Discus not eating but still alive

[S. Jersey Jay]

I am a member of New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club and as of early Dec. one of are members was gracious enough to give me his runts, give me a tour of his set ups and try to teach me a thing or 2. Well let me tell you I came out of his house feeling I was ready for success. These runts were about the size of adults that they sell at the LFS as full grow, his breeding pairs were the size of dinner plates, mine the size of my palms and gorgious. So I placed said fish in well established planted tank.
Water parameters were as stated
PH 6.4
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 0-5ppm
Kh 4 degrees
Gh 6 degrees
So i figure I have thing well under control.. right... not so....
I figure the fish would be shy and hide for a while but a while became well till now. I have not witnessed them eat a thing since I put them in the tank, the wild/turquis turned dark and the gold remain the same..I have tryed tetrabites, flake food, multiple frozen food, and from what I read am very leary on live worm etc. I would post pictures but site says Im not allowed
I am just wondering what anyone thinks I should do at this point. Yes I have already talked to the gentalman that gave them to me and tryed almost all the ideas hehas goven me without results.

[Trier20]

How many did he give you? What the temp of your water? Are there other fish in the tank with them?

[athos45]

Maybe you can ask some food that the discus are used to eating from the guy who gave you the fish

[S. Jersey Jay]

I got what he suggested except the FDBW which I havent been able to find.
Tho they are not nutritious at all Im thinking Im gonna get Brine Shrimp to hopefully trigger prey drive

[Skip]

I got what he suggested except the FDBW which I havent been able to find.
Tho they are not nutritious at all Im thinking Im gonna get Brine Shrimp to hopefully trigger prey drive


please answer post number two..

[S. Jersey Jay]

How many did he give you? What the temp of your water? Are there other fish in the tank with them?
6 discus
temp is at 82-83
yes other fish include:
12 Rummy nose tetra, 6 gold, kuli loach, 2 plecos, pair A. Agassizi, 2 bolivian rams, 5 cory

[S. Jersey Jay]

Good news!!!! Today I witnessed discus eating some blood worms(frozen). There may be light at the end of the tunnel

[iCarp]

I have two red melons that appear to never eat. Honestly. They will swim around the food whilst the others are tearing into it at meal times but they never take a morsel that I have seen. The fact that they are still alive and healthy, though, means that they must be snacking on the side. Apparently discus are like humans and some are just light eaters. This pair are also very shy fish.

In your case, if you've had them since early December and they are still alive they must be eating something at some time. In a well established planted tank I would suppose that there must be opportunities to forage that they are taking advantage of.

[S. Jersey Jay]

Any opportunity for faraging IMO in this tank would be few and far between. First and formost at the drop of the food the other tank mates(rummy nose,gold tetras,and a few other mid swimmers) dart to the surface. Then food starts to settle to the substrate and in come the cories, ottos, ancistrus, etc. If there is any food left I would be suprized. But as you mentioned they have to be eating something but what I dont know. All plants in the tank are accounted for and any plants floating I would account to the 3 ancistrus(bulls in china shop) I have adapted trying to feed them frozen foods through a syrindge(sp?) and they appear to nibble abit now. The good news is I just picked up a 150 gallon tank and plan on getting that started in the next few months. This will also be planted and started with cycled media and substrate. So almost an instant tank. Plus water changes will be done every 3 days at 30-50% if necissary