A few questions

[Vanman]

We are just about to get back into discus after a 30 year absence. We used to make a BH mix and used Knox gelatin to bind it. The last batch I made I used a binder that was advertised in FAMA. It worked much better than the gelatin. Of coarse I do not remember the name of it. Is anything like that still available?

Also why do a lot, if not most, recipes contain garlic?

We used BH, shrimp, calf liver, spirulina powder, baby food carrots, and the gelatin.

[LizStreithorst]

It was probably agar agar. The reason for the garlic is that it's said garlic stimulates appetite and discourages internal parasites.

[Iminit]

Well in the last 30yrs many have moved away from beefheart. So many better choices now. From flakes to freeze dried black worms (fdbw). 30 yrs ago we fed live black worms. Also no good for discus. Lot of new food that are so much better.

[seanyuki]

Just curious why are live blackworms bad for discus?

QUOTE=Iminit;1367965]Well in the last 30yrs many have moved away from beefheart. So many better choices now. From flakes to freeze dried black worms (fdbw). 30 yrs ago we fed live black worms. Also no good for discus. Lot of new food that are so much better.[/QUOTE]

[Vanman]

Educate me on the better foods. I can see FDBW as being very expensive if you have a lot of fish to feed. We used to buy frozen BS from some place in Michigan whose name I can't remember. They had everything from live fish, frozen food, regen blowers, etc. We even sold them discus when we were over run.

[Iminit]

Francis they were always just dirty with many other things in with them. Leaches other worms and many parasites in the worms themselves. Discus regularly died from having eaten them. Years ago I was told most of the odd deaths to discus were from live foods. Why I use the freeze dried ones. The freeze drying kill any parasites. Got to say I am surprised how many still use them. Plus when feeding live black worms most of your discus will refuse any other food.

Vanman as to other food there are many and hopefully other will put up what they use. As to blackworms being expensive. So are discus! But it’s not just fdbw you can use freeze dried tubiflex worms. Much cheaper and easier to get. Thanks Liz! As for other foods Sera discus pellets are great hakari vita bits are also great and look like worm. Many different flake foods will work too. A mix these up daily. Never feed beef heart or live foods.

[LizStreithorst]

If I could afford them I'd feed live blackworms everyday just like I used to 15 years ago.

BTW, if freeze dried food transmits no parasites, why not save a buck and buy Tubifex, like I do?

[seanyuki]

Totally agree with Liz.

[CliffsDiscus]

I fed white worms at one time they were cheap.

Cliff

[LizStreithorst]

The only live food I get to feed my Discus are my cull shrimp.

[bossanova]

Pellets have come a long way. Sera and others are definitely worth a try, plus they can be dispensed via auto feeders.

[Vanman]

The fish will be here in a couple weeks. Al's FDBW will be here Monday. Still having a major problem finding anyplace that will sell me beef hearts. Until I find a source of beef hearts, which pellets are good and which ones do I need to stay away from?

The plan is to feed BH twice a day, FDBW as a treat, and pellets with an auto feeder two or three times a day. That along with a daily massive water change should work.

Which auto feeder should we get?

[LizStreithorst]

I fed 99% Ground turkey for a long while. I'd forgotten about it but I think I'll start making it again. I grew out a very large spawn of Blue Diamonds on Ground Turkey only. They did great. Actually, Francis bought a large group of them from me.

Back when I used them the most highly recommended here was the Eheim feeder. Since then there may be something better that I don't know of. Now that I'm retired, and home all the time, I no longer use them.
https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feed...-5220642?psc=1

[Iminit]

I use the sera granules. The health and the color enhancer. Next is Al’s discus chow. Everything eat this. Even the shrimp. From day one.
Why don’t I feed tubiflex? How could I stop using Al’s? .

[brewmaster15]

The fish will be here in a couple weeks. Al's FDBW will be here Monday. Still having a major problem finding anyplace that will sell me beef hearts. Until I find a source of beef hearts, which pellets are good and which ones do I need to stay away from?

The plan is to feed BH twice a day, FDBW as a treat, and pellets with an auto feeder two or three times a day. That along with a daily massive water change should work.

Which auto feeder should we get?

Well, I am Partial to Discus Chow and Diskus Gold as my go to pellet. I am quite honestly biased extremely though. Your plan should work fine for you Gary ..question ... how big are the Fish you are getting?

al