Engouraging Juveniles to eat a variety of foods

[dvarnay]

I have recently purchased a beautiful pair of SS and have had them in QT for just over a week now. I have been feeding a variety of food and they will only take Frozen blood worm.

My problem is that they are only 7 months old and usually if an adult I would just not feed for a few days and then try new food again but do not wish to stunt them by doing this.

My water is good. ph 6-7 AMO. 0 NITR. 0. they are getting 50% water change daily probably a little more as I have to keep cleaning the old food out of the tank during the day.

I would like to know if I put one of my Culls that eat anything in the tank with them would that encourage them to eat the same as the cull. The Juveniles look good and have good colour, size and shape for their age, they don't appear stressed.

I know that they were QT at the place I purchased them from before I got them with know problems.

Your input would be greatly appreciated.

[brewmaster15]

Hi Debbie,
SFS>>>>Spoiled fish syndrome:) is something that can be hard to cure... I think your best bet is to starve them.. at 7 months a few days of not eating will not stunt them.

Offer one food at a time and persist until they take to it.... A hungry enough fish will not turn away from a meal, IME.

If they go 3 days without eating...feed them a sparse meal of Frzn Bld worms.. and at the same time...the food you have been feeding and trying to get them to eat...... In time..you'll condition them. Thats basically what I do here.

hth,
al

[dvarnay]

Thankyou al,

So you would not advise putting in the other fish I suggested at the moment???

[hboute]

I just bought two new discus over the weekend and they did not eat until I fed them some live brine shrimp yesterday, seems that live food gets them going...

[brewmaster15]

So you would not advise putting in the other fish I suggested at the moment??? __________________ No I wouldn't...:)

-al

[2sybs]

I have the same problem.
I got them 2 days ago, I found out that they are used to live and frozen bloodworms. they completely ignore everything else. Problem is I have no idea how old they are, they are about 2.5" and there has been a comment about the size of their eyes already. So I am even more concerned about stunting them.
Just how nutritious can a diet of only fbw be?
Ray

[Apistomaster]

Newly acquired discus usually don't eat very much in the first few days in a new environment. Beginning with live foods gets them eating very quickly but as soon as they begin to feed well try offering less of their current favorite food along with something new.

The healthy, tank raised discus, will eventually accept a variety of live, frozen and prepared foods.
It is very much in the nature of fish behavior to become habituated to the most abundant and familiar food.
I can't begin to tell how many volumes have been written on this trait in reference to trout fly fishing. Book titles like The Selective Trout or similar fill mine and many other fly fisher mans' bookshelves.

Encouraging young discus to accept a variety of foods is the best way to ensure they get a balanced diet. Just try to remember, fish do have one tracked minds by nature's design.