Cichla live food dying (from heat?)

[polish]

I've lost dozens of feeders in my Cichla grow out tank today, it's not cool for the wallet. What gives? Is it the heat? There are some remaining rosies that are to big to be eaten living fine from past batches. I put the bag in to float it this time. Walked away and came back a bit later to almost all dead. It was only 10 minutes or so and they were only in the bag a bit. Now I also got 50 Zebras to use as feeders as the smaller of the two Cichla likes them more since they are smaller and none of them died. Are Rosies just not tolerate to high temps? If not what do I feed the larger picky juvie Cichla until I can get them to eat shrimp/pellets/krill/etc. I don't want to use Goldfish and feeders guppies are so small they go way to fast. Might have to go to a bait shop for small minnows but can they take the heat? 88 degrees or so.

Recent batch dead in the bag, cam phone pic...

 

[ado124]

most likely heat, rosies prefer cooler water. I keep my rosies in a separate unheated tank and they do fine.

 

[Mystus Redtail]

Could be the heat, but also, we lose a massive percentage of our rosies at the store I work at. As my boss says, "we don't sell them to make money, we do it because no one else does". At least in my experience, rosies just aren't that hardy. Sure, I've had them live a long time myself, but it's one of those things where if they live a week they'll live forever. Many of them just don't last that long. I blame it on the conditions they're raised/kept in before you, or I (the store) get them.

 

[jimmie1974]

once your pbass move out of the fingerling size, 2-4" I drop the temp down. My tank is currently running at 82. Yes, rosies cannot tolerate warm water, I ran into the same problem. As soon as they hit the water, their floaters. I went with small goldfish, go with them, start dropping one in at a time. When they get use to one piece of food drop at a time and splashing the surface, thats when you mix it up and through in a freeze dried krill, I use San Francisco Bay brand. Stick with it and you'll have them off feeders. But I do switch it up every now and then.

 

[I<3fish]

once your pbass move out of the fingerling size, 2-4" I drop the temp down. My tank is currently running at 82. Yes, rosies cannot tolerate warm water, I ran into the same problem. As soon as they hit the water, their floaters. I went with small goldfish, go with them, start dropping one in at a time. When they get use to one piece of food drop at a time and splashing the surface, thats when you mix it up and through in a freeze dried krill, I use San Francisco Bay brand. Stick with it and you'll have them off feeders. But I do switch it up every now and then.

No... Keep the temp up until they are 18" or so, or you can just leave it at 88 indefinitely. Goldfish are worthless feeders, they have no nutrition.

 

[haynchinook334]

No... Keep the temp up until they are 18" or so, or you can just leave it at 88 indefinitely. Goldfish are worthless feeders, they have no nutrition.

I would drop the temp at the 6'' mark. IME. 76 to 82.

 

[spacewelder]

Look, I have my water temp at 86 and I have not lost a rosie in months. I do a drip to them for an hour and a half and low and behold, no dead rosies. It is the only way I have kept them alive. Do a test and you shall see. You might loose a few at first but once you get the hang of it , no dead ones.

 

[polish]

Thanks for the ideas everyone, all appreciated.

I figured it was the heat but wanted to make sure.

 

[channarox]

No... Keep the temp up until they are 18" or so, or you can just leave it at 88 indefinitely. Goldfish are worthless feeders, they have no nutrition.

whoever told you that?
after the delicate 6" mark the temp. can be lowered.
you can keep it high of course,but theyll tolerate and thrive in lower temps.