Beefheart for feeding discus

[cyberjoe]

[:0] Hi guys,

Is there anyone out there try feeding there discuss with beefheart? if yes can pls share the recipe. Do they sell beefheart here in Singapore sorry guys i dont do marketing.

I've heared that they are good for discuss. And is it messy if you feed them with beefheart? From what i know you must freeze them like bloodworms. so that it wont be that messy. bec im affraid it might cloud the water.

pls help!

[lsz]

fish put on weight impressively with beefheart.
Yes it had been used for a long time in discus rearing.

Personally i do not advocate using such rich food for fishkeeping. It is something unnatural for the fish in the first place. Discus dont eat cows in nature.(most other fish for that matter)

Now there is something more than just being unnatural....as someone can argue that fish dont eat flake food in the wild too. The real issue is that food as such are too rich for the fish. numerous experiments had already proven that fish fed on excessively rich (not just fats but proteins ) food have high tendency to develop fatty tissues that accumulate and even press against vital organs of the fish. Even if we cannot be sure if the fish is in pain, it certainly is not healthy.

the perspective in show discus breeding is different. shape and form of the fish is a very important aspect. And large robust looking fish are desired. beefheart can provide the growth they need.

It all depends on your perspective on fishkeeping. "naturally ugly" or "unnaturally nice" ?

[cyberjoe]

Hi lsz

Thanks 4 d info lsz. very sci fi info. but i think its very difficult
to find beafheart hear and i think my mother in law will kill me if i bring beef home []

[Allen_1971]

joe,

many shops sell beefheart here... Gans does sell them, and so does straits aquarium. In fact some people on singnet classified sell them too... but i would prefer to get from a more reputable source.

p/s as far as possible try and stick with tetra bits. My reason? it doesn't foul the water as much...

[kunner]

Cyberjoe, u can try pig heart instead of beef heart. Unlike the westerner, beef heart is unpopular at the market in S'pore. Also, as what Isz has mentioned, beef heart is too rich for the fish, however it do provide some victims to the fish. It all voice down on how you feel your fish. But just a general reminder that if you feeding beef heart or pig heart, pls monitor your water carefully as these food are known to fouled the water easily and cause outbreak of disease.

[cyberjoe]

Thanks kunner,

I think i wont risk feeding them that if it will make the water bad for them. its a risky thing to do specially i have not tried it yet. but do they sell them in singapore i mean is in frozen form like bloodworms?

[Simon]

joe, they comes in tub.. if yr tank is big, it wouldnt foul up the water that much...

[cyberjoe]

oh ok i think i will stick to blood worms

thanks guys for the info

Simon

[kelstorm]

kunner,
wouldn't pig heart pollute the water too??

[zac08]

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On 12/16/2002 10:20:29 AM

joe, they comes in tub.. if yr tank is big, it wouldnt foul up the water that much...
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I wouldn't say that Simon,

I've been watching my neighbour feed his discus with beefheart and after each feeding, he has to filter out at least 1/4 of the tanks water just to clear out most of the sediments and leftovers that the fishes missed out on... It's much easier if you have a empty tank, just fishes inside, but if you have plants and substrate, dun try it....

[kunner]

kelstorm, pig heart is just like beef heart will pollute the water as well. That why feeding this kind of raw food need exrat attantion to the water. It's just that pig heart is easier to obtain in S'pore market rather than beef heart. I only feed my discus pig heart before I wana change water (that is twice a week).

[andrewtyr]

How do you prepare the pig heart?

[bossteck]

Hi,

Although I don't keep discus myself.
I believe some discus keepers prepare beef heart mix to their discus.
It's basically finely chopped beef heart, with the fats + veins removed, fats because it's too rich, veins because it can't be digested. Some discus owners add vitamins, most will add spirulina powder, the mix is put into ice tray and frozen.

Yes the prepared food do foul up the water, but since discus like very clean water, keepers usually do 90-100% water changes every 2-3 days, which is why they can afford to feed their discus such food.

If you're not prepapre to do such large amount of water changes every few days, then I would suggest you stick to pellets, flakes and the occasional frozen food.

[wks]

Bossteck is right. Feeding beefheart/ pigheart can foul up the water easily and 100% water change everyday is the best practice. For me, I use a large capacity canister filter to reduce the water changing frequency.

[andrewtyr]

It sounds like very rich food to me. I have been looking for alternatives to tubifex and bloodworms.
I read that there are people selling them, do they sell in small enough quantities for 2 discus only. Not sure if they have a long shelf life since it is meat.

[lyh]

Since you have only 2 pieces of discus then I think it wil be pointless for you to make heart meals for them. I personally keeping 20+ pieces of them and used to make beef heart meal for them. Feeding them on a daily basis took me more than a month to finish my concoction so i suggest that you feed dry food.

Tetra bits is as good as beef heart in terms of bringing out the colours however if you want the macho look then beef heart is the key.

[andrewtyr]

Which sort of tetra bits? The brand tetra?

How come it would take a month to finish the concoction? Don't tell me you marinate beef heart for a month? hee

[lyh]

I usually buy beefheart in 1 kg and add in all sorts of stuffs which ends up maybe 1.5 kg together with water. Beef heart meal makes them full easily therefore they don't eat alot so it'll stay in your freezer for a long time