Is a fat discus a healthy one?

[miko12]

I've been pretty good at feeding my discus and I think they are fat as they are quite thick and seem bloated(but aren't). This is a young breeding pair, now, would a fat discus live a sedentary 'lifestyle' and not try to breed?

[cobaltblue]

Ive often wondered a similar thing. We seem to push "fattening up" our fish. Is this really the best thing? Should we not just feed them adequately of good foods, and not be so worried about having really "thick". If you compare to other speces, including humans, fatter does not equal healthier.

[Dying for Discus]

I just figured the thicker discus were more "robust" and if they decide to stop eating, maybe they would be more okay than the ones who were skinnier?

Do fish even store adipose??

On a side note-I always wondered the same thing about birds. Is there really such a thing as a fat bird?? Anyone else? I also own a parrot and he's a garbage disposal. But he's as healthy and happy as can be.

[Lisachromis]

Yeah, there are fat birds. Depends on the diet of the bird and if they are kept in a cage with little exercise room etc. It's just as unhealthy for them as for any living creature.

[Dying for Discus]

:) I learn something new here everyday.

[Graham]

As with any animal you can have fat fish.....to the point where the organs and the intestines can become overwhelmed with it. Fatty Livers are very common in fish that are feed crap food. If you do a necropsy on these fish you'll see lots of yellow fat and maybe the liver/hepatopancreas lost within it.

Cheap foods with high fat content, corn and low quality protien sources are usually the cause. Cheap protien is not digested and juts past through

G

[miko12]

Yes, there are fat birds. I breed parrotlets and make sure they don't get fat otherwise they wouldn't breed well. Fat birds sit on the perch all day long and catch their breathe when they fly.....and mate for that matter.

[miko12]

As with any animal you can have fat fish.....to the point where the organs and the intestines can become overwhelmed with it. Fatty Livers are very common in fish that are feed crap food. If you do a necropsy on these fish you'll see lots of yellow fat and maybe the liver/hepatopancreas lost within it.

Cheap foods with high fat content, corn and low quality protien sources are usually the cause. Cheap protien is not digested and juts past through

G

Are FBW good source of protein? Sometimes when they poop it out, the worms still look like worms, on the otherhand if I feed CBW the poop is firm and not worm like?

[architect1]

Whats a fat discus look like? I got thick and well curved like a perfect beautiful woman. I like more curvy then thin with my lady's so looking at my turk hes 6 inches around and his body is almost an inch thick.

Yep just measured hes a inch thick.

I think if there thickness is consistent with the whole body there fine but if there fat in the tummy like my swords there fat. I will need to take some pictures.