Hand feeding techniques?

[GWdiscus]

Hello everyone,
I have some skittish fish, 7 discus that range in size fro 2.5-4" in a 75 gal tank, and it was suggested that I might try hand feeding to bring them out during feeding time. I feed 3 to 4 times a day, they seem to like frozen beef heart and frozen brine shrimp the best. I do 4 to 5 wc a week and the water quality is good.
Any suggestions on how to accomplish hand feeding would be a great help.
thanks
Michael

All I'm looking for is to have the discus come to the front of the tank during feeding time, instead of running to the corner as soon as I'm within 3 or 4 feet of the tank.

[darcy]

I had some skittish fish awhile back also. All I did was spend more time with them and raised the tank higher!! They came to know me as the feeder guy,took awhile and patience is the key!!!!! They now are very unskittish and peck my arm while doing water changes, as soon as they see me they all come to the front of the tank!! Don't know if this will help but this is what I did.
Darcy

not raise the tank temp but made the tank sit higher on its stand!! 8)

[discusnovice]

My fish were somewhat skittish until I started feeding LIVE Calif. Black Worms and now I have no problems with them coming to the front of the tank when I enter the room. One snakeskin is still very skittish but that seems to be his nature as for no reason he will dart to the rear of the tank with live worms in front of him/her.

I only feed live worms once a day as a treat because they will become spoiled very quickly and only eat live and nothing else. Every few days I skip a day so that they are not so dependent on live worms.

Hope this may help. :D :D

[discusnovice]

GMW - Sorry but I did not answer your question regarding hand feeding. I allow my guys to eat from my finger tips as I feed them the live CBW's. They will bump my fingers asking for more and I only feed them a few at a time so that they are right in front of me with my face close to the glass (Probably a real shocking sight for my fish).

I was not able to get them that tame until I started with the CBW. Give DAN a shout at Acquatic Foods and he will fix you up with some fantastic food.

For skittish discus. Hand feeding is impossible. Frist you have make them feel comfortable. Don't change your habit to accomodating their skittishness. They have to change to please you. You are the boss and in control. Just simply increase the water temperature to 90 degree and add some salt. Keep it for a few days. Only feed them sparingly with frozen blood worms until they come to the tank. Ask yourself why the fish in LFS seldom hide. Most come to greet you. Why?
Secondly, once they start coming to the front of the tank. start making hand motion by knocking the glass with your finger nails before feeding them. Open and close the lid each time without care. Get them used to the motion and noises.
Lastly, Hold a piece of frozen blood worm and let it melt and drop into the tank slowly. After a few times, they will come right out and eat from your hand. Then you can start droping the temperature to 84-86 degree and change the feeding to beefheart or something else.
Believe it or not. It's much easier hand feed the wilds than the domestics. They adapt very quickly.
Jimmy.

[GWdiscus]

Good ideas everyone,
I think I will use something from everyone’s replies. Patience is something I need to cultivate, I only want the best for my discus – now! I’m thinking what Jimmy said about just offering frozen bloodworms will work. When I first got them they would only eat frozen beef heart which is all the breeder I got them from fed them. I didn’t feed them for a few feedings and by the end of the day they began to eat what I offered them. They now eat everything with gusto. I also noticed that the higher temperature runs their metabolism up and makes them hungrier.
I haven’t tried the CBW yet but it sounds like I’m missing an important part of their diet.
Once again thanks everyone.
Michael