playing with food?

ValorG · 02-04-2004, 02:27 PM

anywayz i feed my 1 discus blackworms from a worm feeder thing that floats. He would eat very few and would swallow and spit back out the worms. after all the worms are gone from the feeder he will just go down to the gravel and pick at them, again only swallowing like 1 or 2 if im lucky and then swallowing and spitting out the rest. seems almost as if he's playing with them and he looks healthy. could this just be behavior he picked up as a baby?

Fat Guy · 02-04-2004, 06:20 PM

How long have you had your discus for?

Did you just get the fish?

Discus are slow eaters. They can also be picky. He may not like the food, or if you just got him, was used to being fed something else. As they stress easily, if he's stressed now, then I would say stop feeding him until he relaxes. Anyway, good luck.

ValorG · 02-04-2004, 11:09 PM

Ive had him for 3 weeks and they feed him blackworms in the store. so that couldnt be the prob. ive also tried flake, pellets and bloodworms

^iMp^ · 02-05-2004, 12:26 AM

My white cloud minnows do that with food that is a little too large/difficult to swallow. I think it helps them chew up/break down foods. That would just be a guess though... Maybe fish can't taste food, but they can smell it? By spitting it up they might be able to further analyze the food after "catching" and "killing" it. Of course, I have no clue what I'm talking about.

^iMp^

**Ibn** · 02-05-2004, 05:20 AM

^iMp,

LOL...

Valor,
Good guess there as to why he's not taking to the bloodworms yet. BTW, are they frozen bloodworms that you're feeding him/her? If not, then go pick some up (Hikari makes great frozen food...try their bloodworms). IME, quite a few fish stores do this and I've raised quite a few discus that were kept this way (easiest way to get them to eat, but not healthy for them). I wouldn't worry too much about it since he still looks healthy and is still eating (just don't be tempted and go pick up some blackworms for him :roll: ). After awhile, he'll learn what it is and start eating it with gusto. You might also want to vary his diet up a bit with some variety, such as beefheart (you can pick these up at your LFS also, or you can make your own as there are quite a few recipes out there). Just remember to not overfeed as it'll lower your water quality.

badmatt · 02-06-2004, 01:01 AM

just be paitiant on your discus. what is your water temp being held at? what is your PH? what is your KH? were did you buy the discus froom too? that might also be a problem.

02-04-2004, 06:20 PM	#2
Fat Guy Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: new york, new york Posts: 1,376	How long have you had your discus for? Did you just get the fish? Discus are slow eaters. They can also be picky. He may not like the food, or if you just got him, was used to being fed something else. As they stress easily, if he's stressed now, then I would say stop feeding him until he relaxes. Anyway, good luck. __________________ ADA Mini M Fluval Edge

02-05-2004, 05:20 AM	#5
Ibn Planted Tank VIP (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 3,212	^iMp, LOL... Valor, Good guess there as to why he's not taking to the bloodworms yet. BTW, are they frozen bloodworms that you're feeding him/her? If not, then go pick some up (Hikari makes great frozen food...try their bloodworms). IME, quite a few fish stores do this and I've raised quite a few discus that were kept this way (easiest way to get them to eat, but not healthy for them). I wouldn't worry too much about it since he still looks healthy and is still eating (just don't be tempted and go pick up some blackworms for him :roll: ). After awhile, he'll learn what it is and start eating it with gusto. You might also want to vary his diet up a bit with some variety, such as beefheart (you can pick these up at your LFS also, or you can make your own as there are quite a few recipes out there). Just remember to not overfeed as it'll lower your water quality. __________________ Eric

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02-04-2004, 02:27 PM	#1
ValorG Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (59/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Valley Stream, NY Posts: 612	anywayz i feed my 1 discus blackworms from a worm feeder thing that floats. He would eat very few and would swallow and spit back out the worms. after all the worms are gone from the feeder he will just go down to the gravel and pick at them, again only swallowing like 1 or 2 if im lucky and then swallowing and spitting out the rest. seems almost as if he's playing with them and he looks healthy. could this just be behavior he picked up as a baby?

02-04-2004, 11:09 PM	#3
ValorG Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (59/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Valley Stream, NY Posts: 612	Ive had him for 3 weeks and they feed him blackworms in the store. so that couldnt be the prob. ive also tried flake, pellets and bloodworms

02-05-2004, 12:26 AM	#4
^iMp^ Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 423	My white cloud minnows do that with food that is a little too large/difficult to swallow. I think it helps them chew up/break down foods. That would just be a guess though... Maybe fish can't taste food, but they can smell it? By spitting it up they might be able to further analyze the food after "catching" and "killing" it. Of course, I have no clue what I'm talking about. ^iMp^

02-06-2004, 01:01 AM	#6
badmatt Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: winnipeg, manitoba, canada Posts: 255	just be paitiant on your discus. what is your water temp being held at? what is your PH? what is your KH? were did you buy the discus froom too? that might also be a problem.