feeding juviniles (DISCUS)

[acorn1954]

newly purchased juveniles, presumably raised on hans food, which he sent me with the fish. they love it. 5 or 6 light feedings a day are needed to grow out fish properly ,no? i would like to vary their diet early in life but at the same time don't want to stunt their growth. what is the protocol for varying the diet early in life if the juveniles go on a fasting phase because of the alternative food. should i just feed them what they love to eat (HANS PELLETS), or play the waiting game and be firm and wait until they give in to the new food? and wont this stunt their growth?

[LizStreithorst]

There should be little problem getting them to accept freeze dried black worms. Stendker raises all its fish on beefheart only, so it will work, but I believe in a bit of variety.

[brewmaster15]

newly purchased juveniles, presumably raised on hans food, which he sent me with the fish. they love it. 5 or 6 light feedings a day are needed to grow out fish properly ,no? i would like to vary their diet early in life but at the same time don't want to stunt their growth. what is the protocol for varying the diet early in life if the juveniles go on a fasting phase because of the alternative food. should i just feed them what they love to eat (HANS PELLETS), or play the waiting game and be firm and wait until they give in to the new food? and wont this stunt their growth?

If they love Han's Pellets I would continue to feed it. Often you can introduce new foods more easily with juveniles that are robust eaters.. Just mixing it together is usually enough. Also best to introduce new feeds in the am when they are most hungry and do so sparingly at first. Juveniles can go several days with out food, but unless theres a compelling reason to try and starve them into compliance I would not.

Al

[acorn1954]

new feed in the am. interesting. i'll do that and keep predominantly with han's pellets. they are robust eaters. nix the idea of forcing their hand to eat what they don't go crazy over. i have been mixing up various feeds, but they are smart buggers and know the han's pellets and eat them first.