roadmaster
Member
I might share something I found helpful while caring for a group of juvenile Discus which do really seem to excel growth wise with several small feeding's a day until they are around six month's old.
I was told that my effort's would be less than ideal unless I fed the fish heavily with Beefheart,bloodworm's but having kept large South American cichlid's for some year's with and without thses food's, I decided to feed the fish much the same food's I offered their South American cousin's.
Beef heart fouls the water quickly,and blood worm's and internal parasites seemed to go hand in hand.( for me anyway )
In their stead,I fed the young Discus Cichlid crisp's, Oscar chow,Tetra bit's (called granules now), Ocean Nutrition Flake (high in protein's),Dried Green marine algae (hung from veggie clip), chopped red worm's,and New life spectrum pellet's.
Fed the fish three times a day and allowed them to forage along the bottom for up to an hour after meal's which they did in earnest.
changed out water at 50% three times each week.
Within six month's,,the young fish which were the size of 50 cent piece when I got them,easily approached five ,maybe six inches and feeding's were reduced to twice a day and water changes to once a week.
To me,,these fish were/are just big cichlid's and I was pleased with their growth /health.
Wish you luck with your effort's and agree with other's,,Tapwater and dechlorinator,large water changes, are all that is really needed unless caring for wild caught specimen's or attempt's at breeding are in the picture.
I was told that my effort's would be less than ideal unless I fed the fish heavily with Beefheart,bloodworm's but having kept large South American cichlid's for some year's with and without thses food's, I decided to feed the fish much the same food's I offered their South American cousin's.
Beef heart fouls the water quickly,and blood worm's and internal parasites seemed to go hand in hand.( for me anyway )
In their stead,I fed the young Discus Cichlid crisp's, Oscar chow,Tetra bit's (called granules now), Ocean Nutrition Flake (high in protein's),Dried Green marine algae (hung from veggie clip), chopped red worm's,and New life spectrum pellet's.
Fed the fish three times a day and allowed them to forage along the bottom for up to an hour after meal's which they did in earnest.
changed out water at 50% three times each week.
Within six month's,,the young fish which were the size of 50 cent piece when I got them,easily approached five ,maybe six inches and feeding's were reduced to twice a day and water changes to once a week.
To me,,these fish were/are just big cichlid's and I was pleased with their growth /health.
Wish you luck with your effort's and agree with other's,,Tapwater and dechlorinator,large water changes, are all that is really needed unless caring for wild caught specimen's or attempt's at breeding are in the picture.
