Adapting to Flakes/Beefheart Mix

[BGK2]

Hi Guys,

I've had my discus for just over 5 weeks now.
And I'm trying to get them to eat flakes / granules / Beedheart Mix.

On the first week of getting them, I fed bloodworms to get them eating.
Then I stop feeding them bloodworms and tried to get them to eat flakes / granules / beefheart mix.

So my largest discus (about 5") will eat anything.
My smallest discus (about 3.5") will eat bloodworms / beefheart mix only (no granules or flakes)
The 2 inbetween (4") will only eat bloodworms.

I have stopped feeding them bloodworms for about 3-4weeks now, but the 2 (4") discus still won't eat the flakes / granules / beefheart mix.
Should I be concerned? I used bloodworms recently to see if they will come and eat that, and just when I put the bloodworms in the water, they all come out and try and eat it. (so i quickly take it away, otherwise all the starving i've done so far would be for nothing).
So from what I am seeing is that, they are definitely just picky not actually not eating (as they would come for the bloodworms, but just not the other food).

Should I continue to just feed them the flakes / beefheart mix? (i'm just worried because it's already been about 3-4weeks of them not eating)

Also, how do I get the smallest guy to eat flakes / granules? I can't feed my beefheart mix 4x a day (as I know small discus need to eat many times a day) so I really want to get him to eat flakes / granules.

Any tips would also be good, i've tried soaking the food in garlic before hand / feeding in the morning.

[dprais1]

mix the bloodworms with the beefheart mix, get them eating eat for a few days then decrease the amount of blood worms over several days to a week until they are eating the beefheart mix only. when they are have only been eating the beefheart for a couple weeks start to mix the flakes into the beefheart mix until they are only eating flakes. then just feed flakes for a week.

Then you can introduce straight beefheart mix at seperate feedings.

[BGK2]

Hi dprais,
My current beef heart mix already contains bloodworms and flakes.
Maybe I should increase the bloodworms amount in the beef heart mix?

[Filip]

IMO starving young discus is not something that I would do.
MIxing foods and patience will do the job sooner or later without having them starved.
It also helped me many times before.

Mixing doesn't mean blending the foods together in a mix, but throwing 2 different types of food in a same time. The favorite food with least favorite.And do that for prolonged time - couple of weeks.

[BGK2]

Thanks Filip!
I will try this from tomorrow onwards and hopefully it will work!
If anyone has any other suggestions please tell me!

[dprais1]

when I wanted to get my fish to start eating pellets I would thaw out my beefmix in the fridge overnight with some of the pellets. the pellets would absorb the 'broth' from the mix, before feeding I would mix it all together. maybe the first day was 80% beefmix, 20%pellets.

after a day or three maybe 50%-50%.

then maybe 25%beefmix and 75% pellets.



Then 100%pellet but still pre-soaked with the beef "broth'. then just straight pellet

[dprais1]

Mixing doesn't mean blending the foods together in a mix, but throwing 2 different types of food in a same time. The favorite food with least favorite.And do that for prolonged time - couple of weeks.

I mix, and that works for me. I've never tried just tossing both foods in at the same time. YMMV

[Filip]

My example.
I rinse fresh artemia, Mysis or grinded Bh or salmon in a cup with Several waters to make it clean.
When the water is clean enough I pour the flakes or pellets in the water with above mentioned foods and wait a bit to soak them.
So I guess they do get a bit of the smell and taste from the meaty water,cause no matter how much I rinse, artemia, salmon etc. water still stinks a lot.

[MKD]

From my experience, try to introduce 1 food at the time. I would introduce new food in the morning. Cut bloodworm back to late evening stretch out the me between meals longer (don't fall for that baby face) or else the picky eater will wait for that meal and won't eat new food. as long as 1 eating it the rest will eat soon.

[BGK2]

Thanks for the advice guys.
So many people do different things. I was told to just keep feeding the food I want them to eat and stop with the bloodworms. But obviously this isn't working after 3-4 weeks (well it worked for a couple of them). I'll try feeding both types of foods at the same time for a week or so and hopefully it will work.
It's actually really stressful seeing them not eat. Didn't know discus were that stubborn lol.

[rickztahone]

Thanks for the advice guys.
So many people do different things. I was told to just keep feeding the food I want them to eat and stop with the bloodworms. But obviously this isn't working after 3-4 weeks (well it worked for a couple of them). I'll try feeding both types of foods at the same time for a week or so and hopefully it will work.
It's actually really stressful seeing them not eat. Didn't know discus were that stubborn lol.

They can be super stubborn! lol. Getting discus off bloodworms is difficult, but it can be done and they will eventually take other foods, but you can't give in. However, these extended forced fasts will have an affect on younger discus, just FYI

[MKD]

From what I understand you introduce flake and bh mixed at same time? Im saying introduce flake OR BH mixed 1 at the time not both at the same time and not cut bloodworms completely, stretch the feeding times longer. Morning is when they are hungry, I introduce new food, late evening still feed bloodworm. Just my 2 cents.

MOST kids pick candy over meal.

[BGK2]

Hi MKD, I will start feeding bloodworms again. Sorry I was advised that stop feeding them that would be fine.
I put flakes IN my beef heart mix. (I also put a few bloodworms in it) to try and get them eating that.

[MKD]

just patience. once you see they pick on it and spit it out, they are tasting it. that's a good sign. Soon they'll take new food.

[DISCUS STU]

mix the bloodworms with the beefheart mix, get them eating eat for a few days then decrease the amount of blood worms over several days to a week until they are eating the beefheart mix only. when they are have only been eating the beefheart for a couple weeks start to mix the flakes into the beefheart mix until they are only eating flakes. then just feed flakes for a week.

Then you can introduce straight beefheart mix at seperate feedings.

This is the right advice. You need to gradually get them used to the new food while tapering off the old food.

[BGK2]

Thanks guys,
I guess me making them go cold turkey and forcing them to accept other foods was the wrong way to go.
Now I really feel bad for starving them these few weeks!