Healthy Looking Firemouth Spitting Food

DustinGerard

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 12, 2013
42
0
0
Louisiana
I purchased a juvi Firemouth (pretty sure its a male) about 2 months ago and the very first day i got him he ate with no hesitation, no matter which food i fed him. I mainy stick to NLS, but occationally ill throw in a hikari algae wafer for the botom feeders or some hikari carnivore mix for a weekly treat. Hed eat anything for about 3 weeks. Then all of a sudden he stopped. Now he goes to the food and spits it out, no matter what it is. Hell even chase other fish who grab the food first so they spit the food and then he picks it up only to spit it out again! As of now he is the biggest fish in the tank with mainy loaches, rainbowfish, and catfish. I read somewhere that Firemouth Cichlids are not picky, yet he seems like the pickest of any fish Ive ever had! Ive tried NLS 2mm, 1mm and .5mm, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, unshelled peas, bloodworms, and the carnivore pellets and he rejects it all! Is this normal? It seems like its been over a month since ive seen him eat, but he still looks great and healthy! Im just worried he wont grow correctly without proper nutrition.
 

Rivers2k

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Dec 27, 2011
1,528
46
51
NY
If it has been a month and he is still looking healthy I would suspect he is eating when you aren't looking. He is probably picking up the food so others wont get it and then spitting it cause he is to full. I bet if you fast the tank a few days you will see him eat.
 

DustinGerard

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 12, 2013
42
0
0
Louisiana
So you think hes grazing on algae throughout the day? All my other fish are hungry by the end of the day and he appears that way since he comes to the top with them. I dont really have visible algae growth so to me that couldnt be enough to keep him full, but ive heard crazier things dealing with aquariums haha.
 

DustinGerard

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 12, 2013
42
0
0
Louisiana
So i finally solved the mystery!! I realized there was one thing i hadnt tried and that was flake food. I just fed him NLS pellets and he didnt want it (after trying just those for a week) and so i bought some flakes today and he loves them! If anyone else is having the same problem as me and comes across this, please try feedig your Firemouth flakes! It may be your answer too!!
 

ZEROPILOT

Candiru
MFK Member
Nov 21, 2013
302
57
46
South east Florida
Maybe he has a problem with his mouth or jaw, or an issue inside his mouth that is keeping him from eating the other food that he shows interest in.
 
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