Discus not eating anything other than Australian black worms!! Help!!

Hi guys!!!

I'm new here and to discus keeping... I got 2.5" discus fish (4 nos) on the mouth of July.. they were locally bred..
They are in a 20 gallon bare bottom tank with a canister and a sponge filter and I do 25% water change twice a week.. Planning to upgrade to a 55 gallon as they grow in a few months..
Problem: Initially they didn't eat anything so I tried Australian black worms and the loved it.. but they don't eat anything at all other than that... I made them starve but no use.. (except only one which eats anything) I tried hikari discus bio good, vibrabites, Tetra Bits and even brine shrimp.. one breeder asked my to treat with metronidazole for internal parasites with proper dosage and daily water changes but still only one eats and the remaining three doing even turn to any other foods.. I didn't use the black worms again and make them addictive to that.. the fishes are still coloured and breathing calmly and schooling great but I'm worried a lot.. Please help me guys... What should I do to make them eat!!!????:crazy:

Hi and welcome to SD!

It is good to ask your breeder what they were fed so you can use the same. I would not be adding any medications, however growing discus needs lots of big, daily water changes. As they are fed multiple times per day, they are creating lots of waste , hence the need for the water changes.
My lot are obsessed with Australian FDBW, but I will occasionally starve them and put in some tetra color bits or something like that.

Higher temperatures also increase the fish’s metabolism and appetite.

I will add that fish are not like people. They do not require a variety of different food. Freeze dry black worms have all the nutrition they would ever need. What you might try is to break up the worms and mix it with something that sinks such as TetraColor. When it is at the bottom for a while they may peck at it and decide that they like it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by peewee1

I will add that fish are not like people. They do not require a variety of different food. Freeze dry black worms have all the nutrition they would ever need. What you might try is to break up the worms and mix it with something that sinks such as TetraColor. When it is at the bottom for a while they may peck at it and decide that they like it.

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They don’t require a varied diet? Based on what?

From what I have learnt fish requires in their diets are protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by peewee1

I will add that fish are not like people. They do not require a variety of different food. Freeze dry black worms have all the nutrition they would ever need. What you might try is to break up the worms and mix it with something that sinks such as TetraColor. When it is at the bottom for a while they may peck at it and decide that they like it.

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they soo cute and adorable, it shows ok if you more.

Ya I asked the breeder and he fed only dry foods like Tetra bites..
And I agree with the water changes.. I do water changes twice a week and remove any particles on the tank daily.. I also monitor the nitrates regularly.. but still they don't eat anything other than ABW.. any suggestions???

There not live black worm? There freeze dried? If so I’m with peewee the freeze dried black worms are a good food source. Mine all grew up on those. Similar food to try will be the California black worm flakes. Mine do also eat these. Thing is there young now and first you want them eating. As they get older they will start eating other foods. But if there eating the black worms keep feeding them.

My fish were very picky when I got them. I ask how to get them to eat other things here and followed it. First feeding in the morning I use bug bites flakes. I wait an hour or so then give them beef heart. Later in the day I give them more flake. Now they will eat almost any kind of flake. Afternoon I give them frozen blood worms. Before bed small amount of flake.

At first they would not eat anything but beef heart and blood worms. I just kept up the routine and did water changes and they started eating everything I throw in the tank. Get a routine, keep it up. They are naturally little piggys. They will learn.

I would recommend more frequent and larger water changes as these are still very young discus. I purchased my discus at around 4 inches each -- I used to change my water once a week 30-40% and they would hide all of them and not eat. Once I upped my water changes to about 50% every two days, they started eating like crazy and super active. The younger the discus are the more sensitive they are and require more water changes.

Another thing is, when my discus were picky eaters -- I stopped feeding for a day and after that they would come and swarm at anything I fed them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Theioz

I would recommend more frequent and larger water changes as these are still very young discus. I purchased my discus at around 4 inches each -- I used to change my water once a week 30-40% and they would hide all of them and not eat. Once I upped my water changes to about 50% every two days, they started eating like crazy and super active. The younger the discus are the more sensitive they are and require more water changes.

Another thing is, when my discus were picky eaters -- I stopped feeding for a day and after that they would come and swarm at anything I fed them.

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Thank you for the suggestion!! Will definitely up my water changes!!!

i have similar problems with my discus when i first bought them. You need to be patient with them to make them eat varieties of food. Try to cut back a little bit on the portion of the black worm and introduce pellet to its diet, increase the temp to 32 C, and do daily water change with regular siphoning. Goodluck.