Flakes for Yellow Discus

[J.M Discus]

Does any one know what i can brand of flakes i can use to feed my yellow discus?
Thank You

[OC Discus]

Below is a link to a discussion on the topic. You want to limit red enhancing foods including krill. There is a name for the red enhancing ingredient. I'll have to look up the spelling, something like astaxanthin.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...or-yellow-fish


Below is a quote from another link which I 'll post below the quote:

Natural sources of pigments are available in the diets of most fish. Color enhancing diets may contain additional natural pigments to enhance colors of ornamental fishes. The carotenoid pigment found in most marine and a few freshwater invertebrates is astaxanthin. This pigment gives the characteristic color to the flesh of salmon and is available in the diet of aquarium fish in shrimp and krill meals and salmon (fish) meal used as sources of protein in some feeds. Pure astaxanthin or canthaxanthin (synthetic astaxanthin) may also be added to fish feed to enhance red and orange coloration. These carotenoid pigments are often added to feeds for farm raised salmon and trout to give fillets a desirable red color. Xanthophylls (yellow pigments) are found in corn gluten meal and dried egg that may be added to the diet to enhance yellows. The ground petals of marigold flowers have also been used as a source of xanthophylls. The blue-green algae spirulina is a rich source of phycocyanin and may be added to a diet to enhance blue coloration. The expense of supplementary pigments often limits the amount used in tropical fish feeds.

http://www.bigskycichlids.com/coloration_article.htm

Hope that helps. Most foods contain ingredients that enhance reds. I have both red and yellow fish, so I try to minimize the red enhancer, but have never tried to enhance the yellow.

[OC Discus]

The following link says, "Most green plant food will contain Xanthophylls..."

http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/818/

I use Omega Kelp Pellets which are green in color, but are also high in protein and vitamins. They seem to minimize the reddening of my yellow fish.

In looking for an answer for you, I found one for myself. The following link is to a food that contains the yellow enhancing ingredient. It is the Omega Kelp pellet with color enhancer, but one of the colors it enhances is yellow. The regular formula which I use doesn't contain this ingredient. The next link explains what the yellow enhancing ingredient is.


http://www.omegasea.net/products/nut...ellets-sinking

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeaxanthin

Cobalt flakes contain dried egg and other greens that enhance yellow.

[J.M Discus]

Thanks!!,it seems that enchanting yellow maybe a challenge.

[OC Discus]

Yes. The Omega One Kelp Pellets with color enhancer listed above would be a good daily staple food with vitamins, protein, greens, and yellow enhancer. If you supplement with blood worms or shrimp you will also increase the protein in the diet.

Good luck.

BTW- when the fish are small, the pellets have to soften up in the water before they can swallow them. You just have to leave them in the tank for 30 minutes to an hour. They are garlic enriched, so mine never leave any uneaten. I like them better than flake because they don't get sucked into my filters. Now that the fish are around five inches, they can swallow the pellets whole without spitting them back out.

[J.M Discus]

Thanks for the info and help

[rickztahone]

Has anyone tried asking Forrest what he feeds these specific strains in his tanks? His always look so nice and yellow. Just a thought.