi Jody, also watch for a mini-cycle the first week as you just added a considerable bioload in the tank. Large daily water changes will help with it.
Pat
jeep
09-13-2018, 10:28 AM
I also bump the temp to around 88-89 for a couple of weeks to speed up metabolism. This makes them eat like pigs!!
Jody
09-13-2018, 10:49 AM
I also bump the temp to around 88-89 for a couple of weeks to speed up metabolism. This makes them eat like pigs!!

I am scared to do that with my cory cats in there! I have the temp set at 84 currently. You think it would harm the corys?


Hi Jody, also watch for a mini-cycle the first week as you just added a considerable bioload in the tank. Large daily water changes will help with it.
Pat

Thank you, Pat! I will monitor the parameters and do my water changes to prevent this.


1. It's very individual but give them at least one week before they start eating .

2. If your water is aged you can and should start the next day . I woul perform at least 50% WCs daily especially in the starting 3-4 weeks .
3.You up and dose feedings according to their needs .
Pour food , give them 30 min to eat and vacum the leftovers(turn off filters during feedings if they are strong and use prefilter to prevent food and poop rotting in your filter ) . Do this 2-3 times a day and they will start eating eventually.
P.s ask the breeder what did he fed them with and try to start with their favorite food.

This is very helpful, Filip - I have a weir in my tank as well as a powerhead to keep the water circulating, though it is not very strong.

One concern of mine is that the tetra tropical granules that I am feeding them float on the surface and do not fall down. Will this be an issue long-term, or will they come to the top?
Jody
09-13-2018, 11:03 AM
Picture of the new fish!

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jeep
09-13-2018, 11:12 AM
I know cory's do well with discus but I'm not sure about going that high with them. Maybe someone else is more experienced with cory's. Their colors look good and the water look clean so I think you will be ok.

May I ask who you got these discus from?
Jody
09-13-2018, 11:14 AM
I know cory's do well with discus but I'm not sure about going that high with them. Maybe someone else is more experienced with cory's. Their colors look good and the water look clean so I think you will be ok.

May I ask who you got these discus from?

I got them from Uncle Sam's Discus out in L.A. and had them shipped to Tennessee. I had a great experience with them!
Paul Sabucchi
09-13-2018, 03:46 PM
You can pre-soak some granules in a small jar of water, when you see them sink in that you then pour it in the tank. Used to have to do that with North Fin krill gold
Filip
09-13-2018, 05:11 PM
You can also tempt them with Beef heart , Brine Shrimp - Artemia or FDBW. I doubt they'll resist it even if they are still stressed out .
Jody
09-13-2018, 06:56 PM
You can also tempt them with Beef heart , Brine Shrimp - Artemia or FDBW. I doubt they'll resist it even if they are still stressed out .


You can pre-soak some granules in a small jar of water, when you see them sink in that you then pour it in the tank. Used to have to do that with North Fin krill gold

Thank you both for the help!

Tonight they are eating the granules that I am feeding them.

For the record these are TetraColor tropical granules. Has anyone here used them?

I have confirmed that all 5 are eating which I am very happy about.

I plan to use an auto-feeder for 3 feedings during the day while I am at work, and then in the morning and evening, feed them frozen treats.

Where can you obtain beef heart?
jeep
09-13-2018, 07:50 PM
Tonight they are eating the granules that I am feeding them.

For the record these are TetraColor tropical granules. Has anyone here used them?

Shhhhhh... Don't tell anyone, but I use Tetra Bits as a supplement and always have.


Where can you obtain beef heart?

You can buy online or make it yourself. There are many recipes on this forum if you search around, but I have recently cut mine down to the basics. 1 to 1 trimmed Beef Heart to (Pink) Shrimp (shells on is good but can cause issues on rare occasions), add some liquid vitamins, process into a paste and squish into freezer bags about 1/8" thick. Freeze.
Jody
09-14-2018, 08:57 PM
Shhhhhh... Don't tell anyone, but I use Tetra Bits as a supplement and always have.



You can buy online or make it yourself. There are many recipes on this forum if you search around, but I have recently cut mine down to the basics. 1 to 1 trimmed Beef Heart to (Pink) Shrimp (shells on is good but can cause issues on rare occasions), add some liquid vitamins, process into a paste and squish into freezer bags about 1/8" thick. Freeze.

Thank you for the assist on this one - I didn't even know where to start.
two utes
09-16-2018, 06:02 PM
Thank you both for the help!

Tonight they are eating the granules that I am feeding them.

For the record these are TetraColor tropical granules. Has anyone here used them?

I have confirmed that all 5 are eating which I am very happy about.

I plan to use an auto-feeder for 3 feedings during the day while I am at work, and then in the morning and evening, feed them frozen treats.

Where can you obtain beef heart?

I've always fed my juveniles lots of times and in small quantities each day. Get them onto beef heart as soon as you can, though you may want to leave that feed for an hour or so before you do water changes or at least a light vacum ...it can be a little messy especially if you are making your own mix.

Mine also get a 'Tropical Discus Gran' Granule feed in the auto feeder...nothing wrong with that...in fact i like to give them variety
Jody
09-16-2018, 09:56 PM
I've always fed my juveniles lots of times and in small quantities each day. Get them onto beef heart as soon as you can, though you may want to leave that feed for an hour or so before you do water changes or at least a light vacum ...it can be a little messy especially if you are making your own mix.

Mine also get a 'Tropical Discus Gran' Granule feed in the auto feeder...nothing wrong with that...in fact i like to give them variety

I have am feeding them 5 times per day now and am anxiously awaiting my shipment from Al of freeze dried black worms! The fish are adjusting well. I have the auto feeder set up and they do fine coming to the top to eat now.
two utes
09-16-2018, 10:11 PM
I have am feeding them 5 times per day now and am anxiously awaiting my shipment from Al of freeze dried black worms! The fish are adjusting well. I have the auto feeder set up and they do fine coming to the top to eat now.

Keep an eye on your ammonia levels...all that extra food and poop in the tank will get it up...You may have to do daily water changes till your tanks adjusts.
Jody
09-17-2018, 10:26 AM
Keep an eye on your ammonia levels...all that extra food and poop in the tank will get it up...You may have to do daily water changes till your tanks adjusts.

I will monitor and do WC - thanks
Jody
09-19-2018, 08:16 PM
Hi Jody, also watch for a mini-cycle the first week as you just added a considerable bioload in the tank. Large daily water changes will help with it.
Pat


Keep an eye on your ammonia levels...all that extra food and poop in the tank will get it up...You may have to do daily water changes till your tanks adjusts.

A mini-cycle definitely occurred. My ammonia levels were at .5 yesterday.

I made a rookie mistake feeding them 5 times per day when I had just added a large bioload to the tank a week ago.

To combat the ammonia, I have some prime coming tomorrow and did a 50% water change today and will continue to do daily water changes and watch this ammonia like a hawk.

I also only fed one time today (Al's blackworm flat cubes and they loved them!) instead of 5 times like a noob.

Since they are 3.5" - 4", I would like to get back up to 3 feedings per day. Do you all think that is enough?
two utes
09-19-2018, 09:54 PM
A mini-cycle definitely occurred. My ammonia levels were at .5 yesterday.

I made a rookie mistake feeding them 5 times per day when I had just added a large bioload to the tank a week ago.

To combat the ammonia, I have some prime coming tomorrow and did a 50% water change today and will continue to do daily water changes and watch this ammonia like a hawk.

I also only fed one time today (Al's blackworm flat cubes and they loved them!) instead of 5 times like a noob.

Since they are 3.5" - 4", I would like to get back up to 3 feedings per day. Do you all think that is enough?

Its o.k to up your feeds but just keep in mind the ammonia will spike...If you are using aged heated water to do your water changes you can go bigger than 50% daily...time permitting off coarse....you need to post more pics as well ;)
Jody
09-20-2018, 12:34 PM
Its o.k to up your feeds but just keep in mind the ammonia will spike...If you are using aged heated water to do your water changes you can go bigger than 50% daily...time permitting off coarse....you need to post more pics as well ;)

Ask and you shall receive.

So far so good - I have been their steward for over a full week now.

Does the blue diamond in the second picture look stunted? Do any others look stunted?

For reference these guys are all between 3.5" - 4."

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two utes
09-20-2018, 04:48 PM
Ask and you shall receive.

So far so good - I have been their steward for over a full week now.

Does the blue diamond in the second picture look stunted? Do any others look stunted?

For reference these guys are all between 3.5" - 4."



Thanks for the pics!

I don't know if they are stunned or not, but from the pics they look a little thin to me, and nothing that you cant fix. Other than that they look really good.
Like you said, you've only had them for a week. I do know that how you care for them over the next 8 to 12 months will have a huge impact on how much they beef up.

I've always raised my juveniles on a beef heart mix, freeze dried black worms and granules of one sought or another...many small feeds often throughout the day coupled with water changes as required.

The most important thing of all though is that you enjoy what you have and watch how they progress. It can be a real enjoyable experience.

Enjoy :)