Feeding Discus in Heavily Planted Tank/Amano Shrimp

[John van der Pflum]

I just converted my 75 gallon heavily planted rainbow tank into a
discus tank. Currently I have 5 discus in there with plans on three
or four more.

The problem I am running into is feeding them. I am feeding them a
beefheart mixture. I have been putting it on a small saucer in the
tank so that it doesns't get totally lost in all of the plants
covering the gravel.

The big problem is my Amano Shrimp. I have several dozen in the tank
and they swarm all over the beef heart, often draggin it off the
saucer and into the plants.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a system that will allow the
discus to feed but keep the shrimp from eating everything?

I know there is always the option of gettin rid of the shrimp but I'd
rather not do that, if possible.
--

jvdp
Mr. Zero for President
http://www.rsgcincinnati.com

[dc]

John van der Pflum > wrote in
:

> Does anyone have any suggestions for a system that will allow the
> discus to feed but keep the shrimp from eating everything?

Consider trying to feed the discus by hand at the top of the tank. It may
take some time, but I've never seen a discus in a happy home that didn't
learn to beg.

Pick a spot where they can easily see the food enter the tank, and feed
them in that spot consistently. Try placing a smaller amount of food in
the area they are hiding to let them know there is food to be had.

Discus are smart fish. Unless they are stressed out for some reason, they
will quickly figure it out.

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

John van der Pflum wrote:


> The problem I am running into is feeding them. I am feeding them a
> beefheart mixture.

Although quite common in the discus breeder circles for reasons of cost
beef heart is very bad food for fish. The lipids in the bodies of warm
blooded animals have a melting point too high to be easily digested by
fish, leading to constipation. To reduce this problem the water (and
hence body) temperature is kept exceptionally high, stressing the fish.

If you are interested there was a paper on this topic in a recent
edition of the German "Aquarienmagazin" (available online at
www.aquarienmagazin.de).

[-Roy-]

Well CArol Gulley aka koi lo feeds her carp her old used removed body
parts........uterus, ovaries, fallopiana tubes etc, and they do just
fine. Its when she started to feed em dog **** and her **** that they
started to have problems.......I mean there is a thing about being
cheap but then too darn cheap is another story.


On Sun, 11 Jun 2006 18:11:14 +0200, Dr Engelbert Buxbaum
> wrote:
>><>John van der Pflum wrote:
>><>
>><>
>><>> The problem I am running into is feeding them. I am feeding them a
>><>> beefheart mixture.
>><>
>><>Although quite common in the discus breeder circles for reasons of cost
>><>beef heart is very bad food for fish. The lipids in the bodies of warm
>><>blooded animals have a melting point too high to be easily digested by
>><>fish, leading to constipation. To reduce this problem the water (and
>><>hence body) temperature is kept exceptionally high, stressing the fish.
>><>
>><>If you are interested there was a paper on this topic in a recent
>><>edition of the German "Aquarienmagazin" (available online at
>><>www.aquarienmagazin.de).
>><>