Lab food

[Bambinojake]

I recently (2 days ago) got some labs from my lfs. I tried feeding nls but only one of the fish came out to eat and it spit it right out. Then i tried flake food and the two others came out to eat it but the one that tried to eat the nls sat back and watched. I will use flake food if i have to but cichlids in my experience eat the flakes and 99% of it comes out of their gills. I would like to get them all to eat the nls but i am not sure what to do.

 

[bmarine]

What you could try doing is soaking the pellets in garlic, this attracts the fish to it more. Mbuna need food that contains a lot of spirulina, so just look for that also.

 

[Bambinojake]

I will try that. But what about the lab that was attracted to the pellets, but spit them back out?

 

[bmarine]

As to that, im not sure. There could be multiple reasons. Youve had them for only 2 days correct?? Have you tried the food again?

 

[sadaas]

Apparently labs are slightly more on the protein side of diets than most Mbuna so might just be a bit reluctant to indulge in so much 'greenery'. Mine get new era green and eat it up fine but go nuts once a week when I drop a block of cichlid mix with the brine shrimp in. I wouldn't say it's a major issue, eventually they'll all warm up to the food, could try spicing up their diet with a tiny bit of brine shrimp if you want.

 

[Bambinojake]

So i fed them the nls today and they all went for it, but one of them just spit it back out, i think it is the same one that has been doing it for the past few days. But i am not sure, 2 of them look alike. The other i am not really sure is even a lab.