why my discus has no appetite?

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Mango
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:17 am

why my discus has no appetite?

Post by Mango »

My discus haven't been eating for the past two days. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate at 10 ppm. Tank is 75 gallons, temp at 86°F, and I do 30% water changes every three days. They're usually on a mix of frozen bloodworms and beef heart. Any ideas?
Lapad
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri May 31, 2024 7:23 pm

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by Lapad »

Yo, that's sketchy. How old are they? Sometimes younger discus get weird vibes with new food. Maybe try switching it up with some live blackworms or brine shrimp. Also, check if they're being bullied by tankmates. My angels used to mess with my discus till I moved them.
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silverbob
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2023 12:55 am

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by silverbob »

Could be stress from recent changes. Did you add anything new to the tank, like decor or fish? Even a slight shift in lighting can throw them off. Also, double-check your heater—sometimes they malfunction and cause temp swings without you noticing.
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bowsar
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2022 3:34 am

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by bowsar »

Mango wrote: Tue Jul 29, 2025 12:05 am My discus haven't been eating for the past two days. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate at 10 ppm. Tank is 75 gallons, temp at 86°F, and I do 30% water changes every three days. They're usually on a mix of frozen bloodworms and beef heart. Any ideas?
Yep, sounds like you're doing everything right. Maybe they're just being picky. Try fasting them for a day, then offer something super tempting like live food. Works like a charm for mine.
Sand
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2024 10:32 pm

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by Sand »

Aight, listen up. Discus can be divas. If your water's solid and they're not sick, it's probably boredom. Rotate their diet—add some pellets or flakes. Mine went nuts for Hikari Bio-Gold after snubbing everything else. Also, dim the lights for a bit, see if that chills them out.
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Limey
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2022 4:12 pm

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by Limey »

Have you checked for signs of illness? White spots, clamped fins, or rapid breathing? Sometimes internal parasites cause loss of appetite. If everything else checks out, a round of Metroplex might be worth considering. Just be careful with meds in a planted tank.
Mango
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:17 am

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by Mango »

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try fasting them and then offering live food. No signs of illness, and no recent changes to the tank. Fingers crossed it's just a phase.
picker
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2024 9:28 am

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by picker »

How's your filter flow? Too much current can stress them out. Discus prefer calm water. Also, what's your substrate? Bare bottom is easier to clean, but some discus prefer sand. Might be worth testing if they're more active with a different setup.
digger
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2023 2:49 pm

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by digger »

Mine did this once after a water change with slightly colder water. Even a 2-degree drop can mess with them. Now I always match temp exactly. Maybe check your water change routine?
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sonyx
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2022 6:22 pm

Re: why my discus has no appetite?

Post by sonyx »

Bruh, discus are just like that sometimes. Mine went off food for a week once, then snapped out of it. As long as they're not losing weight or looking sick, I wouldn't stress too much. Keep offering variety, they'll come around.
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