Red Devil Cichlid Not Eating

[mikeybabs]

Hello Everyone, I just got an 8" Red Devil Cichlid yesterday, and he has not eaten the first day I got him or today either...

Someone on this forum suggested that if he doesn't eat that I starve him for 2-3 days and then introduce him to NLS cichlid formula... is this normal? Does he just need to adjust to the new tank? Should I completely stop feeding him for 2 days and then try again?

Also I attached some pictures... will the NLS Cichlid Formula improve his color? Will I see a big noticable difference? The fish store said they use to feed him flakes and pellets and once in awhile crickets, but when I asked them if they heard of NLS Cichlid Formula they said "no"...

In one of the pictures it shows him being really cute and peaking his head out at me, he seems shy, and seems like he likes the little cave decoration, its sort of like his home... would large rock caves benefit more than that decoration?

I'm hoping his color will come out a lot in the future after feeding him NLS, and I hope his appetite comes back after a couple days, any tips and suggestions would be great!

Thanks...


PS. Can someone tell me if this is a male or female?
- Mike

 

[HUKIT]

He'll be fine just give him some time to adjust to his new home. When ever I introduce new fish I always leave the lights out for a few days to let them settle. As far as food just give him some time to adjust to pellets, he'll eat when he gets hungry enough. As far as color when stressed it will change then when fed a good diet it will certainly come back. Good looking fish though!

 

[mikeybabs]

He'll be fine just give him some time to adjust to his new home. When ever I introduce new fish I always leave the lights out for a few days to let them settle. As far as food just give him some time to adjust to pellets, he'll eat when he gets hungry enough. As far as color when stressed it will change then when fed a good diet it will certainly come back. Good looking fish though!

Thanks so much Hukit, you've always been helpful ...any way to tell if this is a male or female? My guess is a male, cuz it sorta has a hump on the forehead, but its not very pronounced, which makes me wonder

 

[HUKIT]

I think he's a she.

 

[mikeybabs]

Ok so it's been 5 days so far and he's still not responding to the NLS floating 4.5 mm
Pellets... I fed him 2 crickets from the local pet store and he ate those no problem so I'm thinking he's just not conditioned to these NLS pellets... I fed the crickets on the 3rd day? I fed the NLS floating pellets on the 4th day and he hasn't ate them from what I noticed... And today on the 5th day the pellets started sinking and floating up down and he saw one sink and bit at it then spit it out... Should I just give him time? Thx... This is only the second day I've been feeding him the floating pellets and he's just not crazy about them... Maybe he's been eating the 1mm sinking NLS pellets that i tried feeding him on the first day when im not looking?

 

[HUKIT]

Do you know if she's eating the sinking? It's funny my oscars won't eat sinking to save their lives but my HRP's and Red Terror's won't touch floating but prefer sinking. I would keep at both and at some point she will decide what her preference is.

 

[mikeybabs]

Do you know if she's eating the sinking? It's funny my oscars won't eat sinking to save their lives but my HRP's and Red Terror's won't touch floating but prefer sinking. I would keep at both and at some point she will decide what her preference is.

Just tried feeding him sinking and he won't going after them but I wonder if he gobbles them on the ground when I'm not looking when he moves the rocks? Do you think he will eventually go after the pellets? So far the floating pellets have been sitting so long that they sunk and are sticking to the filter...

 

[HUKIT]

When converting my oscars it took around two weeks before they would constantly take NLS pellets. I would try to feed them every 2-3 days until they decided enough is enough and finally took to the pellets. Remember they can go upwards of a month without eating.

 

[mikeybabs]

When converting my oscars it took around two weeks before they would constantly take NLS pellets. I would try to feed them every 2-3 days until they decided enough is enough and finally took to the pellets. Remember they can go upwards of a month without eating.

Thanks for the info! I will keep you posted on how she's doing! Much appreciated

So now your oscars gobble up the NLS pellets everytime you feed them? I can't wait till my red devil is like that I wish I didn't feed him the cricket cuz I feel all he wants now is crickets lol... Oh well I guess I'll just wait 2 weeks and hope for the best... My mbuna cichlids are addicted to the NLS and they eat it like crack fiends lol. Thx again!

 

[HUKIT]

The big guys are up to NLS 7.5mm floating. I get soaked everytime I feed them, they go crazy at feeding time so much I need to watch my fingers.

 

[mikeybabs]

The big guys are up to NLS 7.5mm floating. I get soaked everytime I feed them, they go crazy at feeding time so much I need to watch my fingers.

Wow. Almost twice the size of my pellets... Do you think 4.5mm pellets are ok for the 8" devil? I can almost guarantee they will be better than the 1mm sinking pellets... The cricket I fed her was floating on the top of the water when I fed her and she went for it while it was floating which hints at me she will prefer floating pellets

 

[HUKIT]

4.5pm should be a good size, what you'll be looking for is the fish is able to swallow the pellet whole with blowing chunks out their gills. I have just about every size of floating/sinking NLS pellets for fish from fry to oscars and have yet to have a fish turn it down.

You keep referring to him do you still think it's a male? I still think female cause at that size the hump should be very pronounced. I've never owned one but I'm still leaning towards female.

 

[mikeybabs]

4.5pm should be a good size, what you'll be looking for is the fish is able to swallow the pellet whole with blowing chunks out their gills. I have just about every size of floating/sinking NLS pellets for fish from fry to oscars and have yet to have a fish turn it down.

You keep referring to him do you still think it's a male? I still think female cause at that size the hump should be very pronounced. I've never owned one but I'm still leaning towards female.

For fry can I just crush up the 1mm pellets?

 

[mikeybabs]

And I think it's a female... I just always slip cuz I'm use to calling it a "he" cuz that's what I thought originally and her name bubba is more male fitting... I'm with you though, I think he's a she.

 

[HUKIT]

For fry can I just crush up the 1mm pellets?

I used to but I've found better success with NLS grow which is 0.5mm and has a higher protein level for growing fish, or there is NLS small fish formula which is also 0.5mm. My peacock/Oscar fry grow much quicker than when I was crushing 1.0mm cichlid formula, not that oscars need help growing.

 

[HUKIT]

And I think it's a female... I just always slip cuz I'm use to calling it a "he" cuz that's what I thought originally and her name bubba is more male fitting... I'm with you though, I think he's a she.

Maybe some day when you get your sixth tank she could have a boyfriend. I know it's addicting since I have 9-11 tanks running at times too.

 

[mikeybabs]

Maybe some day when you get your sixth tank she could have a boyfriend. I know it's addicting since I have 9-11 tanks running at times too.

Wow I thought I had the fish bug bad lol... Already messaging my friend about a 75 gal... Are 125 gallon tanks the smallest 6 footers they make? I need to find a 6 footer

 

[HUKIT]

Wow I thought I had the fish bug bad lol... Already messaging my friend about a 75 gal... Are 125 gallon tanks the smallest 6 footers they make? I need to find a 6 footer

Yes 125's are the smallest six footer but if your starting your search I would buy a 180g as the extra 6" depth really makes a huge difference. I have a couple of 150's and a 180g and when decorating I really wish I had the extra depth. All of my tanks are reef ready with sumps so the overflow towers take a good portion of the tank in the 150's.

 

[mikeybabs]

Yes 125's are the smallest six footer but if your starting your search I would buy a 180g as the extra 6" depth really makes a huge difference. I have a couple of 150's and a 180g and when decorating I really wish I had the extra depth. All of my tanks are reef ready with sumps so the overflow towers take a good portion of the tank in the 150's.

I'm going to have a hard time placing that thing in my 1 bedroom house lol

 

[HUKIT]

I'm going to have a hard time placing that thing in my 1 bedroom house lol

Who need couch's and stuff to sit on!