African Cichlids and live food

[Wight]

I have heard conflicting opinions all over about giving live food to certain african Cichlids that will eat it. If this is ok at times then what can they be fed for live food besides shrimps and such? Are earthworms or minnows fine?
Also, I want a small electric blue lobster (crayfish) as a bottom dweller. I have you you both can and can't do this, but what if I kept feeders around for the lobster?

Thanks, Wight

 

[gomezladdams]

the term "african cichlid" covers alot of species with very different dietary needs.Any idea what kind of fish you are asking about?

 

[Wight]

I know, sorry, I was in a bit of a rush earlier. I have mainly been looking at some of the peacock, acei, cobalt blue, auratus, electric blue and yellow, possibly blue dolphin, and jewel cichlids (and slender cichlids but they don't count in this).

 

[Wight]

I also have no plans to actively breed them.

 

[CichlidsRool]

I have heard conflicting opinions all over about giving live food to certain african Cichlids that will eat it. If this is ok at times then what can they be fed for live food besides shrimps and such? Are earthworms or minnows fine?
Also, I want a small electric blue lobster (crayfish) as a bottom dweller. I have you you both can and can't do this, but what if I kept feeders around for the lobster?

Thanks, Wight

anytime you feed any kind of live worms to Africa Cichlids,you are playing with their well being,never feed them live worms, the only live thing i feed to my babies is live shrimps or ghost shrimp...

 

[Wight]

What about smaller fish such as minnows? I don't want to make this a regular thing, just on occasion. I have also heard of introducing such fish as "target fish" for aggressive males to wrath on instead of real tankmates. Sorry if these are all bad questions, I am new to these cichlids and have none yet. So no worries, haven't killed anything.

 

[CichlidsRool]

What about smaller fish such as minnows? I don't want to make this a regular thing, just on occasion. I have also heard of introducing such fish as "target fish" for aggressive males to wrath on instead of real tankmates. Sorry if these are all bad questions, I am new to these cichlids and have none yet. So no worries, haven't killed anything.

reason i dont feed live things is because they can carry many bad things..trust me there are many great food for them,you dont have to feed them live food,plus feeding live feeders makes the water unsafe...

 

[Wight]

Any thoughts on the lobster anyone?

 

[CichlidsRool]

Any thoughts on the lobster anyone?

lobsters are nice to have but,when they get bigger they will eat your fish...

 

[Wight]

That's what I was worried about. Thanks - I won't be doing that now. I love them though. I will definitely at some point need to have one separately with only feeders as tankmates.