Best Way of Feeding Discus in a Planted Tank

[32Bit_Fish]

Hi All,

I've never keep discus in a planted tank. I'm currently have two 4" discus in a 20G high tank and I'm trying to grow them to 6" or 7" before put them in my 75G heavily planted tank. There are lemon tetras, cardinals, red rummy noses and one small Boesemoni rainbow in my 75G tank. All of them are aggressive eater.

I'm concerned that discus are not fast enough to get to the food before the food are gone. Uneaten food are very likely to sink to the bottom of the tank. I have 4" substate with potting soil at the bottom layer, eco-complete as the top layer.

Would discus still be able to pick up the food that are sank to the substrate? I feed my discus with colorbits granules, various flakes, hikari frozen food and FDBW.

How do you guys feed your discus in a planted tank?

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Well first off, I hope you plan on getting more than 2 discus. They do better in groups of 5 or more. And secondly, they will graze on the bottom and anything that might be floating on the top, like FDBW. If you are concerned about them not getting enough food, then you will have to sacrifice the smaller community tank dwellers and just keep your discus.

Eventually though the discus will eat as many people here have community fish with discus and all works out fine. Focus though on getting about 3 or 4 more discus.

[32Bit_Fish]

Well first off, I hope you plan on getting more than 2 discus. They do better in groups of 5 or more. And secondly, they will graze on the bottom and anything that might be floating on the top, like FDBW. If you are concerned about them not getting enough food, then you will have to sacrifice the smaller community tank dwellers and just keep your discus.

Eventually though the discus will eat as many people here have community fish with discus and all works out fine. Focus though on getting about 3 or 4 more discus.

Thanks for your input. I'm concern because I guess I'm new to this. And watched discus graze on the bottom in a BB tank is like watch them in slow motion. That's definitely not the case with my other fish in the planted tank.

I want to get some jumble discus and dang,,, Hans is not giving me a discount on them. So I just have to keep looking.

[du3ce]

get a feeding cone

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Good luck with your setup. Hans is a great guy so hopefully you can work something out.

[Skip]

I want to get some jumble discus and dang,,, Hans is not giving me a discount on them. So I just have to keep looking.

LOL>> they are worth every penny

[32Bit_Fish]

LOL>> they are worth every penny

I may pull the trigger if I go visit Hans facility one day and not telling my wife how much did I pay for a fish.. :bandana:

[32Bit_Fish]

get a feeding cone

I suppose the feeding cone only works with worms....?

[JOSNNGUYEN]

I may pull the trigger if I go visit Hans facility one day and not telling my wife how much did I pay for a fish.. :bandana:

Smart move lol

[Skip]

I may pull the trigger if I go visit Hans facility one day and not telling my wife how much did I pay for a fish.. :bandana:

buy her something first!!!

[JOSNNGUYEN]

I would not do it that way Skip.. she will probably know what is going on......lol

[32Bit_Fish]

Does Hans offer monthly payment on his jumbo discus? I may consider that if that is an option.

[32Bit_Fish]

Check it out my 75G, guys. Should I trim to make some room for the discus?

[32Bit_Fish]

My amazon sword.

[JOSNNGUYEN]

nice but yes you should trim to make room for discus. I just bought my 75 gallons too. for right now I am building the stand and canopy then next step would be my sump. Hopefully I will get it done soon

[32Bit_Fish]

nice but yes you should trim to make room for discus. I just bought my 75 gallons too. for right now I am building the stand and canopy then next step would be my sump. Hopefully I will get it done soon

How am I going to trim the amazon sword?

[andre senna]

I think That flakes are best. it do not sink so fast , with colorbits, there is more chance to fine particules get into the substrate , especially in your case with a eco complet substrate. I used to find food rooting in sand ( gravel) , plants roots etc that is the reason why that today I just have fine sand and woods.

try to give the food in a way that there is no waste, I use to put a little, let the fishes eat, then give some more, until I think that it is enough.

I find out that discus fishes do not see the food (pellets) if the bottom is the same colour of it. they eat it until it reach the bottom, then it seems that they just do not see it , they pass close to it and do not eat anymore, unless I put my hands and move the food , by making a ''current''. I think they use the vision to reach the food , not the smell. Just my experience.

[du3ce]

I like to feed them freeze dried worms I dont stick them to the glass or use a cone I just toss them in the tank and eventually my discus will go up to get it or my spray bar will loosen the bits, 2 -3 cubes will last about 1-2 hours in the tank in my experience

[Elliots]

You will not have a problem with the other fish being aggressive eaters, they are all small fish and do not eat a lot. If necessary put food in the tank at two different places and put enough food in to last 10 minutes. As far as trimming your Swords, you can put your hand in the tank and use a scissor, there is a device available in the market that is effectively a scissor on a 30" handle or you could do what I do, remove the sword plants from the tank and pull off all the leaves you want then replant them. If you take the plants out of the tank you do not see the unsightly stubs where you cut off leaves. I do not think your discus will hit 6-7" in the smallish tank you have them in to grow out now. They are 4", put them in the 75 now. Finally, get more discus.

[32Bit_Fish]

I moved the fish to my 75G yesterday (see my thread-Two Dark Discus in my planted tank). I did trim the plants in the tank and cut off a lot sword leafs. I just trashed all trimmed leafs. No room for replanting. The discus stopped eating food and only picked up some colorbits today. Both of them were big eater when they were in my quarantine tank. I think it's a big change for them, so need more time for them to settle down.

[Pnorton]

I moved the fish to my 75G yesterday (see my thread-Two Dark Discus in my planted tank). I did trim the plants in the tank and cut off a lot sword leafs. I just trashed all trimmed leafs. No room for replanting. The discus stopped eating food and only picked up some colorbits today. Both of them were big eater when they were in my quarantine tank. I think it's a big change for them, so need more time for them to settle down.

I normally let my discus eat out of my hand and the little fish eat what goes in the current or on the bottom. Once what is between my fingers is gone the discus will look for more around the plants and off the surface but the cardinals and cories usually get it cleaned up pretty quick.

As for the turning black and lack of appetite, that would indicate stress. If the water is testing ok then it could just be the new surroundings. Good luck.

Pam

[flutterbug]

I normally let my discus eat out of my hand and the little fish eat what goes in the current or on the bottom. Once what is between my fingers is gone the discus will look for more around the plants and off the surface but the cardinals and cories usually get it cleaned up pretty quick.

As for the turning black and lack of appetite, that would indicate stress. If the water is testing ok then it could just be the new surroundings. Good luck.

Pam

Same here! I do feed flakes once a day and since I can't feed them by hand I just feed lightly. Sometimes I use a long tweezer that you can get for feeding lizards or plantning plants in the tank. My fish don't wait for the Freeze Dried Black Worms to come apart, the second I stick it to the side of the glass they start pecking at it until it comes away and then they all chase it around the tank taking turns pecking at it. It is like watching a Volleyball match! lol

[Aman32]

I find the discus love to pick food off the gravel. My planted tank has a nice open area in the front where I tend to feed them.

Also, the discus love the sinking pellets. The smaller fish like them too but they can't eat them all. Tetra makes a pellet for discus.

I go with an assortment of food (including blood worms) and the discus eat it all.


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[32Bit_Fish]

I put all my plants into pots and go BB. I think I don't have the extra time to maintain a planted discus tank. I had a bad start with a planted discus tank a few weeks ago. So BB is the way to go for me.

[Tres]

I've considered the option of building a type of feeding trough out of acrylic, to hang on the side and let them swim into while feeding.