best food for vibrant discus colors

[Marksfish]

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?

[Hued]

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.

[talon]

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.

[duskly]

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?

[Skyline]

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.

[Marksfish]

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

[Hued]

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.

[talon]

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.

[Skyline]

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.

[duskly]

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.