Discus prefer junk food

[Johanna]

What it says in the title. My discus seem to like all kinds of "junk food" more than natural (frozen) foods.

When I first got them, they were really picky eaters and only accepted frozen salmon-based discus mix. Slowly I have been able to introduce different frozen foods and later dry foods into their diet and was happy to see them starting to accept everything I gave them. I always soak dry foods in a cup of tank water before feeding. But lately I have noticed that new varieties of frozen foods are not such a hit. My discus have decided that dry foods taste better and only the frozen discus mix is accepted by all anymore. Mysis, artemia, salmon shavings, bloodworms none of them are eaten by everyone and if I try to soak them mixed with dry foods, they ignore the natural foods in favour of flakes and granules and FD tubifex. Is this common and normal? My other fish have always been the opposite, preferring natural foods.

I've concluded from what I've read here that my selection of dry foods is not the best quality, so I need to improve the menu and have made a 'shopping list' that includes the following. I would like some opinions on these foods and if they would be good additions to the dry menu, which now consists of Tetra Discus granules, Tetra Pro Color Crisps, Sera Discus granules (they are too small and fast sinking, mostly get eaten by plecos), Prodac Colour flakes and Dajana Discus flakes.

- Fluval Bug Bites (which size is better, I'm thinking of ordering medium 1,4-1,6mm)
- Discusfood Brine shrimp/Artemia paste (mixed reviews on Amazon, is this good or not?)
- Discusfood Best Heart Flakes (I don't feed beef heart as I've read it can cause problems in a planted tank, but what about BH flakes??)
- Stendker granules (is this a better option to replace Tetra Discus bits?)

[brewmaster15]

Hi Johanna,

they would be good additions to the dry menu, which now consists of Tetra Discus granules, Tetra Pro Color Crisps, Sera Discus granules (they are too small and fast sinking, mostly get eaten by plecos), Prodac Colour flakes and Dajana Discus flakes.

What you are feeding is not necessarily bad for your discus.. especially since its a variety. I would not worry overly about it.

Bug bites are hit or miss with discus .. mine would not touch them..

If I could give you a suggestion.. when you are introducing a new food or trying to train them to eat a different food you have to feed only that food. Even if they dont eat it with gusto or at all a few days.. most of the time hobbyists worry their fish will starve to death if they go without eating a few days so they give in and stop feeding the new food. People go away a week to 10 days and dont feed their discus at all. That gives you an indication of how long you can try with a particular food you want them to eat.

Hth,
Al

[Vanman]

Discus are better at training us to feed them than we are at training them to eat what we want.

[brewmaster15]

discus are better at training us to feed them than we are at training them to eat what we want.

ain't that the truth!

[LizStreithorst]

Gary tells his Discus that this is not a resturant.

[Johanna]

I'm now mixing artemia and mysis and feeding only that for a few days. Let's see if I can get everyone to eat at least one or the other. It's surprisingly difficult to not give in to their demands, lol

I think I'll still order those new dry foods too, can't hurt to have more options.