no beef heart?

[mdj131]

I can't seem to find any beef heart nearby. Same with chicken hearts and turkey hearts... is there a 'next best' choice?

Thanks :)

[lipadj46]

just use ocean fish filets

[mdj131]

thanks, i will give it a shot!

[MPETERS]

Hi,

Do a search. The last time I did one I found someone here is using chicken breast to make food. I talked to the butcher at the local store and he will get some for me but I have to buy the whole case.

Luck,
Mike

[kilroy2112]

The first butcher shop I tried did not carry it but I found a small butcher shop out in the country that does carry it. It depends where you live but you could call around to different places because some butchers carry it and some don't. If you live in a city, you might try out in the country more (I'm assuming here that you live in the good ol USA).

[mrblah00]

Feed lots of al's freeze dried blackworms.

[Darrell Ward]

Feed lots of al's freeze dried blackworms.
Yes, much more nutritious than beef heart. You can also use frozen, and live if you are not paranoid. Some are however. Nothing wrong with that, just saying....

[mdj131]

wait... there's an easy way to do this?
Beginning black worm research.
Thanks again!

[Chicago Discus]

where do you live

[lipadj46]

wait... there's an easy way to do this?
Beginning black worm research.
Thanks again!

lol, you will read both good and bad things about blackworms. I feed frozen with no issues.

[mdj131]

I live near Whitney TX. about 50 miles from nowhere.

[Chicago Discus]

you probably are going to find a shop in Waco for the beef heart you can call them up and preorder buy a lot and freeze it ........Josie

[Skip]

U need to find a "mexican grocery" store... They should have beef heart.. Among other cow, parts

[Addictedtodiscus]

Agree with warlock..i called everywhere, butcher shops, meat shops, asian supermarkets, and no one had beef heart...i gave up and went to a mexican market (terrys supermarket) to buy meat for a BBQ and Bam! it was right there in my face..BEEF HEART..$2.54...I bought 2 right away and i was happier than a kid on christmas morning..at the moment because it was such a headache to find the first time around..=D..If you come to the dallas area, you need to go to Terrys supermarket..the only place i know of so far.

[Cambik]

Fiesta Supermarket in Austin is were Skip is talking about.

[steakman]

You can substitute pig heart for beef heart as well.

[Orange Crush]

Pigs have a lot more parasites and bacteria than cows so, I would be wary of feeding that to my fish.
My local co-op does not sell beef heart but, they order it for me, it takes a little while to get it but it is organic :). I would think that any butcher shop/grocery store that sells beef could order the beef heart from their supplier.
Whether you use beef heart or not I highly recommend Al's FDBW, my discus love them!

[seanyuki]

I am using minced turkey breasts and usually available at yr local supermarket for my discus.....too much work to trim all the fat from beefheart.

[mdj131]

Thanks for all the great advice!

If al's blackworms are good, I will go with them if you can grow out discus with it and the "variety" foods.

[daveo]

humm , I did not know of pig hearts having more parasites and bacteria
on the inside of the swine. They must have a diff. immune system that can handle
alot more bad things.do to they way they live, well like pigs.

Seems to me that they would be the same as beef on a fresh kill, just smaller.

daveo

[texasdiscusman]

Most of all your Asian breeders feed pig heart not beef heart

[Darrell Ward]

Guessing, but perhaps this is because they say beef is expensive in Asian countries.

[texasdiscusman]

That would be my guess also Darrell.As far as parasites and bacteria don't think that is a issue.if I had a choice I would use turkey heart myself but to hard to find around here

[Skip]

Pig is not kosher.. My fish are

[SeaDragon]

Never realized how hard it is to find beef heart! I just have a friend that raises steers for 4H save me a heart when she's done. ;)


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[texasdiscusman]

Mexican stores

[Orange Crush]

I find it interesting that it is hard to find beef heart in TEXAS of all places. Weird!

[Skip]

I find it interesting that it is hard to find beef heart in TEXAS of all places. Weird!

um.. i don't think we have problems.. :)

[yim11]

I find it interesting that it is hard to find beef heart in TEXAS of all places. Weird!

If by hard you mean something like Friday when I went to get BH at the Fiesta I usually get it from they were sold out so I had to drive a mile or 2 down the road and get it at El Rods, then yeah, I guess we have some issues LOL. I have never personally seen it sold at any large chain grocery stores. I've always found it at grocery stores (some chain like Fiesta) that cater primarily to Hispanic customers. I think outside the fish community the majority of BH is consumed by Hispanics, but I have no clue how it's cooked or used. My wife speaks no Spanish except for being able to ask if/where the BH is along with please and thanks. LOL

[Chicago Discus]

I get my beef heart from an Italian Butcher near my house but I pre order and he cleans it for me as well, makes it much easier,

[yim11]

I get my beef heart from an Italian Butcher near my house but I pre order and he cleans it for me as well, makes it much easier,

A lot of folks here tell me they are able to pre-order it from different stores or butcher shops (many will clean and slice it too), but as far as walk in, grab-n-go BH it's always been at the Hispanic grocery stores for me in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

[Chicago Discus]

A lot of folks here tell me they are able to pre-order it from different stores or butcher shops (many will clean and slice it too), but as far as walk in, grab-n-go BH it's always been at the Hispanic grocery stores for me in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
you know I heard that but when I started making my own beef heart mix I went to a Mexican store looking for BH and they looked at me like I was crazy....

[yim11]

A new Mexican butcher market opened about a year ago very close to our home, I was excited - sure they would have BH, gave em a few months to get up and running, went in and asked for BH and got the same exact reaction you did. It's always the larger Hispanic grocery stores I find it at.

[Orange Crush]

um.. i don't think we have problems.. :)
The OP is from Texas I just figured that it would be easier to find it there than the PNW.

[mdj131]

Just guessing but we probably have 5000 -10000 Cattle in my county alone.... so yes I was surprised when Krogers, HEB, Walmart, Davids, etc etc etc did not have it and only Davids even offered to check to see if it "could" be ordered.

If freeze dried blackworms can grow out Discus (assuming they are getting the vitamins and such from variety like soaked micro pellets ) then I think I will go with Al's Blackworms.

If however, getting a fully grown out discus *requires* beefheart, I will continue looking for it....

[brady]

You might try veal heart.

[Chicago Discus]

You might try veal heart.
You can also use ground Lean Turkey

[Cambik]

Personally I am really surprised that HEB wouldn't order it in for you. They will get just about everything else.

[texasdiscusman]

Al's black worms are good.But if you ever start feeding a lot of fish.Beef heart is a lot cheaper

[texasdiscusman]

That is a little different .Most people are just the opposite.And feeding live black worms sometimes that's all they will eat

[TNT77]

You can try lean ground turkey its cheap and easy to get or seafood mixes. There are alot of alternatives to animal heart.

[mdj131]

You can try lean ground turkey its cheap and easy to get or seafood mixes. There are alot of alternatives to animal heart.

That is good to know... I will experiment until I find what mine prefer.

Is the main goal of beefheart to keep the protein level high?

[Callisto]

mrblah00, do your Discus eat the floating Freezedried blackworms? Even when I soak them they don't sink.