What is the best food for discus fish, and what should you do if they hide in a corner and refuse to eat?
Discus fish - doesn't that name sound lovely? This fish not only has a beautiful name, but also very high good looks, with great ornamental value, and is favored by many aquarium enthusiasts. Many people like to keep discus fish at home, but keeping fish also requires feeding them regularly. So what kind of food is suitable for discus fish?
What is the best food for discus fish
1. Beef heart mix
Beef heart mix is a homemade discus food. Every household's homemade mix is different, each with its own recipe. Its ingredients are mainly beef heart, shrimp meat, fish meat, squid, chicken, etc., plus an appropriate amount of vegetables, such as: spinach, carrots, tomatoes, and some yeast tablets, spirulina powder, multivitamins, etc. After stirring and chopping, it is frozen in the refrigerator and can be taken out to feed the fish at any time.
2. Bloodworms
Discus fish like this kind of bait the most, but live bait carries the risk of causing disease. It is best to freeze it in the freezer before feeding, which is safer. But note that bloodworms must not be frozen for too long. If the time is too long, bloodworms will turn black due to oxidation, and sometimes they will rot. So it is best to choose some high-quality ones and freeze them. If feeding some live bloodworms, they must be sterilized before use.
3. Fine earthworms (nematodes)
This bait is a worm that grows in sludge, and discus fish like to eat this bait. However, nematodes have very low nutritional value and have a direct impact on the color of discus fish. It is recommended to feed this bait in small amounts.
4. Color enhancers
At present, color enhancers have become a fixed part of discus food. There is no need to blame this unfair practice, because even wild discus in the Amazon River basin can find natural color enhancers.
What to do if discus fish hide in a corner and refuse to eat
1. Poor water quality can cause discus fish to stop eating, so you must master the correct water changing method.
If the water is not changed for a long time, the water quality becomes turbid. Or if the pH of the water is unsuitable, it will cause discus fish to stop eating. So you must master the correct water changing method. Change the water in the fish tank two to three times a week. When changing the water, do not pour the fresh water into the fish tank all at once, but inject it slowly.
2. Too few companions leads to depression and refusal to eat, or sudden environmental changes cause them to be unable to adapt and refuse to eat.
Discus fish are schooling fish and like to live lively together with companions. If there are too few tankmates in the fish tank, or the sudden departure of companions, it will cause them to feel depressed and stop eating. At this time, the owner should add an appropriate amount of the same species of fish.
3. Temperature changes in the fish tank can also cause discus fish to stop eating, so the water temperature in the tank must be kept constant.
Discus fish are very sensitive to water temperature. Sometimes when the weather changes suddenly, such as when it gets hot or suddenly cold, the water temperature in the fish tank changes, which can cause discus fish to stop eating. Owners should keep the water temperature in the fish tank constant and improve the feeding environment for discus fish.
4. Ensure the fish food is fresh, and do not suddenly change the variety.
Fish food is generally mainly made from various worms, bean dregs, etc. These fish foods generally do not have a long shelf life, only a few months. If expired, they will deteriorate, and if fed to discus fish again, they will certainly not eat it, so be sure to ensure the fish food is fresh. In addition, do not suddenly change the fish food variety, as this will cause discus fish to stop eating.
How to tell male and female discus fish apart
1. Sexing angelfish is relatively difficult during the juvenile stage, but in adult fish that have entered sexual maturity after 8-10 months, the male and female characteristics are very obvious. The male fish's forehead is more developed than the female's, appearing full and raised, and the abdomen is not as swollen as the female's. Also, the male fish's sperm duct is thin and pointed, while the female's ovipositor is thick and round.
2. Angelfish are tropical fish that like to pair up naturally. Successfully paired angelfish often leave the group and swim and feed together as a pair, living an independent life envied even by mandarin ducks.
How long can discus fish live
The lifespan of discus fish can only be given as an approximate number of years. Few people keep discus until they die of old age. Generally 5 years, and 7 years if kept well. The growth lifespan of wild discus fish is about 5-6 years. When they are around 3-4 years old, it can be said to be the glorious period of their life, and also the period with the greatest ornamental value. At this time, the body size is about 25-30 cm, and the whole body is brightly colored and dazzling, making people gasp in admiration. In comparison, artificially improved discus varieties only have a growth lifespan of 2-3 years, and the aging process is very fast.
After reading the description above, do you now know quite a bit more about keeping discus fish? The methods for keeping discus fish are not very difficult, but the editor thinks that keeping fish is a delicate task, so everyone must be sufficiently careful and patient during the keeping process.