Feeding Juveniles

[bio new]

Hello All,

I just had 10 juveniles abt the size of soda bottle cap.

How many times must I feed them a day? I found that after every meal, their stomach will be buldging for sometime, and then it goes flat again within less an hour. ::) :o :P :'(

Thanks.

[GulfCoastDiscus]

I feed as often as possible with small portions and siphon the bottom before and after feeding.

As long as you change water often then feeding upon demand is okay.

Dan

[Carol_Roberts]

6 - 8 meals per day. Try to feed just the right amount and not to overfeed. Round bellies are good - but not bloated.

[FarWaters]

When the fish are the size of a dime until the size of a quarter I try to feed the fish as often as possible in small portions. When I am not too busy I try to feed them every hour while they are awake. I don't have enough experience to say that this gives the greatest results, but the fry grow quick and seem to be healthy. I haven't found that you need to clean after every feeding, but a couple of times a day at least. I try to feed them as often as possible until they are the size of a half dollar, but not every hour.

[bio new]

To GulfCoastDiscus, Carol and Farwaters,

Thx so much.

After reading the replies, I now understand how frequent to feed the juvs.
:D :-* :P

Carol,

How to differentiate between round bellies and bloated stomach?
:o

Will the background color of the discus tank affect the fish? For e.g, if I used a dark background, will the fish turn out darker when they grow up?

CHEERS!

[Carol_Roberts]

Bloated is bigger - like a marble with a pinched area behind the stomach.

Dark background color affects pigeonbloods peppering. Color changes back with a lighter background

[bio new]

Thanks so much Carol for the valuable info. The bottom of my tank was half black and half blue. When I first brought the juvs back, they were much lighter colour, but now they are a little bit darker but healthy and happy.

:bounce:

CHEERS!

[bernie82]

Fry up to half dollar size will definitely gorge themselves, bloat and die if they are overfed. Especially if their tank water is kept over 84 degrees. I have found that they over eat CBW more than any other food. I CUT UP (VERY IMPORTANT) the CBW and feed sparingly and frequently until they are half dollar size. CBW are a great starter food after the fry are weaned from Baby brine shrimp.
A good rule of thumb is to feed fry and juvi's when they see you near their tank and beg for food. If they're not begging for food, I don't feed them.

[GulfCoastDiscus]

That's called upon demand but feed in small portion.

dan

[bio new]

A good rule of thumb is to feed fry and juvi's when they see you near their tank and beg for food. If they're not begging for food, I don't feed them.


Yes, now I feed the juv upon demand but stop 1 hour b4 daily WC time. The juvs (11 pcs) is in a 2 ft tank which is being "thoroughly" clean b4 lights off. :P :P :P

[GulfCoastDiscus]

I always feed after a w/c. They learn to associate waterchanges to feeding. Pairs don't seem to be bothered by waterchanges because they been trained since young.

Dan

[Cosmo]

I don't have the luxury of feeding on demand.. cause I'm gone most of the day for work, so, for morning and evening feedings they get live brine and CBW, then 4 times during the day, about 2 hours apart, they get a a combination of cichlid grow out flakes and NLS Discus pellets courtesy of the autofeeder.

Do thier WC about 2 hrs after the evening meal, then, give them a small amount of live brine afterwards... seems the new water stimulates their appetite (yeah, as if they'd ever stop eating.. lol) plus you get the benny of them looking forward to the WC.

Jim

[bio new]

After feeding them upon demand, I now managed to feed them with my hand.

I was so excited and happy. However, I observed that after several days of such feedings, my juvs seemed to be lazy to pick up bits of BH that dropped on the tank bottom. So, to prevent this, I mixed the feeding styles, i.e., by hand and by releasing the BH into the tank.

CHEERS!

[Toronto]

I also feeding by hand. It's fun to have them nibble between my fingers. I learn it from the fellow I bought my discus from. It is an indication of healthy discus. If they are not coming to you to feed all of a sudden. Do not hesitate. Isolate them to their own tank with heat and salt. In 2 days they will be back begging for food again. I feed them whenever I see them. They see me as food and come to greet me right away. Probably 8 times a day.
T.