Feeding Discus

[Sorrell]

Hi, I just got my two discus last week and so far they seem to be doing fine. I am feeding them formula I, but I drop it in and they pick at it for over an hour before it's gone. They seem to do this no matter how much or little I put in. Is this ok, or am I polluting the water by letting them graze for so long?
The breeder said he's been feeding formula I, but is there anything else I should give them too? I can't do bloodworms, I'm deathly allergic.
These fish honestly terrify me! I feel incompetent, so every little thing that they do that my other fish don't freaks me out!

 

[Relork]

Well I have had mine for a week as well.. but this seems to be the same habit mine have... only eat when they can pick it off the bottem...unless someone says other wise just feed them a little bit a couple of times aday..

I have seen people feed them with an eye dropper but that was blood worms, so that is probly out for you

 

[G_Sharky]

Just give them some time to settle...when your Discus is settled in they should come right up the surface during feeding time, and everytime to come near the tank...atleast that's what mine does...Also you guys/gals should be feeding them at least 3-6 times a day(i'm assuming they are still juvinilles and not adults). Also you should feed them a variety of diet to enchance their colour, I feed mine with frozen BW, BShrimp, and tetra bits....and some marine green 40 flakes

 

[G_Sharky]

Btw, i presoked everything i feed to them even flakes and i use some kind of eye dropper the one they have for test kits....

 

[Doggfather]

when disucs eat, they eat greedily for a few minutes then slowly loose intrest in the food and take small bites at it

 

[Sorrell]

So once they slow down do you leacve the food in there and let them graze, or does that pollute the water too much?

 

[Doggfather]

leave it in for a bit, no longer than an half hour - hour, remove whatevers not eaten as usual, why not try some feeding them some brine?

 

[Sorrell]

Thank you so much for your help and your patience everyone. I really am very paranoid over these Discus, so I really appreciate your advice. I just gave them some frozen brine and they loved it! Will they be ok without bloodworms ever? I am honestly so allergic that I can't even have it in my freezer or I'll go into shock!
I just want to be sure that they are healthy.

 

[AmberC]

Wow... never heard of this form of feeding. How small are they? I have three discus, two of them are about 3 inches the other about 4. I feed them mainly bloodworms and also give cichlid granules and flakes. None of my fish like the brine shrimp so I dont do that. I didn't like doing the beefheart, twas very messy. I just dump it in the tank. When I do flakes I dont even soak it and they eat it right from the surface of the water just like my rams and tetras do. I feed about 3 times a day.