Blood worms

[kirklandlaker]

is it ok to feed my fish only frozen blood worms?

[MSD]

One type of food is never enough, they need variety just like people do to insure good nutrition.

[OC Discus]

At least once a day feed a flake or pellet with added vitamins and some green like spiralina or kelp.

[kirklandlaker]

is there a special kind of flake for discus .....?

[trungnguyen]

Frozen blood worms have 90% of water. Not enough nutritious for discus. You can make beef heart for them, fdbw from Al


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[kirklandlaker]

Frozen blood worms have 90% of water. Not enough nutritious for discus. You can make beef heart for them, fdbw from Al


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how do you make beef heart?

[wild4discus]

is there a special kind of flake for discus .....?

There are many kinds of high quality dry foods (flakes, pellets, granules) that you can feed your discus. Check out ken'sfish.com, he is a sponsor here on SD and offers a wide variety of quality foods for very low prices and generous quantity. You can most 1/2 pound packages for about $5 each.

[OC Discus]

Omega One is one of the best carried in stores. Made with whole salmon and fish instead of meal. They make a veggie flake, color flake, and a standard flake as well as pellets.

I've never used cobalt flakes, but upscale local fish stores sell them. They contain beef heart, veggies and vitamins among other things. I think Hans was involved in developing this food and sells his own version of it directly. Even though I haven't used it, it is probably one of the best flakes you can get based on the contents. I have researched it, just haven't bought it. My lfs doesn't carry it.

[kirklandlaker]

ya i tried to order some flake from hans but does not ship to canada

[blueluv]

ya i tried to order some flake from hans but does not ship to canada

My first choice is to support simply discus in any way I can. Since Mr Hans can't deliver to Canada you might want to try drsfostersmith.com, they sell Hans discus flake food.


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[Wes]

Frozen blood worms have 90% of water. Not enough nutritious for discus. You can make beef heart for them, fdbw from Al


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Beef heart is around 80% water.

[sandy]

You can also feed Austrian black worm my discus go mad for them

They also get beef heart


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[nc0gnet0]

Frozen blood worms have 90% of water. Not enough nutritious for discus. You can make beef heart for them, fdbw from Al


I here this argument from time to time. It's not a good argument. Freeze dried blood worms have almost the identical protein levels as Freeze dried Blackworms. Ergo, frozen bloodworms would have roughly the same protein content as frozen blackworms. Freeze drying doesnt make the worms better for you fish, just a lot easier to store and use. Your also forgetting the fact once the freeze dried product hits the water, it immediately starts to absorb water, bringing it right back in line with it's frozen counterpart.

Now to the OP, as others have said, I would never recomend feeding one food exclusively, for several reasons. But as part of a regular diet that contians other foods as well, they are just fine.

[JamesP]

Finally common snese in regards to frozen and freeze dried. I have seen the water content issue mentioned many times on Simply and the CANDY comments about Blood Worms. I feed a variety of foods but really do like Blood Worms. They seem to enhance the blues in my fish. I do like the freeze dried better. It stores easier and super easy to grab a pinch and toss in the tanks.


I here this argument from time to time. It's not a good argument. Freeze dried blood worms have almost the identical protein levels as Freeze dried Blackworms. Ergo, frozen bloodworms would have roughly the same protein content as frozen blackworms. Freeze drying doesnt make the worms better for you fish, just a lot easier to store and use. Your also forgetting the fact once the freeze dried product hits the water, it immediately starts to absorb water, bringing it right back in line with it's frozen counterpart.

Now to the OP, as others have said, I would never recomend feeding one food exclusively, for several reasons. Put as part of a regular diet that contians other foods as well, they are just fine.

[MSD]

[QUOTE=trungnguyen;1054129]Frozen blood worms have 90% of water. Not enough nutritious for discus. You can make beef heart for them, fdbw from Al

They don't eat the water, they eat the worm! The water just means you get less worms per Oz, but that's it.

[OC Discus]

I think Toni (Strawberry Blond) has a post on this issue of 90% water in beef heart where she explains that the number is misleading. A search on beef heart should pull it up.

Here is the quote from another thread:


"I have no idea how much actual water is in the San Fran beefheart cubes, but for sure it's not 90% water. When you read the moisture content on the back of the package they are referring to the amount of moisture in the beef and other products, not the amount of water added. If you remove the water you get beef jerky. =)

My discus all love the stuff! They grow well on it and it contains a nice balance of protein, vitamins, minerals and algae.

Here's how I feed them. Remove one from the blister pack, then cup it in your hand and run it gently under cold water just to thaw the very edges of the cube. It takes less than a minute...you'll be able to feel the outside corners getting slightly soft. This part is very important for my discus because they strike the cube HARD the second it goes into the tank and they want instant gratification. By thawing those edges a bit they can grab a bite right away. The rest of the cube will warm up very fast in the water!

Once my cube edges are mushy, I hold the very top edges tightly in two fingers and hold it about 3 inches under the surface of the water. I refuse to let go till they've eaten at least 3/4 of the cube, then I let the remainder drop. Usually one or more of my discus will grab the cube as it leaves my fingers and they tug it back and forth in a mini war to see who will win the cube.

By doing it this way you avoid having massive amounts of very fine beefheart bits that float every which way. Your discus should be able to eat nearly every bite before it hits the bottom of the tank.



Toni
Vice President - NADA
150g - 11 discus, 6 cory's, 20+ Cardinals, 5 Neons, 4 GBR for now... give it a month and it'll change!

[nc0gnet0]

I have no idea how much actual water is in the San Fran beefheart cubes, but for sure it's not 90% water. When you read the moisture content on the back of the package they are referring to the amount of moisture in the beef and other products, not the amount of water added. If you remove the water you get beef jerky. =)

I am actually quite sure it is close to, if not above, 90% water. Water is water, doesn't matter if it is in the product naturally, or if it was added during to processing. We ourselves are comprised of 75% water. The water argument is not unique to our hobby, it applies to such things as dry vs canned or RAW dog food as well.

Protein percentages are also easily manipulated in dry products as well (aka glutens and feathers to name a few) and these protein booster additives are seldom usufull or easily broken down to actually be a usable food substance.

[DiscusAB]

how do you make beef heart?

Same way u make chicken for yourself

[Wes]

I think Toni (Strawberry Blond) has a post on this issue of 90% water in beef heart where she explains that the number is misleading. A search on beef heart should pull it up.

Here is the quote from another thread:


"I have no idea how much actual water is in the San Fran beefheart cubes, but for sure it's not 90% water. When you read the moisture content on the back of the package they are referring to the amount of moisture in the beef and other products, not the amount of water added. If you remove the water you get beef jerky. =)

!

4 ounces of beef heart straight out of the cow has 3.07 ounces of water/ moisture in it or about 77%. If its natural or added its still water.
It is best to compare frozen to frozen and dry to dry.

[donnacona]

4 ounces of beef heart straight out of the cow has 3.07 ounces of water/ moisture in it or about 77%. If its natural or added its still water.
It is best to compare frozen to frozen and dry to dry.

First of all the steak you ate last night, or even your body is mostly water so there is nothing wrong with feeding beef heart to your discus. If you make it properly by using the way they show in these forms with properly cleaned veal heart, greens, garlic, vitamins and gelatin you should have good beef heart food (don't forget to put it thin in plastic bags and freeze it).
My routine is:
Morning: They get Tetra Color Granules.
Lunch: They get frozen brine shrimp.
Supper: They get home made beef heart

They are young adults and doing great.
Stu

[BODYDUB]

You may wanna do a search on frozen blood worms before you feed them..................

[sholvey]

ya i tried to order some flake from hans but does not ship to canada

Dr. Fosters and Smith, has Hans's endorsed Cobalt blend for sale. I am sure the shipping rate to Canada would be outrageous and not worth it.

[OC Discus]

John,

Are you suggesting there is a problem with blood worms people should be aware of? Honestly, the search engine does not always produce good results and sometimes the results are conflicting.


You may wanna do a search on frozen blood worms before you feed them..................

[BODYDUB]

John,

Are you suggesting there is a problem with blood worms people should be aware of? Honestly, the search engine does not always produce good results and sometimes the results are conflicting.
Nope, but knowledge is POWER...............

[tonytheboss1]

:bandana: WOW!! Never thought it would be such a hot topic but I guess it is. I look at it this way, if you plan on one thing & one thing only, then blood worms aren't the most ideal. I prefer moderation & diversification. Now granted my menu is a bit much but they seem satisfied.
From prev. post-

Can someone please advice if simply feeding blood worms and brine shrimps will suffice the nutritions required for discus. I am little worried as my discus refuses to accept tetra bits or any other discus pellets.

:bandana: You'll need a bit more than just that. There are a number of different things you can choose to diversify your discus' diet. Mine is a bit extreme (OCD) but the choices are many. Food varies every couple a days - live blackworms, Hans frozen beef mix, San Fran Bay Frozen Bloodworms, Mysis Shrimp, Ocean Nutrition Discus Flakes, Als Austrailian freeze dried blackworms, O.S.I. Spirulina Flakes, NLS Discus Formula pellets & Dainichi Cichlid - Color FX + Vita-Chem once a week. "T"

[aquadon2222]

They also need roughage to keep things moving along in their guy, and bloodworms don't provide enough. Give em some pellets and flakes and if they don't eat them, skip a day or two and get them good and hungry and they'll learn to like them.

[aquadon2222]

*gut

[MSD]

They also need roughage to keep things moving along in their guy, and bloodworms don't provide enough. Give em some pellets and flakes and if they don't eat them, skip a day or two and get them good and hungry and they'll learn to like them.

How do you know the bloodworms don't have enough fiber?? You don't think dry foods might be more binding? or pellets? So many statements with no facts in this whole thread, and in this forum in general lately.

[Boyd Luth]

John,

Are you suggesting there is a problem with blood worms people should be aware of? Honestly, the search engine does not always produce good results and sometimes the results are conflicting.

Conflicting is a nice word to use :-) Frozen Blood worms I have read are to be given a few times a week. I have also read that they may contain nasties that will infect Discus. I have one Breeder, on the phone instruct me to throw away the frozen bloodworms, and since have stuck with Al's FD Black Worms. I am a newbie still learning. Love this Forum, I sometimes become frustrated reading different thoughts/opinions after a Search...that is when I PM a few Friends, and ask them. Thank you Ladies for your valuable Info. BB.

[blueluv]

I'm not debating wether bloodworms provide nutrition or roughage , although they help to put some thickness on discus . They might provide some nutrition , who knows for sure . My debate with bloodworms is how do you keep discus from becoming addicted to them . It is a given that discus do get addicted to certain foods , but why more so towards bloodworms .

How is it prevented ? How often should it fed to discus ?



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[myofibroblast]

Not sure about the nutritional value of any food group alone (hard to judge when most pre-packaged frozen food have micronutrient supplementation). I just know that when I feed to feed the Hikari frozen bloodworms, the fish (both domestic and wild) become extra aggressive and frenzied in eating. I'm not sure if there is a visual or olfactory quality to the bloodworms that tickles the appetite/pleasure center of the brain.

[OC Discus]

I consider bloodworms a healthy part of a balanced diet. Since they are carnivores, foods high in protein are good for them, which bloodworms are. They get freeze dried bloodworms for breakfast, then Omega One Veggie Pellets for lunch. The pellets are high in protein, but also contain kelp (green) and vitamins. Then freeze dried brine shrimp for supper. Probably not as good as beefheart flakes with progrowth, but it seems balanced and they eat all I give them. I also feed frozen beefheart on water change days.


I'm not debating wether bloodworms provide nutrition or roughage , although they help to put some thickness on discus . They might provide some nutrition , who knows for sure . My debate with bloodworms is how do you keep discus from becoming addicted to them . It is a given that discus do get addicted to certain foods , but why more so towards bloodworms .

How is it prevented ? How often should it fed to discus ?



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