How often should Cichlids be fed live fish?

[julia75]

Hi everyone! I have 2 Blood Parrots and 1 African. They are all doing well in the almost 2 months I've had them. They have moved on to eating small Goldfish and I am not sure how often I should get live fish and what other fish they may like.

I tried asking the salesperson when I got the Gold Fish but she tried to talk me out of it saying they didn't even eat Gold Fish. Well they do and they love them. The first time I gave them the 3 fish they disappeared in about a week. This last time both (2) were gone within hours. I love my little carnivores, but how much live fish should they be allowed. I don't want them over eating. My BP's are about 2.5 inches and my African is about 3 inches long.

 

[HUKIT]

Never, I would skip the feeders all together due to disease's carried by the feeders, but more importantly they have no nutritional valve at all and could lead to killing your fish with fatty liver disease. With the current leading fish foods there really isnt a reason to supplement any long since food contains everything they need.

Feeder fish

Start them on a staple of pellets by New Life Spectrum or Hikari brand with the occasional treat like inspects or worms and they'll lead a happy and healthy life.

Also mixing africans and ca/sa fish is not recommended due to different diet requirements and vastly different aggression levels between the fish.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I never feed live now.

 

[julia75]

Well then! I have the pellets, flakes, and also freeze dried worms. They are fed 2x a day and they are insatiable. I just thought that since they would be eating live fish in the wild it wouldn't hurt them in my tank. I didn't know about the liver disease. Thanks for the advice I didn't even realize the threat of sickness from the Gold fish.

As far as aggression they all get along very well. They never fight and visit each others "houses" with out a problem. I think they bonded because I got them at the same time. They have grown at least and 1.5 inches since I've gotten them and they are very healthy and pretty chill.

 

[severum mama]

I'm assuming the African cichlid is an Mbuna. They are primarily herbivorous in the wild so they should never eat feeders IMO.

The BP is a manmade hybrid and does not exist in the wild.

 

[julia75]

I know the BP is a hybrid....I was just saying that I thought they would like a real meal.

I love the warm environment that I encounter every time I visit here. There are never condescending attitudes and people always give answers that actually help. It's so nice.

 

[mattrox]

The thing is that most quality commercial fish food is a "real meal". A complete balanced diet in one easy to feed package.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

Like Astronauts.

 

[mdawg75]

Julia,

These folks really know what they are talking about. The possibility (or likleyhood) of disease, is one of the things that would keep me away from live feeders. plus Severum mama owns her own fish store along with Hn1. Listen to them for your fishes long time health, IMO