Cichlid food
- Thread starter Cichlidfever
- Start date
Using the word premium doesn't change a generic farm feed into something other than what it is, a generic farm feed.
Most farm feeds come in different sizes, and protein levels, depending on what species they were developed for, and whether they were formulated for fry, fingerlings, or production/adults.
If you want to call some generic trout chow, premium cichlid food, that's fine by me.
Most farm feeds come in different sizes, and protein levels, depending on what species they were developed for, and whether they were formulated for fry, fingerlings, or production/adults.
If you want to call some generic trout chow, premium cichlid food, that's fine by me.
No problem, my only point was that anyone can take a generic farm feed formulated for trout (or whatever) slap a private label on it & call it "premium" cichlid food.
Feeding high protein, and especially high fat levels to adult cichlids can be a dangerous proposition, even with carnivorous species.
http://afsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1577/A03-035.1?journalCode=naja
Also from this report;
Now imagine what happens to the liver of an adult African/SA/CA cichlid when fed diets that contain excessive amounts of lipids. The juvie H. ahli (s. fryeri) used in this study faired much better being a carnivore, but it still showed a lipid accumulation in the hepatocytes. (<50%) The P. socolofi had extensive lipid accumulation when fed this TP diet.
This study came about after some cichlid farms in south FL suffered from some large mortalities in both 1998 & 1999. When the dead fish were examined they showed fatty infiltration of the liver, heavy vacuolation, and severe necrosis of the liver, pancreas, and spleen.
It was suggested to the farms that they replace ther feeds with one that had a lower lipid content (less than 10%) and supplement the feed with a vitamin premix. Clinical signs in the affected farms were resolved after implementation of these recommendations.
Feeding high protein, and especially high fat levels to adult cichlids can be a dangerous proposition, even with carnivorous species.
http://afsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1577/A03-035.1?journalCode=naja
Also from this report;
Now imagine what happens to the liver of an adult African/SA/CA cichlid when fed diets that contain excessive amounts of lipids. The juvie H. ahli (s. fryeri) used in this study faired much better being a carnivore, but it still showed a lipid accumulation in the hepatocytes. (<50%) The P. socolofi had extensive lipid accumulation when fed this TP diet.
This study came about after some cichlid farms in south FL suffered from some large mortalities in both 1998 & 1999. When the dead fish were examined they showed fatty infiltration of the liver, heavy vacuolation, and severe necrosis of the liver, pancreas, and spleen.
It was suggested to the farms that they replace ther feeds with one that had a lower lipid content (less than 10%) and supplement the feed with a vitamin premix. Clinical signs in the affected farms were resolved after implementation of these recommendations.
Shoot for prepared foods that contain things fish would normally be eating. I usually try to be sure that four out of the first five ingredients are...not FEED. One of my recent favorites in Nutrafin Max Freeze Dried Tablets. The first five ingredients are: Krill, Tubifex worms, Shrimp meal, Blood worms, Fish meal. Then it's : dried yeast, citric acid, multiple vitamin supplement, ethoxyquin. Then end. That is all that's in it and it's actually made mostly of food!
Also grab nightcrawlers and any random non-toxic bug you see. Rolly-pollies are a cichlid delicacy.
If you want terrible, read the back of a bag of Cichlid Gold. It's mostly corn. Fish aren't supposed to eat corn.
Also grab nightcrawlers and any random non-toxic bug you see. Rolly-pollies are a cichlid delicacy.
If you want terrible, read the back of a bag of Cichlid Gold. It's mostly corn. Fish aren't supposed to eat corn.
I agree that a variety can help, and also to check out the ingredients on any food. Real ingredients that fish would actually eat just seem healthier to me... in general no pet food at all should really include corn.
