Food fo SA cichlids

[em_witt]

An I feed my firemouths and convicts ants??

 

[jetajockey]

I'm sure you could, but not sure why you'd want to. There's also concern if they have any trace of pesticide on them.

 

[em_witt]

Why wouldn't I??? And where I live no one uses pesticides...

 

[jetajockey]

Well there isn't much substance to an ant, and I've no clue on the nutritional value. There's a potential for the ant to bite the fish. Just seems like it's not worth it when there are well balanced pellet and flake formulas out there that give the fish everything they need.

 

[em_witt]

K thx for posting I'll get some!! Pellets!!

 

[HUKIT]

There's a potential for the ant to bite the fishd.

You guys must had some big ants down there. But I agree with a quality staple of pellets, then if you want to toss in some crickets, ants, or grasshoppers it wouldn't hurt as a treat.

 

[em_witt]

Cool what size do the cons and fms have to be to be able th eat the crickets and such??

 

[HUKIT]

I feed crickets and grasshoppers to fish as small as a inch, like their pellets match the size of the insect to the fish. I've tossed huge praying mantis's in for my adult oscars, the Festae love those huge black crickets I find in the yard, and the other fish eat spiders and lady bugs.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Ants are mostly exoskeloton anyway. Im sure they'd enjoy a nice juicy cricket instead.

 

[em_witt]

I was told not to put any live (or dead) insect in the tank for food w/ a hard shell. Like a ladybug. Is it fine??

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I guess it all depends on if u knew for certain the insect was pesticide or insecticide free. Also I'm not so sure I'd feed ladybugs to say goldfish because of their digestive system. For any newworld cichlid I'd say it'd be fine. IMO

 

[em_witt]

K thx!!

 

[em_witt]

Earthworms?? Small 1s??

 

[jetajockey]

Earthworms are fine. I'd keep them in a container of known good soil for a while before feeding unless you know they came from a safe pesticide free source.

I'd still keep a high quality pellet routine as their staple food though.

 

[em_witt]

R they jus as good as something like blood worms or brine shrimp?

 

[jetajockey]

I don't know the nutritional difference between the different live/dead type food. I don't think that the labels even break it down unfortunately.

I do know that a good quality pellet is a better option nutrition-wise, that's why I recommended keeping that as the main staple.

However, I do feed bloodworms and earthworms to certain fish as treats and also to my live-food only fish.

 

[em_witt]

As a treat? Me 2!!!!