Food

[Arshis]

I'm a bit of a fish noob and wondering is it possible to feed your cichlids other foods like earthworms from your back yard . Or how about crickets, mealworms, beatles ect? I assume they do eat bugs in the wild so it should be ok right?

Or any other ideas for more out of the ordinary fun foods to feed your carnivourse fishies?

Like green terror, oscar, red devil ect.

I've read stories of people feeding their ocars live crayfish and shrimp.

 

[Zagz]

The main problem with feeding insects etc from your yard is that the insects may be carrying insecticides or fertilizers which would be deadly to your fish. IMO it is best to stick to veggies, frozen foods, live foods at the lfs and flakes and pellets.

 

[QTOFFER]

I'd be very cautious about using backyard critters because of the reasons mentioned.

You could raise all the live foods you mentioned yourself. Do some google searches and also look on some of the reptile sites. It's up to you to decide whether it's worth the space and effort.

 

[DeFeKt]

wondering is it possible to feed your cichlids

be wary, cichlids is a very loose term here, some enjoy meat, some it can kill.
the fish you mentioned loved exactly the types of food you mentioned.
My kids make a game of going outside to uncover worms and hunt for crickets and things to feed to daddy's fish. cockroaches is another good one, provided everything is clear of pesticides etc.
I also feed kangaroo meat which is very nutritional and low in fat. ( beef heart etc if you can't get roo meat.) and also assorted cichlid pellets. That is there regular diet, then they get whatever we are having for dinner.
For example if im cooking a phat steak, they get a chunk before it gets spices and gets cooked. or chicken from teriyaki dishes etc. Fish always get a bit before I start cooking. I'm also one to think the tablets of frozen dinner you get from the fish shop are over-endorsed money making schemes that can be substituted quite readily with store bought home foods. Just keep on a varied and nutritional diet and you and your fish will be laughing all the way home from the frozen foods section of the supermarket.

hth

Matt.