Switching to New Life Spectrum, Few Questions

[WhiteWidow11]

So I am going to try feeding NLS exclusivley to my cichlids and see what its all about. Currently feeding hikari pellets, omega one pellets and the ocasional bloodworms. I will be getting the 1mm pellet size so all my fish can digest easilly, granted adults will have to work harder to fill up, but that will gave the little guys more time.

I have 13 cichlids, ranging from 1.5-3in(9) and 5 inches(4), all africans.

Species include red zebra, OB red zebra, 2 Kenyi, 2 bulmblebees, 1 elec blue hap, acei, rusty, greshekai, scolofi and johanni.

I would like to know how much to feed them, and how often. I do have a scale so it is feasible for me to weigh the portions. I have never had to feed this many fish and I am unsure how much to put in because they eat it so crazy fast. People say as much as they can eat in 2-3 min, I feel like my fish could eat A LOT of food in 3 minutes lol.

Thanks Everyone!

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[HUKIT]

I feed six days on then one day off to help with digestion. NLS is very rich and a little goes along way, with that in mind I will feed them all they can eat in 1-1.5 minutes. I need NLS to every fish in the house with this method.

 

[WhiteWidow11]

I feed six days on then one day off to help with digestion. NLS is very rich and a little goes along way, with that in mind I will feed them all they can eat in 1-1.5 minutes. I need NLS to every fish in the house with this method.

Nice, I will try that time range. I think what I will try doing is dumping a measured amount in untill it takes them a minute or so to consume it. Say they can eat 1 gram in that time, I know I will get 300 feedings out of my purchase, and the feeding is consistent without me guessing how much I put in. I want to be careful since I notice sometimes if I overfeed by accident they all look bloated, recently I read up on how they get malawi bloat easier. I'm trying to be a better fish keeper, up untill now I have just fed whatever looked coool to watch lol.

Thank you.

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[kenny69]

So I am going to try feeding NLS exclusivley to my cichlids and see what its all about. Currently feeding hikari pellets, omega one pellets and the ocasional bloodworms. I will be getting the 1mm pellet size so all my fish can digest easilly, granted adults will have to work harder to fill up, but that will gave the little guys more time.

I have 13 cichlids, ranging from 1.5-3in(9) and 5 inches(4), all africans.

Species include red zebra, OB red zebra, 2 Kenyi, 2 bulmblebees, 1 elec blue hap, acei, rusty, greshekai, scolofi and johanni.

I would like to know how much to feed them, and how often. I do have a scale so it is feasible for me to weigh the portions. I have never had to feed this many fish and I am unsure how much to put in because they eat it so crazy fast. People say as much as they can eat in 2-3 min, I feel like my fish could eat A LOT of food in 3 minutes lol.

Thanks Everyone!

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Hi there, I use two different types of NLS, the 1mm cichlid pellets, and the standard flake with garlic, they love them both. I go by the 30 second rule, as much as they can eat in 30 seconds once or twice a day, and they are just fine. Less is better as you don't want any malawi bloat in your fish. Also NLS has not turned my water cloudy in the slightest, not once ever, as opposed to some food I have tried over the years.

Bloodworm to Malawi Cichlids? i thought that wasn't supposed to be a good thing????

 

[mfdrookie516]

I fed mine the NLS Cichlid Formula 1mm sinking pellets exclusively for the almost 2 years I had mine. I would vary between feeding once every 2 days and once every 3 days. I would just feed a good amount. They would always get it all before it hit the sand. Africans are tricky to feed to the new cichlid enthusiast IMO. They always act like they're starving. You just have to remember that they are opportunistic eaters. They don't get food all the time in the wild. They'll literally eat themselves to death if given the opportunity. Most fish they say "feed as much as they eat in 1 minute or so". With africans, you can feed as much as they'll eat in an hour and not have any left over. Also, bloodworms are a bad idea. they can cause bloat, which left untreated, will ultimately kill the fish.

 

[Fishguy2727]

Measure it with measuring spoons. This will make it very easy for you to know exactly how much you are feeding. This way if it is not enough or too much you can adjust easily based on more than 'I will feed a little less than pinch'.

I would feed a larger pellet in addition to the 1mm. 3mm should work well for the larger ones (and small ones do well on it IME). If you feed both sizes feed the larger first. This allows the larger, more aggressive feeders to fill up so they don't eat all the food the smaller fish are supposed to get.

I feed heavily. IME the fish do better this way, especially if growing, young, not in ideal condition, etc.

 

[WhiteWidow11]

Well after feeding for 2 days I'm impressed. My fish eat this food like crazzy, and they all wait near the feeding spot in the morning, they must really like this stuff!

My large fish that is normally black and sometimes gets white striping is showing yellow for the first time in the 6 months I've had him. I suspect he is a male bumblebee, but since feeding this food the bars are super vivid and there is a gold tint to him! Vivid enough for a cell to pickup. Even has some white I never noticed on the top fin. Check it out!

Am I crazy to think the food has had something to do with this? All my fish just look better.

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[jesse2205]

New Life Spectrum is a great product IMO. I have the 1mm sinking pellets and the fish love them. I believe the color enhancing ingredients help give the fish their breeding colors. I noticed my female Texas get a deep black belly after a few weeks of the pellets.

 

[WendiDell]

Well after feeding for 2 days I'm impressed. My fish eat this food like crazzy, and they all wait near the feeding spot in the morning, they must really like this stuff!

My large fish that is normally black and sometimes gets white striping is showing yellow for the first time in the 6 months I've had him. I suspect he is a male bumblebee, but since feeding this food the bars are super vivid and there is a gold tint to him! Vivid enough for a cell to pickup. Even has some white I never noticed on the top fin. Check it out!

Am I crazy to think the food has had something to do with this? All my fish just look better.

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Your not crazy, I started feeding my Mbunas about 3mo. ago. And their growth is amazing and their colors got so much more intense in just a few days. I'm so happy with NLS foods. There's nothing better

 

[WhiteWidow11]

Can't wait to see what a few months of this food will do. I feel like a much better fishkeeper after just a week on this forum!

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[WendiDell]

Can't wait to see what a few months of this food will do. I feel like a much better fishkeeper after just a week on this forum!

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You are a better fish keeper for being here on AA, we all are. You don't even need to ask questions. Just read the the posts by OP and you'll obtain years of knowledge in a short time.
I've learned more in 4 months on AA than in the previous six and a half years by myself.
AA is a blessings for all of our fish

 

[kenny69]

You are a better fish keeper for being here on AA, we all are. You don't even need to ask questions. Just read the the posts by OP and you'll obtain years of knowledge in a short time.
I've learned more in 4 months on AA than in the previous six and a half years by myself.
AA is a blessings for all of our fish

Well said

 

[WendiDell]

Well said

Thank you very much.

 

[Makavelli02]

I have to say i am now a firm believer in nls. about 3 weeks ago i got some to feed to my oscars just to see what all the hype was about. At first i was not convinced. On the fist feeding they actualy didnt even want it they just kept waiting to the normal floating pelets they where used to getting (omega one). So i gave them what they wanted. Then after a few days i decided to try it again. This time i was persistant and after a day or 2 they realized to chase it down. Then i noticed them being a bit more frantice at feeding time. So i stuck with it. They have been eating only nls for 2 weeks now and i can tell a larg difference imo. There color is alot better. My albinos are showing there bright orange more than ever and my big tiger has always been bright but his markings actualy seem like they are perfectly painted on. Plus they seem so much more active.
So i am on the band wagon sign me up.
I am not trashing the other 2 major pelets i think there great (omega and haikari) but there not nls. I even bought the 1mm pelets for my comunity tank.

 

[WhiteWidow11]

Yeah definately awesome food so far. I can't wait to see how much they color up and grow on this whole jar of food.

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[mikeybabs]

I ordered NLS and I'm excited to see the difference in my fish. I should be getting it tomorrow!

 

[WhiteWidow11]

I am continuing to have great results with NLS. I don't think you will be disapointed at all!

 

[Davemac]

Great food I put a small bit in once or twice a week all my tangs like it even my synodontis petricola will eat it if any get away from the tangs highly recommend it best sinking pellet by a mile I use the small pellet so even my occies get a look in at feeding time