I used a clementines, which is just a kind of orange that I find particularly tasty. I think they are more fragrant than the average California Navel, more on par with a Florida juice orange or a tangerine.
Is it oranges or clementines ?
I used a clementines, which is just a kind of orange that I find particularly tasty. I think they are more fragrant than the average California Navel, more on par with a Florida juice orange or a tangerine.
Yes Eric, good stuff.
So I had grapefruits in my refrigerator, not oranges, so I gave them a try. After 3 days of rotating a new peel every 24 hours all I found is that I needed to wipe my glass down, as I not an odd clearish white film on most of it. I didn't notice any positive change in eating, so if your going to give this a try stick to the non-grape fruit citrus.
President - North American Discus Association
Thanks for the chime in Keith. Did you just try this for the heck of it or thought all citrus would work the same? Just curious why that, other than it was there? I wonder if the same effect would happen with other citrus and if this just pertains to something specific in an orange.
Keith, have you ever tired the orange yourself? I'd be kind of curious now that you did the one citrus if the orange is different, maybe it is just fools gold, who knows?
Using the grapefruit was purely an experiment and done primarily because I'd been in a grapefruit eating mode and had plenty here. I noted the original article was titled with oranges but the guy actually used clementines himself so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'll make an effort before too long to get some oranges or clementines and see what the results of that are and post back.
Hi all,
Just to share my own observations on the use of orange peels. I tried it again on Sat and Sun. It may be placebo effect but my gut feel tells me that the discus can sense a change in the water conditions once the orange peels arep in the water for a few minutes. The increased in activity is common to what I observe during their feeding time. They would gather near the tank corner where I usually drop in the beefheart. After milling around with no food... they would start a small fight to reinforce the pecking order. After 15 or 20min.. they would settle down again. Whenever there are movement near the feeding corner, they would repeat the ritual. I am not able to ascertain if their appetite increase or not due to the orange peels.
So I can't confirm if there is negative or positive effect except that the scent of the orange peels may mislead the discus thinking that there are food in the water.
Not a bad thought. My one question would be this; were there any fish already in the tank or not responsive to food? After the oranges, did they act this way?
The way I took the article is that it peps up fish who were lacking an appetite. So your theory may be right for healthy active hungry fish, just curious how it effected the non-eating fish? In my case I had 2 that were lagging behind and barely picking at food. They went from that state to attacking food post orange, hence my observations being different.
@DatDiscusDude
The reason I tried the orange peel was because two of my discus were slow in reacting to the beefheart when I first got them 4 weeks ago. But when I used dry freezes Australian blackworms, the same two discus went into a feeding frenzy without the orange peel present. That was in week 2.
I tried it again this weekend with the orange peels in the sump tank overnight. In the first feeding in the morning, I don't think they ate more than usual. My observations were that they were more reactive to me throughout the day whenever I go near the tank as though (this is my opinion... could be a placebo effect) I was going to feed them.
So to be really honest... my assessment is 'no conclusion' given that i have tried orange peels only 4 times. The first 2 times only lasted 4 to 6 hours. The 3rd and 4th time was overnight.
I have since decided not to try anymore just to keep my water cleaner.
So, I had stopped doing this for a while as all my fish were gorging... I had one recently get a tad moody and picky and I tried the oranges and it didn't seem to have the gusto it last did...
Anyone know, should a UV be shut down during such treatment? Do you think it could zap whatever the peel leaches?
Im sorry I didnt read all previous comments.
But here is my experience.
We can get them to eat by using vitamin B complex . I have witnessed this from my badly infected discus who were not eating. I use BH + garlic + vitamin B complex.
Now they have recovered from sickness also.
This is all rather intriguing...!
Lahi if they are not eating how do you get them to chow on BH, the garlic has been used as an attractant to food.
Hey good question mate.
First I used some aquarium salt in the tank so their wate elimination procedure get in line. Then I used bit high concentration of garlic mixed with that BH mix ( moderate than normal ) . First they start small. Ate really small amounts. Then they start eating usual. Also they are reluctant to eat huge chunks offered. (It happened in my case ). Also they dont like if the food chunks are hard to break . So dont add eggs or gelatine to fix ur food for like normal food. Just BH n vitamin B complex, garlic and mix freeze it off. N then let it melt the freeze n temperature to rise in food . N then feed them. First they dont eat much but eventually they will .
Last edited by lahi88; 06-03-2017 at 11:11 PM.