Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've been thinking about feeding my Discus live tubifex worms. They're kinda picky eaters, and I wanna mix it up. Anyone got experience with this? My tank's a 75-gallon with sand substrate, kept at 84°F, and I do 30% water changes twice a week. They're currently on a mix of flakes and frozen bloodworms.

Live tubifex can be sketchy, man. They're known to carry parasites if not cleaned properly. I've seen my Discus go nuts for them, but I always quarantine and rinse the worms for like 3 days first. My setup's similar, 80-gallon with driftwood and Java fern, and I feed a mix of pellets and live food. Maybe try a small batch first?

Tubifex worms are high in protein but risky due to potential bacterial contamination. If you're set on trying them, ensure they're from a reputable source and rinsed thoroughly. My Discus are in a 120-gallon with a canister filter, and I've had success with frozen tubifex as a safer alternative. Water parameters are stable, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate.

Hartan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 9:22 pm Live tubifex can be sketchy, man. They're known to carry parasites if not cleaned properly. I've seen my Discus go nuts for them, but I always quarantine and rinse the worms for like 3 days first. My setup's similar, 80-gallon with driftwood and Java fern, and I feed a mix of pellets and live food. Maybe try a small batch first?

Yep, that's the vibe I get too. I tried it once, and my fish got bloated. Now I stick to frozen or freeze-dried stuff. My tank's 55-gallon with a sponge filter, and I feed them beef heart mix twice a day. Maybe skip the live worms unless you're super careful.

Live tubifex can work if you're diligent about sourcing and cleaning. I've used them for years with no issues, but I only buy from trusted suppliers. My Discus are in a 90-gallon with a sump, and I feed a varied diet including live blackworms and brine shrimp. Key is to observe their behavior after feeding—any signs of stress, cut it out.

I dunno, man. My buddy's Discus got sick after eating live tubifex. Could've been bad luck, but I'm not gonna risk it. My tank's a 60-gallon with LED lights, and I stick to pellets and frozen food. Maybe try something safer like live brine shrimp? They're easier to clean and still get the fish excited.

The risk with live tubifex isn't worth the reward. They often thrive in polluted water, absorbing harmful bacteria. My Discus are in a 100-gallon with a UV sterilizer, and I've never had issues with frozen or pellet diets. If you're adamant, at least culture the worms yourself in clean water for a week before feeding.

blueguy wrote: ↑Sat Aug 30, 2025 1:18 am The risk with live tubifex isn't worth the reward. They often thrive in polluted water, absorbing harmful bacteria. My Discus are in a 100-gallon with a UV sterilizer, and I've never had issues with frozen or pellet diets. If you're adamant, at least culture the worms yourself in clean water for a week before feeding.

Yeah, that's what I've heard too. My tank's a 40-gallon breeder, and I've never messed with live tubifex. Stick to frozen bloodworms or beef heart. Less hassle, same result.

Thanks for the input, everyone. Sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth. I'll stick to frozen foods and maybe try culturing my own brine shrimp instead. Appreciate the advice!