Flake vs. pellet food fo africans?

[Helloelliee]

Okay so I'm going to be starting an african cichlid tank here soon. It's cycling now. Just wondering if you guys use flake or pellets for Africans? I'm wanting to get some synodontis Catfish for bottom feeders so will that matter also what I feed the cichlids.

 

[Malawi Freak]

Pellets. Synos are scavengers and will find leftover food during the night. Check out new life spectrum or hikari. Both are readily available on the web for cheaper.

 

[Fishie]

I feed mine both cichlid pellets and flake food. Sometimes I switch it up though. They like it though. I use omega one pellets I don't know what kind of flakes. They are healthy and active though. I love African cichlid tanks!

 

[Lengelund]

Many on this forum are big fans of New Life Spectrum cichlids pellets. I use them as daily staple food for my Africans. I supplement with Omega One Super Veggie Flakes. Once in awhile, I give NLS flakes with garlic as a treat. Africans can't handle a lot of protein.

 

[DESE]

I use both as well. Some of mine won't eat pellets :/

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

Yeah NLS & hikari are both good
I also give them some live food or frozen blood worms

 

[Malawi Freak]

Frozen blood worms are actually not that good to give them. It can easily lead to Malawi bloat.

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

Really?
I've never had an issue with that & they all seem to love it
& its been like that for several years now

 

[Malawi Freak]

How often do you give it to them? Blood worms are really high in protein. If it's a rare treat every couple weeks it shouldn't be much to worry about, as long as it isn't consistent.

 

[joel618]

Don't ever give blood worms imo. Every 2 weeks or so may work for some people, But I have battled Malawi bloat enough that its not worth the risk to me.

I feed nls cichlid, nls thera a, and nls wafers. Once a week I also feed peas blanched, deshelled peas to help with digestion. Not to mention they love them. I have 8 syno cats. My mbuna are so food crazy that if I didn't drop a wafer in every 3 days I think the cats would starve. Since I started dropping food in that is intended for them they have grown alot faster.

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

Oh no its a treat lol like once every other week

 

[Celt44]

I swear by homemade food I make the European shrimp mix and my jewels love it I also make a more veggie style food my mbunas love peas, algae rounds , multi-Vitamins mixed with gelatin and frozen. Maybe try that

 

[Mogurako]

NLS Thera A everyday and once a week blanched and de-shelled peas then fast them the next day.

 

[chagoi]

Both ,started feeding dainichi pellets a few weeks ago great.