Need Suggestions!

[O]

hello everyone!

Now I know that mine is a common problem and i've read posts going way back, however I'm still not sure what to do. I got 4 new discus 2.5" - 3" exactly a week ago from a very good source. I have a well established 55 gallon planted tank. PH 7.2, Ammonia & Nitrite at zero, Hardness 150, Temp 88F and daily 50% WC and a little salt since they arrived. They seem very healthy and active. Two of them started eating 2 days ago. The other two have ignored everything I've been feeding(frozen blood worms, tetra bits, & Jack Wattley's beefheart) No visible signes of stress, colors are normal, fish are not shy, just not eating.

Should i just be patient and way for them to start eating? Or is their something else i need to feed them? Any suggestions?

Thanks.
Oleg

[Carol_Roberts]

What were they eating at the prior location? You want to get them eating now. You may need to do a metro treatment if they don't start eating in the next few days.

HI Oleg,

i am no expert, but here are some suggestions.

Raise to 90 for few days. Wait and see.

I personally think that in the beginning discus feed better if they are in a large group.

I had similar situation before...

I had few fish in a tank and they were eating ok, but after some time i introduced few more and they started eating more.

good luck

alex

[TKD-MAN]

Hi Oleg,you can try live brine shimp that will help. :fish:

[O]

Carol,

As far as I know they've been eating the same food before I got them. With the exception of beefheart, the seller prepared his own. Also I see all of them pecking around in the tank looking for food, so it looks like they are hungry.

I've tried frozen brine shrimp they did not like it, flake food they ignore completely. Most of them time they try it and then spit it back.

I'll try raising the temp. Do you really think getting a few more will make a difference?

O.

[DarkDiscus]

O,

I have 4 tanks with discus right now -

One with 9 babies - eating like pigs.

One with 5 semi-adults - eating like pigs

One with 2 semi-adults - eat slowly and are on the picky side

A second with 2 semi-adults - eat slowly and are picky

John

[O]

John,

Are your suggesting adding more fish? Do you think 2 more will do the trick?

O.

[GWdiscus]

Hey O,
I too started off with 4 discus of similar size, they were alittle freaked out and didn't seem to want to eat much. About two weeks later I got 3 more from the same breeder and they seemed to all come around. I would like to get one more but don't want to deal with the quarantine issue. Its been over two months now and they are growing and eating like crazy. A larger group worked for me.
GMW

[O]

GMW,

Thank you. I guess, the sentiment is - I need to get more fish. ;D

That's fine by me!

O.

Hey Oleg,

if you scroll up there is a post " ..........from shy to palyful"

Please read it.

I think that discus grow better, eat better and look better in large groups.

I keep nine adults in a 60 gal tank.

take care

alex

[O]

Hi Alex,

Can you describe your set up? What kind of filter are you using? how often do you do WC and how much?

I'm all for having more fish, however the general practice is 10-15 gallons per adult discus. Reading this forum though, it seems most people don't live by that rule and just do WC more often.

O.

HI Oleg,

if you decide to go overboard with the stocking, please remember that.....

It is easier to overstock a big tank (at least 60 gal)
Filtration has to be top notch
Daily water changes of at least 60 %
Wipe the tanks and clean filters regularly

I chose to break the rule, because for me it is easy to make water changes.

My filtration is:

Two hydros V
One Aquclear 500
Bare Bottom
Temp. 86 F
Ms 100
pH 7.1


take care

alex

[steve s]

Hi O ,

Try Dan's CBW's my guys love them !
HTH
Steve

[O]

Alex, thank you. I'll have to make a decision very soon. will start the metro treatment tonight. we'll see.

thanks.
O.

[O]

Steve,

yes i've thought of that. will call dan on monday.

thanks.
O.

[O]

ok. so here an update. i've raised the water temp to 90F, and treated with metro. three are eating with great apetite. one is still ignoring the food. It either goes for food and then spits it our or leaves the group at feeding time and goes to the back of the tank. What else can I do?

Another problem, they only go for frozen blood worms and completely ignore beefheart or dry pallet food. How do I get them to eat other types of food? Will feeding only Hikari Blood Worms stunt their growth?

Thanks.
O.

[Carol_Roberts]

Just feed the bloodworms during the metro treatment. Later when all are eating you can introduce other foods. some discus are too far gone to save. If he doesn't get better soon cut your losses.

[Shari]

To give you hope I guess, I have had an Ocean Green who from day one, until very recently - a good year gone by, who at feeding time hung back or obviously 'left' and went and hid. I worried about him all the time....discovered a little later when he though no one was looking, was picking the bottom for the leftovers - but he would never compete and seldom does even now. And just in the last three months he's suddenly grown almost double. Don't get it but he must be getting enough food!

[O]

Carol & Shari,

Thank you for your replies. It does not look like it's getting any food, it seems to grow weaker everyday. I'm going to move it to a seperate tank and will try treating it there.

Thanks.
O.

[O]

I raised the water temp another 2 degrees yesterday to 92F and added more salt(2 spoons?. Happy to report that all of them are eating now. And to my surprise they've taken Tetra Bits for the first time. looks like things are finally improving.

Thank you everyone for your help!

O.

[sammosammo]

O,

I learned from the forum to presoak the tetra bits, else my discus gets constipated, they then stop eating and hide, then i have to do an epson salt treatment. So i always presoak now and haven't had problems since.

[O]

Hey thanks. that's a good one.

O.

[Shari]

Me too thanks - my Discus seldom eat Tetra Bits - tried many times...presoaking just may be the answer.
In fact none of my Discus like any kind of pellet or pellet type food- many times tried over and over.....some ground picking but don't seem to go for them.

[Shari]

Oh O - that's cute by the way... good luck - really !!
I've got one Discus, happens to be wild, who seems to all too often fight hex - first tapeworm - and between prazi for worms and metro for the hex along with ballpark of 10 days 90ish heat has certainly saved her many times now.
Seems when the heat goes down again her metabolizm kicks in and she swims and plays and eats...until next time in my case.

I got a bigger tank recently too and the two wilds are alone again for first time in months - the one seems ok but both are less active, watch the food fall all over the place and later pick off the floor of the tank...not the kickbutts they used to be...just may have to get more to add to their tank too - for sure - more Discus seems merrier!