Quick trick that finally got my new Discus eating in their new planted tank

[timmac69]

Hello all...I thought I would offer this little trick that helped me acclimate my new sub-adult Discus to their 90 gallon planted tank. I purchased assorted 4" and 5" that all came from the same source, and all were introduced to my tank at the same time. It took them almost a week for any of them to start eating. I was offering them the same food they received from the breeder I purchased them from (actually bought the food from him when purchasing the fish), yet they just wouldn't eat. Countless threads in here suggest this can be a rather common problem, and most seemed to be solved with frequent water changes and monitoring water quality. I was performing daily water changes and monitoring water quality multiple times/day. My water mirrorred what they were receiving in their hatchery tanks. They were not skittish and would approach the front glass each time I approached the tank. There was no cloudy eye or anything else that would suggest water quality was an issue, although I kept up the daily water changes to account for the new bio-load introduced to the tank with 8 sub-adults being added all at once. I soaked their food in garlic and the fish would all go into a frenzy when the new food was introduced, but still would not go to the bottom to feed. I was starting to get really worried by day 5, yet all the threads here suggested I continue water changes and ensure water quality was optimum for them. The tank temperature remained at 86 degrees (same as the breeder tanks they came from) and they were quite colorful and active. Well, on Day 6, they all finally started eating and now in week two, there seems to be no more problems. It may be that they needed time to adjust to their new surroundings, as well as work out their 'pecking order', yet another step I took seemed to also help them (what I want to share with all of you seemingly experiencing a similar problem). I realized they would act funny around some of the plants and would even "charge" at some of the taller plant fronds, as if they saw them as a potential threat. It was then I realized these fish were raised in bare bottom tanks and were only now being introduced to substrate, plants, and driftwood (potentially) for the first time. As a solution, I placed a small, white dessert plate on the substrate in the foreground of the tank and had their food rest on that. As soon as the food was introduced on the white plate, the distraction of plants and substrate was removed and all began immediately eating. The very next feeding, I removed the plate and dropped the food directly onto the substrate where the plate was the day before, and they all found and devoured the food without any problem. I truly believe that blank surface helped them find the food without the distraction of the new addition of substrate, plants, etc....at least that was my observation of their behavior. If any of you experience similar difficulty with first feedings, I certainly agree with everyone else here in allowing your new additions time to adjust to the new surroundings/tank mates and keep vigilant with water changes and monitoring water quality, but maybe the plate trick could also work for you as well if this is the first time your fish find themselves in an environment other than a sparce BB tank...
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j399/timmac69/LexisTank008.jpg

[Second Hand Pat]

The plate idea was a great example for thinking outside the box and it worked nicely.

[Northwoods Discus]

Good observation. Way to problem solve. Thanks for sharing.

[moon_knight1971]

Hello all...I thought I would offer this little trick that helped me acclimate my new sub-adult Discus to their 90 gallon planted tank. I purchased assorted 4" and 5" that all came from the same source, and all were introduced to my tank at the same time. It took them almost a week for any of them to start eating. I was offering them the same food they received from the breeder I purchased them from (actually bought the food from him when purchasing the fish), yet they just wouldn't eat. Countless threads in here suggest this can be a rather common problem, and most seemed to be solved with frequent water changes and monitoring water quality. I was performing daily water changes and monitoring water quality multiple times/day. My water mirrorred what they were receiving in their hatchery tanks. They were not skittish and would approach the front glass each time I approached the tank. There was no cloudy eye or anything else that would suggest water quality was an issue, although I kept up the daily water changes to account for the new bio-load introduced to the tank with 8 sub-adults being added all at once. I soaked their food in garlic and the fish would all go into a frenzy when the new food was introduced, but still would not go to the bottom to feed. I was starting to get really worried by day 5, yet all the threads here suggested I continue water changes and ensure water quality was optimum for them. The tank temperature remained at 86 degrees (same as the breeder tanks they came from) and they were quite colorful and active. Well, on Day 6, they all finally started eating and now in week two, there seems to be no more problems. It may be that they needed time to adjust to their new surroundings, as well as work out their 'pecking order', yet another step I took seemed to also help them (what I want to share with all of you seemingly experiencing a similar problem). I realized they would act funny around some of the plants and would even "charge" at some of the taller plant fronds, as if they saw them as a potential threat. It was then I realized these fish were raised in bare bottom tanks and were only now being introduced to substrate, plants, and driftwood (potentially) for the first time. As a solution, I placed a small, white dessert plate on the substrate in the foreground of the tank and had their food rest on that. As soon as the food was introduced on the white plate, the distraction of plants and substrate was removed and all began immediately eating. The very next feeding, I removed the plate and dropped the food directly onto the substrate where the plate was the day before, and they all found and devoured the food without any problem. I truly believe that blank surface helped them find the food without the distraction of the new addition of substrate, plants, etc....at least that was my observation of their behavior. If any of you experience similar difficulty with first feedings, I certainly agree with everyone else here in allowing your new additions time to adjust to the new surroundings/tank mates and keep vigilant with water changes and monitoring water quality, but maybe the plate trick could also work for you as well if this is the first time your fish find themselves in an environment other than a sparce BB tank...
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j399/timmac69/LexisTank008.jpg

External parasites could be a possiblity too

Joey!

[timmac69]

[QUOTE=moon_knight1971;867510]External parasites could be a possiblity too

Thanks Joey. I have seen no evidence of external parasites....would they be visible to the naked eye? What would I look for?

[eaglesfan3000]

Man fed on a plate and I thought my disucs were spoiled.:)

[timmac69]

Man fed on a plate and I thought my disucs were spoiled.:)

I just hope I don't have to go looking for silverware they can pick up with their fins....thinking you can't find that on eBAY.....GO EAGLES!

[MKD]

LOL, it's funny to see a plate in fish tank, but great idea. Hopefully no one will put sausages on the plate :)

[DonMD]

Hey, tim, great post. I love your originality! Maybe they would have come around without the plate over time, but you certainly found a shortcut. Super thinking.

I also always go for the food on the plate HAH! :p

Hope you raise some hungry discus. Good luck.

[x2h]

they must be thinking "how am I going to tip this guy" LOL.

[moon_knight1971]

[QUOTE=moon_knight1971;867510]External parasites could be a possiblity too

Thanks Joey. I have seen no evidence of external parasites....would they be visible to the naked eye? What would I look for?


Sometimes you can (usually ick) and sometimes you can't see them. Just watch them for a half an hour or so and keep an eye on the one(s) that "charge" the plants or cords and see if they are trying to 'rub" on them. If it's the same discus that are always doing it then I would assume they have external parasites and treat the tank. Some people even treat their tanks occasionally as a precautionary treatment.

Joey!