Discus fish are like any other creature on the planet.
They like to stuff their faces...
as cute as those little faces may be.
Plus, don't think you can get by with feeding them regular people food.
Maybe you can get away with that with your dog or cat, but it won't work with discus fish, no sirree! So what do they want to eat, anyway? Glad you asked.
Like most other living creatures, they have a certain type of food that they have been physically adapted for...
and they like to eat what they like to eat.
Let's get down to what makes a discus tummy a very happy tummy.
So you want to know what discus fish eat, do ya? Well, these small bright tropical fish are actual carnivorous.
That means that they like to have some protein in their diet to be most happy (and healthy).
You can try to start including some blood worms, or even fresh or frozen brine shrimp to get some extra protein down their little throats.
So even if they were raised in a hatchery, they generally will like to eat in this same way.
Another thing you may want to know is that your flipper friends may be quite picky eaters, and generally need to eat more than just fish flakes.
You want to feed the young discus fish around 4 or 5 times daily (that's right, I said DAILY).
But, most adult discus usually can eat only once a day and be quite satisfied.
They like to eat small meals at one time, so try to feed them in pretty small amounts and allow them to gobble it up over a two hour period of time.
You may see them scarf down a lot quickly, but then they will generally just nibble for the next hour or two.
HINT:After they are done eating, be sure to siphon the rest of the food that they did not eat out of your aquarium.
This will help keep your aquarium crystal clean.
Gradually over time, you will then reduce your feedings to just about 2 or 3 times daily (instead of 4 or 5 times as you did in the beginning).
You are now getting them more used to eating fewer times daily.
Isn't that great?You will even just feed them 3 or 4 DAYS a week rather than the full 7 days a week.
Don't worry though!In the wild (or even if raised in a hatchery), discus fish live in areas that don't always provide them with a constant supply of food sources...
so they will adjust just fine to these lesser feedings.
They will definitely not starve...
so don't beat yourself up.
So it's true.
The discus fish is a wonderful fish to keep in your aquarium, as long as you know how to feed them properly.
They can be a little bit finicky, but oh-so-worth having in the long run.
They are beautiful, and peaceful to stare at swimming back and forth all day in your gorgeous aquarium.
I know!It may seem like they can be a pain in the butt when it comes to spending extra time and prep work to feed them properly.
But isn't their well-being worth a few extra minutes of your time.
Plus, they will be eternally grateful to you.
So go ahead.
Enjoy the heck out of your discus fish.
That's what they are there for!