good varied diet for firemouths

[smooth_cannibal]

i finally found my firemouths today. i got 4 of them (i'll only be keeping one pair) and they are pretty freaking cool.

as my post states, i am looking for a good varied diet for them. i would like to get them breeding once i get a pair.

for now they are getting flake food but before i end up spending a bunch of money or just listening to the fish store people i'd ask. i am going to get some pellets. i only ever buy the hikari cichid gold.

i did some searching and came up almost more confused and some of the food like nls is pretty expensive.

i know they aren't very picky but i was wondering if there are better types of frozen/live food for FMs or if FMs have any special nutritional requirements. which ones are more treats and how often do you feed treats?

i did find that i shouldn't feed frozen blood worms because of a parasite but also find conflicting info. i feed them too my dwarf frog and other fish

next question is about feeding fresh veg to supplement. found some info that most anything is okay but also other conflicting info. i've never fed fish that way but curious.

 

[5x5]

Simplest question of the day

Feed a high quality pellet as the staple (new life spectrum Thera A is the best). Hikari is ok, but NLS is better. .

Flakes are fine when they are very small, but get them on the smaller size NLS pellets soon.

Lastly, completely avoid live food or anything freeze dried. Fish don't care about "variety" and good pellets like NLS are specifically designed to be the perfect nutrition.

And before its recommended by someone, don't start throwing vegetables in your fish tank.

I've had no problem spawning firemouths on An exclusive NLS pellet diet.

 

[Mogurako]

 

[CalebZachary]

I feed mine high quality pellets and brine shrimp (only about once a week). He loves it.

 

[swifty]

I feed mine pure NLS cichlid formula. It's the same ingredients as any of their other products. Occasionally I'll give him some frozen bloodworms/mysis shrimp.

 

[smooth_cannibal]

the chuck norris thing is great!

i've never done freeze dried foods and really wouldn't anyway. as far veg , i wouldn't really anyway but was curious.

is the nls worth it? seems that way but a lot of times stuff like that can be hype.

i know live food can carry disease and parasites but even brine shrimp? i'd even grow them myself. i've also considered starting a waterflea colony

 

[Mogurako]

There's no "Hype" behind NLS, the reason so many people use it is because its seriously one of best premade foods available.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

There's no "Hype" behind NLS, the reason so many people use it is because its seriously one of best premade foods available.

I was checking the omega one pellets today and IMO they are the second best food. But nls is the best IMO

 

[smooth_cannibal]

okay i will check it out tomorrow at the shop. i have to go anyways. paying too much attention to my two sick cats (land dwelling), i didn't notice that the fm already have ich. that i think about it they were already getting it last night.

i didn't mean to sound snotty or anything about the hype comment. i have been out of keeping fish a while at least 7 years. and i've never heard of the nls brand. like i said before i just use hikari. thats what my mom always fed her cichlids and she worked in a lfs for years til i was born. so i've never looked at any other brand.

 

[Mogurako]

i didn't mean to sound snotty or anything about the hype comment. i have been out of keeping fish a while at least 7 years. and i've never heard of the nls brand. like i said before i just use hikari. thats what my mom always fed her cichlids and she worked in a lfs for years til i was born. so i've never looked at any other brand.

I never took it that way at all Just give NLS a try and you'll never look at another brand again.

 

[smooth_cannibal]

i didn't think so but rather not get shunned on here. i join a lot of forums to solve problems and this one has been the best so far

 

[erikmoseley]

I never took it that way at all Just give NLS a try and you'll never look at another brand again.

Hukit can give you a whole ingredient breakdown and justify why it's the best! That's why it's all I use!

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Hukit can give you a whole ingredient breakdown and justify why it's the best! That's why it's all I use!

Hukit is the food master. I've seen essays about food he wrote just to answer people's questions

 

[DragonFish71]

For my firemouths, I feed them a variety, NLS cichlid 3 Xs a weeks, frozen bloodworms, frozen beef heart, frozen krill and cyclops-eeze and homemade food that I add a vitamin supplement to.

Believe me, I have no issues getting them to spawning and their coloration is fabulous.

Now if only the foods adjusted their attitudes some...

 

[Big Tex]

For my firemouths, I feed them a variety, NLS cichlid 3 Xs a weeks, frozen bloodworms, frozen beef heart, frozen krill and cyclops-eeze and homemade food that I add a vitamin supplement to.

Believe me, I have no issues getting them to spawning and their coloration is fabulous.

Now if only the foods adjusted their attitudes some...

Firemouths are not veggie eaters right?

 

[garfy]

Firemouths are not veggie eaters right?

Firemouths are Omnivores but with an emphasis on the veggi side of the diet.They love to sift through substrate looking for food.

 

[CichlidLady0312]

I agree new life spectrum is amazing!

 

[Big Tex]

Firemouths are Omnivores but with an emphasis on the veggi side of the diet.They love to sift through substrate looking for food.

Sweet! My mbuna let me hand feed them peas and also love zucchini so ill keep that ritual going with my new firemouths.

 

[Josethatfishguy]

+1 on the nls, its all my firemouth has gotten since I picked him ip 3 years ago

 

[DragonFish71]

Firemouths are Omnivores but with an emphasis on the veggi side of the diet.They love to sift through substrate looking for food.

Actually the emphasis is on high protein diets for them. Beef heart, krill, bloodworms etc. They aren't Mbuna that need a more veggie diet with low proteins.