Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've been feeding my Discus a mix of flakes and frozen bloodworms, but their colors aren't as vibrant as I'd like. What's the best food to really make them pop? My tank is 75 gallons, with a sand substrate and driftwood. I do 30% water changes weekly, and the temp stays at 84°F. They're about 4 inches now, and I've had them for 6 months. The lighting is moderate, with some floating plants to diffuse it. Any tips?

Yo, Marksfish, you gotta try beef heart mix. It's the GOAT for color. I've been using a homemade blend with shrimp, spinach, and a bit of paprika. My Discus went from dull to dazzling in like 3 weeks. Tank's 55 gallons, bare bottom for easy cleanup, and I feed twice a day. Water changes are 50% every 5 days, temp at 86°F. Also, throw in some spirulina flakes for extra kick. Trust me, it's a game changer.

I agree with Hued on the beef heart mix. It's solid. But if you're not into making your own, try Hikari Discus Bio-Gold. My fish love it, and their colors are insane. I've got a 90-gallon tank with a sponge filter and some java ferns. Water changes are 40% weekly, temp at 85°F. I also add a bit of garlic guard to the food to boost their appetite. Works like a charm.

What's the deal with paprika in the mix? Never heard of that before. I've been using Tetra ColorBits, but my Discus are still kinda pale. Tank's 60 gallons, with a canister filter and some anubias. Water changes are 25% weekly, temp at 83°F. Should I switch to beef heart?

Hued wrote: ↑Thu Apr 17, 2025 1:48 am Yo, Marksfish, you gotta try beef heart mix. It's the GOAT for color. I've been using a homemade blend with shrimp, spinach, and a bit of paprika. My Discus went from dull to dazzling in like 3 weeks. Tank's 55 gallons, bare bottom for easy cleanup, and I feed twice a day. Water changes are 50% every 5 days, temp at 86°F. Also, throw in some spirulina flakes for extra kick. Trust me, it's a game changer.

Paprika's a natural color enhancer, duskly. It's got carotenoids that amp up the reds and oranges. I use it in my mix too, along with some krill. My tank's 100 gallons, with a sump and lots of driftwood. Water changes are 50% weekly, temp at 87°F. The colors are unreal.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try the beef heart mix and see how it goes. Appreciate the help!

No prob, Marksfish. Let us know how it works out. Oh, and if you're lazy like me, you can buy pre-made beef heart mix from some online stores. Just check the ingredients first. Some brands cut it with too much filler. My tank's got a bunch of cardinal tetras as tankmates, and they steal the food if I'm not careful. Little punks.

duskly wrote: ↑Thu Apr 17, 2025 2:57 am What's the deal with paprika in the mix? Never heard of that before. I've been using Tetra ColorBits, but my Discus are still kinda pale. Tank's 60 gallons, with a canister filter and some anubias. Water changes are 25% weekly, temp at 83°F. Should I switch to beef heart?

It's all about the carotenoids, man. They're the same stuff that makes flamingos pink. I also add a bit of astaxanthin to my mix for extra reds. My Discus are in a 120-gallon with a bunch of angelfish. Water changes are 60% weekly, temp at 86°F. The colors are next level.

If you're gonna go the homemade route, make sure you freeze the mix for at least a week to kill any parasites. I learned that the hard way. My tank's got a UV sterilizer now, just in case. It's 80 gallons, with a bunch of rummynose tetras and some corydoras. Water changes are 40% weekly, temp at 85°F. The beef heart mix is worth the effort, though.

Alright, I'm sold. Gonna try the beef heart mix. Any tips on how to get them to eat it at first? My Discus can be picky. Tank's got a bunch of neon tetras and some otos. Water changes are 30% weekly, temp at 84°F. The filter's a hang-on-back, and I've got some dwarf hairgrass in there.