Aequidens Rivulatus/ too much protein?

[HardCandy]

I have a gt that is finally starting to mature but i really want him to grow larger. The owner of my LFS recommended that i stuck all my cichlids on a pellet and spirulina diet (even SA cichlids). He told me that cichlids stuck on a spirulina diet live twice as long and that spirulina naturally enhances the blues and greens on cichlids. he also recommended that i refrain from protein enriched foods as it leads to problems and death. He is a very well respected and educated man w/ a lot of experience when it comes to fish so I took his advice and haven't had a problem ever since.

ive heard of people feeding their green terrors market shrimp and how they never had a problem so I recently picked up some market shrimp and my gt devoured it much faster than he would devour pellets. Then I've heard a few people say that they lost their green terrors from which they thought was from a high protein enriched diet so I stuck him on pellets and spirulina again. Would it be safe for me to continue feeding my gt market shrimp?

 

[octofasciatus]

Can't go wrong with a varied diet in my opinion. Remeber the sayings "too much of anything is bad" and "variety is the spice of life".
This works well with my fish but dont expect instant results, a fish that has been fed a regular diet of one type of food may be suspect about instantlly taking a different type.

 

[Pyramid_Party]

I feed my GT pellets, krill, brine shrimp, bloodworms. Ive tried to get him to eat veggies too. I occasionally drop an algae wafer in and he eats it. But sometimes if hes not very hungry he will spit it out sometimes. I mgiht try peas or something. I always try to get fish to eat veggies even if they are a carnivore. GTs are omnivore so veggies should be something in their diet. But Ive had carnivores (my BGK) eat algae wafers before.


I might pick up spirulina though and try it. I want veggies to be part of his diet.

 

[quintas14]

Well everything i've ever read about spirulina says that it's got more protien gram for gram then any meat on the market, so from that i'd say

However i would agree with octofasciatus that too much of anything isn't good so just use a good pellet as staple with protein enriched supplements, greens and anything else the fish enjoys and remember that variety is the spice of life, so if the fish becomes picky at all then experiment with different types of food/treats as required. Remember that the fish counter at you local supermarket is you and your fish' friend...

 

[Pyramid_Party]

What about those veggie hikari pellets, I think they are called cichlid staple or excel? Think those are good?

 

[quintas14]

I use excel with my sevs and they're great, however i do also put plants in so they can eat what they want and leave the rest then i just replace the ones they eat.

 

[FSM]

hikari algae wafers are mostly fish meal lol.

 

[HardCandy]

thanks for the advice guys. I will start using a variety of foods.

 

[cichlid2006]

live crickets that have been fed veg and fruit. lets the gt use its predatory instincts and gives extra vitamins.

 

[packer43064]

I use excel with my sevs and they're great, however i do also put plants in so they can eat what they want and leave the rest then i just replace the ones they eat.

Same here dude, I use the Excel with the Sevs. they love it. I use it for the GT and Oscars too, but mainly the Sevs since they like green foods. I also do the same with the plants, every now and then I buy a few cheap plants and just put them in the sand in with a week or two their gone.