baby peacock bass

[Oscarboyz]

i have a baby p bass 1.5" how fast will he grow and what is the best thing to feed to make him grow fast ( he is now on bloodworms and frozen silver sides)

[milkman407]

Maybe some shrimp and beefheart? he will grow very fast dont worry about that, my baby largemouth grew 2" in 1 month so im guessing about the same.

[fishrmann2]

If fed properly... he should grow at about an inch a month for 12 months... Maybe more!

The best thing to feed them when young is pellets. But most won't take pellets right away. You will have to train them to take them. Wait to do that until around 5-6". Frozen bloodworms or feeders should be fine! I now feed mine market shrimp as it's the cheapest! lol

Good luck with them!

[JP!]

Whatever you do, keep his feeding like or similar to how it is. It's great that he's not on live foods, so you don't have to convert him off later(pia). Just keep on top of your water changes and feed him a couple times a day until he can't eat anymore!:D

[DeLgAdO]

give him feeders

thats the best food you could possibly give a baby pbass

[JP!]

give him feeders

thats the best food you could possibly give a pbass

:screwy:

keep him off feeders. The foods you are giving him and/or pellets will be much more healthy for him and less expensive in the long run. Not to mention they can carry diseases.

[DeLgAdO]

:screwy:

keep him off feeders. The foods you are giving him and/or pellets will be much more healthy for him and less expensive in the long run. Not to mention they can carry diseases.

non sense

define "healthy"

whole animals are nutritionally complete.

feeders have all the essential minerals, vitamins, and Macro Nutrients, they have qualities that pellets lack.

quarintine and bulk them up my friend.


pellets do make good fillers though

but at least add a Vitamin suppliment if you want Pellet staple.

[Steve_89]

If you are going to feed them feeders..make sure you are prepared to get them off live food and onto prepared food later on.

This can be tricky and frustrating. Very frustrating.

Baby pbass can be raised on bloodworm, krill, beefheart and smelt fine.

I have done it both ways...and didn't really notice a major increase in growth rates with either method. IMO both ways are just as effective providing you keep them full.

Just make sure you keep them full at all times...and you will have happy cichla ;)

[Steve_89]

Another thing you might want to consider...good growth rates come with with clean water.

Keep up the water changes and make sure you have good filtration.

[JP!]

non sense

define "healthy"

whole animals are nutritionally complete.

feeders have all the essential minerals, vitamins, and Macro Nutrients, they have qualities that pellets lack.

quarintine and bulk them up my friend.


pellets do make good fillers though

but at least add a Vitamin suppliment if you want Pellet staple.


True, you should quarantine them, however most people probably don't or won't, hence, why take the risk if you don't have to. I was just trying to say that if they are not currently "hooked" on feeders, then don't start as it can be difficult and frustrating to break them off of them and they do become expensive after a while.

[johno27]

Just do not lump Goldfish into the feeders section they are bad for them. I had a great growth rate with rosey reds.
6-1-06
http://f5.putfile.com/6/16602260885-thumb.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=2841994)

About 1 million pounds of food later


9-19-06
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/26003103151.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3425212)

With a lot of food and water changes you will be begging them to slow down soon enough :headbang2

Went from 2.5 inches to about 10 in this time

As another option for a food source try freeze dried plankton or krill a varied diet is always best

[DeLgAdO]

Just do not lump Goldfish into the feeders section they are bad for them. I had a great growth rate with rosey reds.
6-1-06
http://f5.putfile.com/6/16602260885-thumb.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=2841994)

About 1 million pounds of food later


9-19-06
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/26003103151.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3425212)

With a lot of food and water changes you will be begging them to slow down soon enough :headbang2

Went from 2.5 inches to about 10 in this time

As another option for a food source try freeze dried plankton or krill a varied diet is always best
contrary to what everyone says

goldfish are only bad if they are fed exclusively to predators, other than that they are a great food in moderation.

[Redtail_Watcher]

i had mines at 4inches i feed it 3inch gold fishes it was stuck in it's stomach for a week and sure enought it was the fastest way to make my baby peackok grow. it grew an inch a month in a 29g.

[Redtail_Watcher]

:headbang2 i want to see my peackok at 3feet!:nilly:

[DeLgAdO]

:headbang2 i want to see my peackok at 3feet!:nilly:

is it a tem?

[JuanTamad]

Another form of feeders to consider - previously frozen ones.

Live feeders can get expensive when you have a school of cichla to feed. It can also get tiring even when you are just catching them for free.

I have my remaining hundreds of growing PBs on frozen Silversides. If the whole silverside is a bit too big for the cichla, I use a pair of scissors to cut them up into bite sizes. I also supplement their diet with freeze dried Pacifica Krill and golden pearls.

I got my growing Tems exclusively on wild caught Gambusia and considering switching them partially to cut silversides by next week.

[Oscarboyz]

so u are saying if i give him bloodworms twice a day for about 5 months he should be about 6 inches

[Twistedf4i]

Just do not lump Goldfish into the feeders section they are bad for them. I had a great growth rate with rosey reds.
6-1-06
http://f5.putfile.com/6/16602260885-thumb.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=2841994)

About 1 million pounds of food later


9-19-06
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/26003103151.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3425212)

With a lot of food and water changes you will be begging them to slow down soon enough :headbang2

Went from 2.5 inches to about 10 in this time

As another option for a food source try freeze dried plankton or krill a varied diet is always best

what size tank?

[johno27]

Just a standard 90 gallon

Gold fish are terrible feeders compared to roseys IMO .

I do feed them on the rare occasion my LFS is out of roseys but other than that they are messy(more scales) and then there is the whole vitamin deficiency thing.

Like Del says they are ok on the occasion. Don't forget earthworms P-bass like those too
I have also feed mine the occasional market shrimp but all White seafood (shrimp calamari scalops ect...) also can cause a vitamin deficiency in fish if used as a staple diet.

Just keep them fat with a variety of food and your good to go

[DIESELMACK]

all my bass are exclusive live (fathead minnows-500 PER WEEK) and supplimented with krill and market shrimp.
Live foods are the healthiest and best for pbass(NOT GOLDFISH FEEDERS). Live minnows and such have more essential and vital minerals,vitamins ect than any pellet can provide...it also lends to more intense coloration ect.One thing you must really consider when you take a route on which foods your gonna feed are these:
1.) do I have access to this food year round and anytime I need it?

2.)consider feeding a 20+" pbass bloodworms or pellets...do you realize how much it will take to fill this fish daily and the cost?

3.)be prepared in whichever route you take at spending alot of $$ weekly to maintain this fishes health.

Just my 2cents ;)

[DeLgAdO]

all my bass are exclusive live (fathead minnows-500 PER WEEK) and supplimented with krill and market shrimp.
Live foods are the healthiest and best for pbass(NOT GOLDFISH FEEDERS). Live minnows and such have more essential and vital minerals,vitamins ect than any pellet can provide...it also lends to more intense coloration ect.One thing you must really consider when you take a route on which foods your gonna feed are these:
1.) do I have access to this food year round and anytime I need it?

2.)consider feeding a 20+" pbass bloodworms or pellets...do you realize how much it will take to fill this fish daily and the cost?

3.)be prepared in whichever route you take at spending alot of $$ weekly to maintain this fishes health.

Just my 2cents ;)

excellent

[Dr Joe]

all my bass are exclusive live (fathead minnows-500 PER WEEK) and supplimented with krill and market shrimp.
Live foods are the healthiest and best for pbass(NOT GOLDFISH FEEDERS). Live minnows and such have more essential and vital minerals,vitamins ect than any pellet can provide...it also lends to more intense coloration ect.One thing you must really consider when you take a route on which foods your gonna feed are these:
1.) do I have access to this food year round and anytime I need it?

2.)consider feeding a 20+" pbass bloodworms or pellets...do you realize how much it will take to fill this fish daily and the cost?

3.)be prepared in whichever route you take at spending alot of $$ weekly to maintain this fishes health.

Just my 2cents ;)


DIESELMACK:

:iagree:

How many pbass (all bass) do you have?

Do you raise your own feeders?

I know you probably don't want to add this up yourself, but what does it cost you to feed them per month?


Dr Joe

.

[Dr Joe]

Reference: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12521&highlight=RAISING+FEEDERS

[fishingaddict]

i still dont understand why goldfish are bad feeders? compared to rosies? i get both of those 20 for a buck.. and i rotate feeding my pbass rosies and goldfish. what are the differences between rosies and goldfish that makes goldfish bad for the fish and rosies good for the fish?

[johno27]

search for goldfish on this site there are several threads explaining the problems with them including but not limited to them blocking the absorption of certain vitamins in fish

[Taboojen]

i thought the issue with goldfish was the fat content vs. rosies and other feeders.

[Oscarboyz]

thanks to all who posted

[johno27]

There are numerous disadvantages to goldfish as feeders. The main concern most people have with feeding goldfish to cichlids is a vitamin deficiency which is thought to contribute to HITH disease.

[Redtail_Watcher]

Hey!!!!!?????? i cant even get it to eat anything else accept live fish? :nilly: lol
THat is not fair?? lol:ROFL:

lucky you! :drool:





Just a standard 90 gallon

Gold fish are terrible feeders compared to roseys IMO .

I do feed them on the rare occasion my LFS is out of roseys but other than that they are messy(more scales) and then there is the whole vitamin deficiency thing.

Like Del says they are ok on the occasion. Don't forget earthworms P-bass like those too
I have also feed mine the occasional market shrimp but all White seafood (shrimp calamari scalops ect...) also can cause a vitamin deficiency in fish if used as a staple diet.

Just keep them fat with a variety of food and your good to go

[Redtail_Watcher]

i fed mine's a 5inch firemouth cichlid before! and did a 80percent water change. it's whole body turn extremly colorfull! it even had a blueish/ purple and dark grass green tone to it(half of it's body) it stayed like that for a whole week! i kept the fire mouth for about 6months before i didn't want it. I got it from Mejeir. i fed the Firemouth high protein pellets, for the cause of my peackok's colorfull i guess it had to due with the high quality fish i gave it.:hearts:

[arowpeak]

actually alot of factors need to consider for your pb growth,
things like water management, nutrition, feed frequency, tankmates, tank size, water pressure, water parameters , fish appetite and a whole lot of other circumstances, cheers!