pair of convicts super picky about foods!

[TheHolyArachnid]

I got a male & female convict from petsmart two weeks ago. They won't eat anything. They literally won't eat anything except flakes? WTF. I tried NLS pellets,hikari pellets, brine shrimp, blood worms, market shrimp, daphnia, spinach, algae wafers, krill, tubifex worms, black worms, and even tiny guppies! They will chew these foods and spit it out. I starved them for almost 10 days and still no luck. Only a day or two ago I bought spirulina flakes and threw some of those in there and STILL they will chew and spit it out, but they did eat a little bit of it.

Have you guys went through problems like this? If so, how did you make these guys eat? In all my experience of cichlid keeping I never encountered a pickier species of cichlid. It's absurd. I even had a peacock bass that would eat more than these guys in just 3 days!!!!!

Should I keep starving them, or should I get rid of them? needs answers please!

 

[spike38]

Feed them, Whatever you are feeding your other fish in the tank.
They will adapt to the new diet eventually.

Spike

 

[spike38]

If they croak, I have plenty. Do you want black or pink?

Spike

 

[TheHolyArachnid]

Feed them, Whatever you are feeding your other fish in the tank.
They will adapt to the new diet eventually.

Spike

Oh the other fish in their tank which are hemichromis elongtus eat in font of them and eat EVERYTHING. The convicts will try, but then spit it out. It's ludicrous! They've been starving for 10 days thats the problem, most fish will eat anything in just a couple days.

 

[macframalama]

sounds to me your problem is your worrying about convicts, those fish are bullet proof, seriously, they will be fine.

 

[TheHolyArachnid]

sounds to me your problem is your worrying about convicts, those fish are bullet proof, seriously, they will be fine.

ok, I guess I will keep starving them. What if they don't eat in the next week or so? Then what? I'm serious, they are so picky its unbelievable.

 

[spike38]

They may be picking threw the gravel, Or around the tank at night.
Don't worry about them, They are eating something? My convicts
eat anything in the tank

Spike

 

[TheHolyArachnid]

They may be picking threw the gravel, Or around the tank at night.
Don't worry about them, They are eating something? My convicts
eat anything in the tank

Spike

I wish, the other fish in the tank(hemichromis elongtus) are such ferocious eaters. I don't think I ever saw them leave a piece of food. I might just give these convicts away and buy a different pair.

 

[TheHolyArachnid]

Here's two photos of the pair. The male is on the left and the female in on the right.

 

[spike38]

Here's two photos of the pair. The male is on the left and the female in on the right.
View attachment 781495View attachment 781496

They don't look starving, LOL
They look in great health.
I would do your regular feedings,
The convicts will come around.
And they can take care of themselves.
The meanest fish I own, Is a female convict.
I nicknamed her "B!tch". She has more kills
to her record, Then my Oscar has.

Spike