Cichla that will and will not eat off the gravel

FunWow!

Redtail Catfish
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Jul 30, 2008
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Rhode Island
Anyone else ever notice this. My Tem,Pinima,Mono,and Azuls will eat everything right off the gravel if it lands on it but my Kelberi's and orinos(4types) will not eat off of it if it makes it to it. Post what you've noticed i'd like to see if this is a thing bass must learn or if its a thing where they just know.
 

HULON

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
May 14, 2009
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in the now!!
FunWow!;4314264; said:
Anyone else ever notice this. My Tem,Pinima,Mono,and Azuls will eat everything right off the gravel if it lands on it but my Kelberi's and orinos(4types) will not eat off of it if it makes it to it. Post what you've noticed i'd like to see if this is a thing bass must learn or if its a thing where they just know.
My Orinos will ocationaly eat off the gravel but never the Kel's must be learned..Cuz my sevs eat off the bottom all the time and the orino definatly watch..
 

krichardson

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Jun 19, 2006
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The Kelberi that I've kept have been the most picky eaters of the bass that I've kept but the other types that I've had would not eat from the bottom unless the item is some type of feeder fish.
 

FunWow!

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jul 30, 2008
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Rhode Island
Interesting.....I feed massivore pellets, fish fillets and when they get to the bottom they just don't want them. Only if they are sinking. My ocells also won't eat off the bottom. The Tem, Pinima, azuls, mono will hit the bottom so hard that they will suck in a big amount of gravel to the point where it weighs the fish down then they will spit all out and grab the food floating down or they will just eat just the food.
 

ado124

Jack Dempsey
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Feb 15, 2006
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I've got fine gravel and I never thought about this till you brought it up but i don't think my kelberi eat off the bottom....the only time they've ever eaten off the bottom was when i used to feed them frozen bloood worms..I'm going to have to check again when i feed them next....
 

kendragon

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Mar 23, 2009
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I had my kelberis on floating pellets when I first got them but just a few weeks ago I started massivore sinking pellets. 2 out of the 4 ate it right off the bottom. The other 2 refuses. I've noticed that when the dithers pick it up and drop it the kels will charge the pellet. I don't know whether it is learned or instinct because they're all in the same tank and there doesn't seem to be any learning.
 

Venom SS

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Aug 14, 2008
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Texas
I have one cichla that will eat off the bottom. Its a 4" Mono growout. Its the only one I have ever owned that would.
 
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