Batt4Christ
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2011
- Messages
- 634
Back when I use to keep serious cichlids (oscars and then a red devil)- wax worms were a favorite, as we're earthworms (giant Canadian night crawlers were entertaining- looked like fish had limp cigars!).
Crickets were well taken, as were grasshoppers. Yes, I once fed a big dragonfly to my 14" Oscar. That was entertaining, though I thought he would break the glass lid!
Another interesting meal was crawfish.
All this being said- prepared foods have improved greatly. As posted above, there really is no need for supplements, live, frozen, or other more "exotic" foods beyond entertainment value for the owner. Also- some of these can be rather "dirty" either from literal dirt (like in worms/nightcrawlers), to the exoskeleton which makes some slow-to-break down poo. There is also some evidence that live foods can actually promote aggressive behavior in fish (and yes, cichlids do tend towards some degree of aggression anyway).
I won't begrudge someone enjoying more "natural" foods. Just something to think about.
Crickets were well taken, as were grasshoppers. Yes, I once fed a big dragonfly to my 14" Oscar. That was entertaining, though I thought he would break the glass lid!
Another interesting meal was crawfish.
All this being said- prepared foods have improved greatly. As posted above, there really is no need for supplements, live, frozen, or other more "exotic" foods beyond entertainment value for the owner. Also- some of these can be rather "dirty" either from literal dirt (like in worms/nightcrawlers), to the exoskeleton which makes some slow-to-break down poo. There is also some evidence that live foods can actually promote aggressive behavior in fish (and yes, cichlids do tend towards some degree of aggression anyway).
I won't begrudge someone enjoying more "natural" foods. Just something to think about.