beefheart frequency?

[Bela]

I keep reading/hearing different views on this. A breeder told me to feed beefheart not more than once per day or my fish would become constipated. But I've read on this site and elsewhere posts that refer to feeding beefheart 3 or more times per day.

What's the conventional wisdom? I'm growing out 9 juvies (abt 4 mos old, fat and growing well). I've been feeding beefheart in the morning, pellets 4x during the day (auto feeder) and bloodworms/brineshrimp (alternating) in the evening.

Thanks all! - KW

[David Rose]

I've not had any issues with constipation, but I only feed beefheart once or twice a day with only three total feedings in my grow out tank. The other feeding(s) are varied with FBW, FBS, Thera A+ and a few other goodies from time to time.

In part it would depend on your willingness to adapt your maintenance routine in keeping the tank clean. Beefheart can really fowl up your tank, so more frequent water changes are needed.

This is just my way though.

[MSD]

This is a personal decision really, I know some breeders who feed it many times a day to the young they are raising, but do a water change after each feeding. Others feed once a day before they do a water change, then use flakes or pellets or FBW's for other feedings. Look at all the posts in the diet section and come up with a plan to fit your discus' age, size, and breeding plan. Trial and error was the way we all did it, the info here will make the error part much smaller.

[zamboniMan]

I think once a day is good if your supplementing with other foods during the day. Otherwise twice a day (morning and night). Feeding beef heart does mean you have to do more water changes so take the amount of time you have available into account.

[seanyuki]

Your feeding routine is ideal :)imo no need to change....should grow big in no time.




I keep reading/hearing different views on this. A breeder told me to feed beefheart not more than once per day or my fish would become constipated. But I've read on this site and elsewhere posts that refer to feeding beefheart 3 or more times per day.

What's the conventional wisdom? I'm growing out 9 juvies (abt 4 mos old, fat and growing well). I've been feeding beefheart in the morning, pellets 4x during the day (auto feeder) and bloodworms/brineshrimp (alternating) in the evening.

Thanks all! - KW

[Eddie]

I use a 40% porkheart mix, feed them many time a day and all comes out well. :D The addition of other ingredients containing fiber, help keep things running smoothly. :D

Take care!

Eddie

[fishorama]

I feed BH once a day. I started out a few months ago changing water afterward but now I'm not as obsessive. I use prefilters on HOB filters & rinse them almost every WC. Next batch I will add more shrimp to help bind the tiny bits better.

[joanr]

I feed beefheart 2x a day but also offer a little flake with each feeding first. It's like they eat their flake and then get desert. They know this cause they watch to see if I'm coming with the BH freezer bag after downing the flake and wiggle and wag at the front of the tank until I give it to them. No worries with my beefheart, I make the little strips/bits using Carol's salad shooter receipe and there is absolutely no leftovers to mess the tank. It's not a mix though, so I make sure to feed a wide variety of other foods.

[Bela]

thanks everyone! you've put my worrying mind to rest. I change water every 1 or 2 days and yes, the beefheart is a MESS. But that's totally fine. When they're big and fat and grown I'll worry more about the aesthetics.

Ciao for Niao! - KW

[Scribbles]

IMO how many times a day you feed beefheart depends on your wc routine and your own preference. It sounds like what you're doing is working great. There are many ways to raise discus. You just have to find the routine that works for you and your fish.

Chris

[Bela]

Thanks everyone. I fed them extra beefheart yesterday after reading posts and the greedy little buggers went nuts for it! Will pretty much stick to my schedule just the same. BH does mess up the water!

[Eddie]

Thanks everyone. I fed them extra beefheart yesterday after reading posts and the greedy little buggers went nuts for it! Will pretty much stick to my schedule just the same. BH does mess up the water!

Thats why you need to change alot of it! :D Only my thoughts, not facts or anything. ;)

Eddie

[mikel]

I think beefheart mix (BH and lots of shrimp and flakes and ground pellets mixed together) can be fed as often as you care to. You can also use an all-seafood mix (prawns, cod and salmon mixed with flakes, ground pellets etc mixed) alternatively. I have both, so I alternate and my juvie B sapphires love them.

I use lots of prawn and flakes and ground pellets to bind the two sets of mix, and I dont ever get the problem of them falling apart prematurely. This helps to keep the water quality up, but doing 75% waterchange each day also helps.

A personal preference of mine is to no longer feed any kind of pellets directly (only grounded into fine powder in my mixes as binder). I had an episode of bloat when I did feed lots of pellets so now I only do fresh mixes and Omega flakes, 4 or 5 times throughout the day to keep their bellies round. Knock on wood...HTH mike:)

[Jhhnn]

I'm with joanr wrt Carol's beefheart recipe in a salad shooter. It's not messy at all, just nice bite-sized bits for fish 3" and up.

I added some seachem nourish to the last batch, tossed it like a salad in a big bowl, let it marinate for a while in the fridge before re-freezing.