I have recently started my new collection of a tem, Azul, and 2 Kels. I have the Azul eating everything and the Tem on food sticks and frozen BW. The 2 kels have not eaten in a week and unfortunately were raised on feeders. About a week ago, I went and bought some rosy reds, which they ate and actually triggered their curiosity to find food. Still no luck with them on non-live food. They are all ranging from 5-8 inches and don't know if I should just keep allowing the kels to starve. I can throw in minnows but the Tem and Azul are so fast that id have to throw in about 20 to give the kels a chance. I really try avoiding feeders because ironically, they introduced ick into my tank last week. Want to avoid them completely. I have read where a lot of guys just starve their cichla until hunger brings them to their senses and to basically just be patient. A lot easier to watch a .50 cent gold fish starve over these expensive beasts. What would you guys recommend? Will they eventually learn from the Tem and Azul? Thanks guys!
cichla question about feeding
- Thread starter ksmith088
- Start date
I know I didn't get any replies, but I have seen some progress in getting them all to eat. I have only 1 kel left to break from live. A positive is that he is mouthing pellets and sticks. He will actually play with the floating sticks in his mouth for a good 5-10 seconds before spitting it out. This has been going on for 3 days now. Will hunger eventually take over or should I try soaking it in something? I have read a ton on how to pellet train these guys but my only problem is that he doesn't come to the surface eager to eat like most training methods have them doing. He will stare at the sticks for awhile while the others eat and eventually get curious enough to try them. They are still skittish and not jumping out of the water for food like most cichla. Any suggestions will help!
I can't help but am curious to the same question. I have 4 young kelberi that look just like yours and am having the same problems accept none of mine are gumming anything I have tried. Sometimes they will come look at the food but not bite it just look and I have had them for almost 2 weeks. I also don't trust my local source for live feeders. I hope you get some good suggestions so I can try them as well.
They will eventually eat the sticks, you just have to be patient and do not give in, it may take weeks of starving them.
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Ok I will keep holding out. Dirk, I would maybe try a trainer fish like an Oscar since they will eat anything you put in the tank. Hopefully your kels will learn from him. I considered this but my other 3 are eating fine. Are your kels from petsolutions.com by any chance? They look very similar.
Are any of the bass eating frozen foods?
If so, I added some advice on the follow thread about a frozen pellet puree that has worked great.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?559409-Lots-of-Kelberi-and-Azul/page4
Good luck
If so, I added some advice on the follow thread about a frozen pellet puree that has worked great.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?559409-Lots-of-Kelberi-and-Azul/page4
Good luck
Yes they are from petsolutions.com I thought maybe they had come from the same place by the looks and size of them. I got 2 tinfoil barbs as trainers but am beginning to wonder if that was a mistake those dang things are so twitchy and fast I don't know if they are helping or hurting. Sometimes if one of the kels sneaks over to take a look at the food a tinfoil goes flying by its face at mach 90 and then the kelberi looses interest in the food and swims away. I am not sure weather to keep the to tinfoils or take them back.
Yeah that is a tough decision. I got one of the kels on shrimp and the other ate his first food stick yesterday. Maybe try an Oscar instead of the barbs.