Myopic fish????

[k9outfit]

One of my guys is considerably smaller - and scrawnier - than the rest. Watching him eat, seems as though he gets food in his mouth more by accident, rather than actual design. He tries for a piece of food, misses completely, gives up, then swims to another bit. Should he by miscalculation actually get some food in his mouth, he does consume it. He only manages to eat a few bits every feeding. Is there anything I can do to help, or will he injest enough to stay swimming, though always remain a runt?

[Suc_Sid]

One of the things you should do when buying discus is to ask to have them fed and watch them feed. For some reason (i don't know why, have just learnt through others) some discus have trouble seeing the food close to them, and can often miss it when they go to eat it.

I had a discus like that, who would always aim above the food, not at it. I noticed though, by using something like Blood Worms, it had a better chance of actually eating something - maybe because it's a better chance of hitting a long piece of food, than an individual tetra bit.

Apart from that, I can't say how it'll end up.

Good luck.

[G-1000]

I think what needs to be remembered here is that the fish have very little peripheral vision due to the placement of their eyes.

If a fish wants food bad enough, it will snap away relentlessly until it gets the food.

G

[endless]

Feed him beef heart or some other frozen food in blocks. He cant miss that!

[k9outfit]

Thanks for the input, and I will watch the feeding next time I buy fish. I guess I won't worry too much then, I'll just feed more targettable foods more frequently. I also may have to break down and make the beef heart. (It'll have to be done surreptitiously though, since if the shrimp 'n stuff don't show up for supper but end up in fish food, someone might come unglued!)