Who Gives A Fish Forums

My discus suddenly stopped eating pellets. They used to go crazy for them, now they just ignore the food. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate around 10ppm. Tank is 75 gallons, temp at 86F, weekly 50% water changes. They're about 4 inches, been with me for 6 months. Any ideas?

First thing I'd check is the pellet expiration date. Old pellets lose their appeal. Also, try soaking them in garlic guard or vitachem for extra scent. What brand are you using? Some are just sketchy quality.

thart wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 7:56 am First thing I'd check is the pellet expiration date. Old pellets lose their appeal. Also, try soaking them in garlic guard or vitachem for extra scent. What brand are you using? Some are just sketchy quality.

Yep, garlic guard works wonders. I'd also suggest trying a different pellet brand. Mine didn't touch one brand but switched to another and they're back to normal. What's your feeding routine like?

Mine did the same thing last month. Turns out they were just bored. I started mixing in frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, now they're back to eating pellets too. Maybe yours just need some variety, ya know?

Have you made any recent changes to the tank? New decor, filter media, or tankmates? Sometimes even small changes can stress them out and affect their appetite. Also, how's their behavior otherwise? Any signs of illness?

I'd double-check the water temp. Even a slight drop can mess with their digestion. Also, what's your lighting schedule like? Too much or too little light can throw them off. Mine are picky about that stuff.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I'll try the garlic guard and switch up the pellet brand. No recent tank changes, but I'll keep an eye on the temp and lighting. Appreciate the help!

ameRio wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 8:53 am Mine did the same thing last month. Turns out they were just bored. I started mixing in frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, now they're back to eating pellets too. Maybe yours just need some variety, ya know?

Totally agree. Mine are the same way. If I don't mix it up, they give me the cold shoulder. Try adding some live blackworms too, they're like candy for discus.

Could be a dominance thing too. Are they all ignoring the pellets, or just some? Sometimes the bigger ones bully the others away from food. Watch their behavior during feeding time.

What's your substrate like? If it's too deep or dirty, pellets can sink and rot before they eat them. I switched to a thinner sand layer and it helped a lot.