Discus Growth rate

[JenTN]

I found this interesting...I purchased two of my discus from my lfs..they are Stendkers so good stock. Got them about a month ago. I wc daily large amount and feed..well it seems my life revolves around these things! They are always pecking at the bottom or begging at the top. Anyway, I was at the lfs last weekend and saw their former tankmates..my lfs is an excellent store btw..and they looke quite smaller and much thinner than mine, I thought. I also noticed a difference, esp. in thickness in the juvies and even inch babies that Hans sent me that had probably missed meals for shipping and my lfs stendkers...Hans's were definitely thicker.

[JenTN]

Yeah I don't buy the two day, three day whatever stuff either.

Im willing to bet there isn't a discus in the amazon that gets fed 6 times a day year round

Heck they hardly move and use any energy in a tank so I believe unless it's a small fry that one or two feedings a day is plenty.

You would be much better off trying to keep high water quality without trashing the water with waste and uneaten food.

JMO

I just read an article in AFI about obesity in aquarium fish. Related to energy not being spent swimming, searching for food, reproducing, also high fat diet. Also that it is often not noticed since fat is stored internally instead of like us lucky humans who store it under the skin.:-)

[Mep1127]

Nice to know all this.. So i guess 3 feedings a day for 3.0+ inch discus is okay? I try to feed them high protein like beefheart, flake, mysis all the usual good stuff all varied too

[Apistomaster]

Nice to know all this.. So i guess 3 feedings a day for 3.0+ inch discus is okay? I try to feed them high protein like beefheart, flake, mysis all the usual good stuff all varied too

Much depends on the nature of the foods they are fed. Some foods last hours so the fish continue feeding between feedings but some foods are consumed immediately so more frequent feeding then becomes necessary.
It also depends on the age of the fish. I feed fry 4 to 6 times a day but once they attain 3 to 4 inches three feeding per day may suffice.