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Thread: Help me get my discus to eat!

  1. #1
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    Default Help me get my discus to eat!

    So some of you helped me on my other issue (gasping). Fish have been doing great as far as that is concerned. My new issue is getting them to eat. The discus I got from my LFS were eating bloodworms when I got them. I continued that, until I read that I shouldn't use that as the staple for their diet. The 5 discus I got from a local breeder were raised on BH. I leaned off the bloodworms, and have tried to get them interested in tetra color bits, beefheart, NLS pellets. They don't touch anything, not that I ever see anyway. So I didn't feed them anything for 2 days, did a 60% water change and tried to get them to eat again. I thawed a couple cubes of bloodworms, and twice as many cubes of BH and mixed them together. This got them to eat, but only until the bloodworms were gone and they just ignored the BH, even the ones that were raised on it.

    So what are your thoughts? How can I get them to eat something other than bloodworms?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    stop giving them the blood worms and keep starving them.. I had a similar issue (check my post under food and nutrition by jayson). they're eating my frozen beef heart mix now. just gotta stay strong.

  3. #3
    Registered Member Skip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    Quote Originally Posted by jayson View Post
    stop giving them the blood worms and keep starving them.. I had a similar issue (check my post under food and nutrition by jayson). they're eating my frozen beef heart mix now. just gotta stay strong.
    yep

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    How long does it typically take for them to come around?

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    Homesteader Altum Nut's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    As the others mentioned....starve them again, raise the temp to 86 and make sure to add an airstone. Try a variety of quality foods and don't go back to FBW until they take other foods.
    I know you feel guilty and concerned if they don't eat for more than two days but it's the only way.

    ...Ralph

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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    they're not gonna die even if you starve them for like 4-5 days, they'll just be realy hungry and desperate for food (we would too, n eat anything LOL). That's what i learned about fish, they're all quite similar. just stay strong and don't give in. don't mix the blood worms or anything. focus on giving them what u want them to eat first.

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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    Quote Originally Posted by slapnutz View Post
    How long does it typically take for them to come around?
    these depends on the size of the disucs the bigger the longer it could take, bought 2 blue diamoands last week here in Portugal they are ( 5cm ) they started eating after 3 hours in the tank ( home made Bife Heart mix and pellets ) the same day i bought to Maralbro REDS ( 12 and 14 cm ) the only started eating last night. just give it time..

  8. #8
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    Default

    Well, today was a sad day. I lost my two Marlboro's. There stomachs looked very empty, they wouldn't eat anything I was offering. On another forum, a member suggested de-worming them to see if it would help. What are your thoughts on this? Will it affect any of my community fish or plants? What medication would I used? Or ifyou have any other ideas, let me know.

  9. #9
    Registered Member Eddie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    Quote Originally Posted by slapnutz View Post
    Well, today was a sad day. I lost my two Marlboro's. There stomachs looked very empty, they wouldn't eat anything I was offering. On another forum, a member suggested de-worming them to see if it would help. What are your thoughts on this? Will it affect any of my community fish or plants? What medication would I used? Or ifyou have any other ideas, let me know.
    Damn, those fish must have been ill and they also must have not eaten for a very long time. I've had fish go 2 months and be just fine, not even look like they hadn't eaten. Another member on here has a fish that hasn't eaten in over 3 months and it still looks thick, healthy and vibrant. Guess those fish weren't in good health. Sorry for your loss

    Eddie
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    "If you ask for an opinion...don't get pissed when I give you mine."

  10. #10
    Registered Member JDiscus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    Slapnutz... man I am sorry for your loss. As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with eddie, they were sick. Deworming is a must (jmo) and you can go to your vet to get the prazi... You need to mix it though with beefheart or shrimp mix (soaking flakes works, but it takes longer). Hexamita can be cured with Metronidazol (also available from your vet and mixed in with your bh or sm). Just don't give up!!! It's a learning process... Buy from a reputable dealer, keep the water clean and don't mess with your water too much. Todays discus can take alot of different parimeters. Some of the nicest Discus I have seen have been in tap water.... Chin up buddy
    Last edited by brewmaster15; 10-03-2010 at 07:32 AM.
    The more I know, the more I realize how much more I have to learn!!

  11. #11
    Registered Member JDiscus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    Let me go back.... deworming is a must (JMO) if you feed beefheart daily.... Sorry to all the other forumers (is that a word?) for venting but it is what it is.....
    The more I know, the more I realize how much more I have to learn!!

  12. #12
    Registered Member JDiscus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    Well "warlock"..... Have you had a discus that has gone 2 mos. w/o eating and lived? I am VERY sorry for being a jerk, I am not a mean person (though it may seem like it now)... I'm done here... Slapnutz there are several people you can talk to and get a good answer... pm me and I will give you there emails...
    The more I know, the more I realize how much more I have to learn!!

  13. #13
    Registered Member Skip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    JD.. i had a one that wasn't not eating.. and it seems for like a more weeks then it should have been.. i treated for worms.. but he did not help.. he never really ate... but mine didn't recover. his did..

  14. #14
    Registered Member Skip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    Quote Originally Posted by JDiscus View Post
    Well "warlock"..... Have you had a discus that has gone 2 mos. w/o eating and lived? .
    no..

  15. #15
    Registered Member JDiscus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help me get my discus to eat!

    Thanks Warlock for being honest... But we have gotten off subject... this isn"t about us bro (or broette... is that a phrase LOL!!!) This is about helping Slapspnutz... Slapnutz... if you need help, pm me.. I will shoot you in the right direction....
    The more I know, the more I realize how much more I have to learn!!

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