can discus eat freeze-dried food?

[Lister]

I've been thinking about switching my Discus to freeze-dried food, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. They're currently on a mix of frozen bloodworms and pellets. Has anyone had success with freeze-dried options? My tank is 75 gallons, planted, with a sand substrate and a Fluval canister filter. Water params are stable, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. Temp is 84°F. They're about 4 inches each, and I feed them twice a day.

[kayla]

Freeze-dried food can work, but it's not ideal as a staple. It's missing some nutrients compared to frozen or live food. I'd recommend using it as a treat, maybe once or twice a week. My Discus get freeze-dried brine shrimp occasionally, but their main diet is frozen beef heart mix and pellets. Tank is 100 gallons, bare bottom, with a sponge filter. Water changes are 50% twice a week. They're thriving on this routine.

[landfall]

Yep, freeze-dried is kinda sketchy as a main diet. It's convenient, but you gotta rehydrate it properly or it can cause bloating. I've seen my fish struggle with it before. Stick to frozen or live if you can. My setup's similar to yours, 80 gallons, planted, with a Eheim filter. I do 30% water changes weekly. They're chill with frozen bloodworms and pellets.

[rositas]

I agree with kayla and landfall. Freeze-dried food isn't the best for them long-term. My Discus didn't take to it well, even after rehydrating. They're much happier with frozen brine shrimp and a homemade beef heart mix. Tank is 55 gallons, sand substrate, with a hang-on-back filter. I feed them three times a day, small portions. Water changes are 25% every three days.

[pores]

If you're gonna try freeze-dried, soak it in tank water for at least 10 minutes first. That'll help avoid digestion issues. My Discus are in a 90-gallon, planted tank with a canister filter. I use freeze-dried tubifex worms as a treat, but their main diet is frozen bloodworms and pellets. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Temp is 86°F.

[slimfox]

I've had mixed results with freeze-dried food. Some of my Discus love it, others ignore it. Maybe it's a taste thing? My tank is 65 gallons, bare bottom, with a sponge filter. I feed a mix of frozen, pellets, and occasional freeze-dried. Water changes are 40% weekly. They're all around 5 inches now, healthy and active.

[Dandy]

Nope, wouldn't mess with freeze-dried as a main feed. It's just not gonna cut it for Discus. They need the real deal, like frozen or live. My setup's a 120-gallon, planted, with a canister filter. I feed 'em frozen bloodworms and beef heart mix daily. Water changes are 50% weekly. They're looking sharp.

[Lister]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll stick to frozen and pellets for now and maybe try freeze-dried as an occasional treat. Appreciate the insights!

[SunKnot]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll stick to frozen and pellets for now and maybe try freeze-dried as an occasional treat. Appreciate the insights!

Smart move. Frozen is way better for 'em. My Discus are in a 75-gallon, planted tank with a canister filter. I feed frozen bloodworms and pellets, with freeze-dried as a rare treat. Water changes are 30% weekly. They're thriving.

[coralCartel]

I've used freeze-dried food in a pinch, but it's not something I'd rely on. My Discus prefer frozen brine shrimp and pellets. Tank is 50 gallons, sand substrate, with a hang-on-back filter. I feed twice a day, small portions. Water changes are 20% every four days. They're all healthy and active.