Does anyone exclude beafheart by discus diet?

[Carol_Roberts]

It must be the way I processed the heart through the meat grinder. Some pieces were too fine and the adults didn't bother with them. The best way I found to process beefheart was to put nearly frozen 1/2 inch cubes through a salad shooter. the beefheart came out in worm sized pieces that the fish could swallow whole

[Mike_Selley]

Carol,

Did you just feed pure beef heart? I just made another post about how I was afraid to feed it anymore. But then I relized I put flakes and Tetrabits in with it and maybe that was part of my problem with it. Like not presoaking the flakes or tetrabits so to speak.

[Smokey]

Yes, you are correct Carol.
Keep the beefheart in a ''frozen'' state while processing.
It seems to offer better consistancy.

I take a frozen beefheart, let thaw slightly, Trim all viens and artiers, fat muscle. Cut into wiener size lenghts. KEEP COLD/ SLIGHTLY FROZEN.
Then I feed the wiener beefheart through the meat grinder.
RECOOL. i USUALLY PASS THE SEMI- FROZEN BEEFHEART THROUGHT MY GRINDER TWO OR THREE TIMES.
Next I take my frozen veggies - garlic[ peeled], yellow peppers[ seeded]. red pepper[seeded], etc. and grind them two or three times.
REFREEZE.

Next; I mix all the frozen incredients together; WOW - is this fun. Add any vitiams - C, etc. AND put the entire diet through the grinder again, and again; to get the consistancy I like.
VERY FINE FOR JUVI'S; A LITTLE COARSER FOR THE ADULTS.

Spread on a large cooky sheet and FREEZE. I do not cover the cooky sheet; I have a frost free fridge/freezer. The air circulating, dehydrates the mixture - removes excess moisture. Almost like freeze drying. HEY - IT WORKS. NO FREEZER BURN; EVER !!!

Then I either break up the large pieces and bag ... Hey is this fun. OR - I have just left the uncovered beefheart diet on the cookie sheet; and kinda scrape off the necessary beefheart needed for a feeding. At this time the beefheart diet is fairly fine in consistancy and very easy for the discus to ''INHALE''. and digest !!!!
The low moisture content, lets the beefheart float ... while the discus goarge them selves.

Remember - a little at a time

Smokey

ps.. things like lettuce and spinach - the discus do not digest; to short a gut.
The peppers seem fine, mind you they are very finely froozen ground.

GARLIC - about a head of garlic to ever 3 pounds of beefheart. Makes the diet smell oh - so - good.

Smokey

[Carol_Roberts]

When I fed beefheart I originally made mixes, but in the end it was just plain beefheart. I fed them flakes and bits at other meals. . . . then I discovered black worms . . . which are much less work and cleaner, so no more grinding beefheart for me ;D

[Smokey]

Your lucky ,,,, no black worms up here. they are just not available

Today I started make up some more beefheart diet.
25 pounds of beefheart, cut and trimmed. The neighbours dog loves me; I gave all the trimmings to them. He will be happy for a long time. lol

So far; the heart has been ground twice - once through the coarse cutting disk and once through the fine disk. It is alll sitting in the freezer now. I have to peel the garlic and get some yellow peppers.

Smokey

[gary1218]

I wouldn't mind switching to a good seafood diet BUT I can't seem to make one that doesn't float My discus are so used to eating food that all sinks to the bottom they never see it floating to try and eat it

GARY

[jamesmcsyd]

I too tried beefheart but I found it was too messy. I guess I never did it correctly.

Intersting article in the free SERA magazine about how discus first came to like beefheart. They said it came from the dead carcasses of cows killed in local Indian rituals, and was never a natural part of thier diet .
From the German perspective at least, the use of beefheart from what I read was not viewed positively.

By the way, does anyone use earthworms?

James

[jim_shedden]

Smokey: What is the purpose of the yellow peppers. Its sound neat and I think I will try it.

JIm

[Fisheyes]

Smokey
Blk worms in Calgary at Picies and riverfront.
Tony has been using them for years and I also use them with no side effects .
If interested e-mail me and I will ship you some for a trial.

Fisheyes

[Smokey]

Jim - The use of yellow peppers / and green peppers .... for some veggie material, very fine grain, easy to digest, natural vitamins ... and it seemed like a good idea. The discus loved it. In the past I have used spinach .. no good, lettuce ... to coarse, even apples. I was trying to get a natural source of vitiams. ASO - Now , I also add powered vitiam ''C''.

The pepppers also seem to help with binding, I do not use gelatin.

Also ... I let the final mixture "FREEZE DRY". on open cookie sheets. { a frost free freezer does this very well ... ]. Removes excess water. helps to preserve the B/H.

Note - this is not FREEZER BURN !!!

Smokey

[Smokey]

Thanks for the offer, Fisheyes. - good to know they are available in Calgary, though.

However, I will have to pass, at this time.

I'd proberly mistake them for a midnight snack. lol/


BTW ... how are your discus doing?
I nevery see you on msn, how come?

Smokey

[jim_shedden]

Smokey................I'm going to try the peppers this weekend.

Thanks : Jim

[Fisheyes]

Hi Smokey

Black worms available in Calgary at Riverfront also Picies .

If your interested e-mail me and I will out some on the bus for you .
Fisheyes

P>S Both Tony and myself feed them with no problems as of yet

[Smokey]

I am making up a fresh batch; 25 pounds of trimmed beef heart --- 5 yellow pepper. and 3 green peppres. Plus 2 - heads of fresh gallic.

Smokey

[Smokey]

Fisheyes , I heard you the first time !!! lol

I do not use black worms any more. shipping by grey hound to me is like crossing a piranna with a oscar.

TEETH WITH AN ATTITUDE !!!! [[ sounds like my first mother-in-law]].

Smokey

PS... send me an e-,mail, eh! or you msn contact.
I am also retired, did not plan it , it just happened.. ouch.

Smokey