Colorbits

[NickK]

Hey everyone,
During the 3 months I've owned my discus, I have been feeding colorbits and beefheart. I was looking at my first pictures, and the goldens are now orange and the white face marlboros are orange face marlboros. The Blue Diamonds have a pink hue to them - Purple Diamonds!

I'm assuming this is from the colorbits? If I stop feeding the bits, will the discus ever find their true colors? How long will this take?

Also, my fish LOVE LOVE LOVE the bits. Is there another quality food/bit that won't change their colors?

Thanks,
Nick

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Nick
I feed a lot of tetra bits, I don't mind the little color enhancement they do.
I would think if you quit feeding them the color of the fish would return to more normal fairly soon.
As far as other food I think most prepared foods have some color enhancers in them, with the exception of may be some frozen foods like brine shrimp.
Dennis

[NickK]

How dirty is frozen shrimp? My beefheart mix is killing the water quality, so I am looking for cleaner (non-colorenhancing) foods. I think my fish would look better without the extreme red/orange.

Nick

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Nick
My beefheart formula is probably the least messy food that goes in my tanks. I use 1/3 by volume shrimp as a binder, and chop it up in bite size peaces, the fish just swallow it, no mess.
I do feed frozen brine shrimp and it is a messy food, lot of fine pieces, but the fish like it and clean most of it up.
I really have not read the ingredients in most pellet or flake food to know if it has color enhancers in it, but I beleive most do.
Dennis