Feeding

[ff.rice]

Ok, I've had a couple different answers since I started my tank. How often do I need to feed my cichlids Cichlid pellets? I've got the kind that sink and float mixed together.... Also bloodworms, how often should I give them bloodworms? I've heard once a week once a month..... Not sure what to do

 

[Fishanatic]

What fish do you have?
I feed my oscar 3 times a day, 3 medium sized pellets. Sometimes he doesn't eat the third one so i take it out. How big are you're fish? And what type.
Also, the bloodworms would need to be fed each week or 2 weeks. They have good color enhancers, krill does also. If you have an oscar(or some other similar fish), don't feed very often, because they can get used to it, and not eat the other food.

 

[gman42]

What kind of cichlids do u have?

This will help determining what to feed, and how much.

 

[ff.rice]

I have a yellow tail acai, a yellow lab, a jewel, and a blue striped guy... Not sure what he is

 

[Crawdaddy]

Once a day is fine. A lot her will skip one day a week to ensure that they avoid any risk of bloat. I've had my cichlid tank up for over two years, I feed once a day, usually in the evening when I get home, and they are all doing great. My male yellow tail is at least 6 inches, and my male lab isn't far behind in size. I also have so many yellow fry and juvies I must be doing something right.

 

[gman42]

I would avoid feeding bloodworms to africans. It can lead to bloat.
With my africans i feed nls( pretty much any high quality pellet with a low protien level(40% or lower) will work.
For a treat i feed cucumber every week or so.
This works great for me.

 

[ff.rice]

Cool.... And then bloodworms once a week or once every 2weeks for color?

 

[Fishanatic]

BloodWorms or krill
Also, i would suggest feeding 1-3 times a day, depending on the concentration and brand.

 

[Crawdaddy]

Cool.... And then bloodworms once a week or once every 2weeks for color?

I only use them as treats. I used to give them every week, I was told it would help growth by a LFS employee that didn't know what he was talking about, but now they get some spirulina once a month or so. Their big treat is some blanched, shelled peas, they love them. IMO, they get enough protein from their staple food, I use NLS. From research, most of my cichlids are herbivores, and love the veggies.

 

[HUKIT]

BloodWorms or krill.

I wouldn't feed either of those two options to mbuna, especially bloodworms since they have a exoskeleton that is hard to digest/process and could potenitally get stuck in the long intestinal tracks of herbivores irritating the walls allowing flagellated protazoas to take hold causing bloat. Krill maybe occasionally depending on what variant and source maybe, but with all the high quality easily digestable pellets now there is no reason to supplement.

 

[Cichlid-dude]

Krill is pretty high in protein so i would skipon the krill unless you use it as a treat every once in a while.