Those specialized home recipes are one food. NLS has their version, and many breeders have their own. You mix a whole bunch of stuff together and feed it.
Cool beans! I have been pondering this subject for a while now. My discuses mainly seem to want to only eat frozen bloodworms. They spit out any types of frozen shrimp I try to feed them. They ignore any food that floats on the surface. Occasionally they will go after the “colorbits” I feed the other fish.
I really want to feed them a better variety of foods. This thread has definitely given me some insight. I will even try the NLS food!
As for live foods, well, I am not sure about that just yet. I understand the parasite concern but I also know that fish I had in the past REALLY loved to eat live food. I never had any problems with parasites but I did have a problem with live blackworms forming colonies in my substrate.
What other live foods are recommended?
![]()
Also, my fish really display their “stress bars” when they feed. I snapped this right after they ate. Is this normal?
]Anything that is not still alive is processed.
Live food increases aggression, is nutritionally incomplete, and is the best way to introduce parasites and diseases. If you have not had them yet than your fish have lucked out. The prepared stuff is nutritionally better and carries no risk of parasites and diseases, so why use live.
I'm advocating that the photo of Darter's discus is one of the best I've ever seen.