I recently added two peacock bass ( 20cm & 15cm) to a 250g tank populated with central american cichlids. They are active and look great. One problem.. the smaller one won't eat! it's been a few days and it won't eat anything (neither dry cichlids food pellet nor frozen shrimps). According to the seller (private breeder) it ate dry cichlids food pellet . What can I do to get it to eat...it taste all foods but spit it out.. r? please help
Cichlid won't eat
- Thread starter AviB
- Start date
How long have they been in the tank?
It sometimes takes cichlids a long time in a new situation, maybe a month.
Also, what type of Central Americans are they housed with?
Being South American species, the normal aggressiveness of Central American tank mates may be too intimidating for the smaller Cichla.
In S America, Cichla are at the top of the cichlid dominance chain, but Central Americans are on an entirely more heightened state of hyper dominance.
I try not to mix Central Americans with Amazonian South Americans for this reason, and that Amazonian species are a type which don't come from the same water chemistry parameters as the hard water Central and North American.
Just an observation that may or may not be relevant.
Here in Panama Cichla are an invasive in Lake Gatun, and have done quite well, but never attain the size they do in the Amazon, only about half.
It sometimes takes cichlids a long time in a new situation, maybe a month.
Also, what type of Central Americans are they housed with?
Being South American species, the normal aggressiveness of Central American tank mates may be too intimidating for the smaller Cichla.
In S America, Cichla are at the top of the cichlid dominance chain, but Central Americans are on an entirely more heightened state of hyper dominance.
I try not to mix Central Americans with Amazonian South Americans for this reason, and that Amazonian species are a type which don't come from the same water chemistry parameters as the hard water Central and North American.
Just an observation that may or may not be relevant.
Here in Panama Cichla are an invasive in Lake Gatun, and have done quite well, but never attain the size they do in the Amazon, only about half.
I agree with Duanes. All cichla I've owned don't do well if there is much pushback at all. They like being top of the aggression chain. A lot of centrals are bruisers that are constantly trying to move fish out of their territory, which in a lot of cases, is the whole tank.
On a sidenote, any theory as to why the cichla don't obtain their huge size there in Panama? Water chemistry? Available prey species? Year around temperature?
On a sidenote, any theory as to why the cichla don't obtain their huge size there in Panama? Water chemistry? Available prey species? Year around temperature?
It is 5 days in the tank and here are its aquamates... thinking food is coming....
Cool tank, I don’t see a lot of aggression going on. And while both comments above are completely valid.
If it were me I would try garlic guard soaked pellets, or vita chem to get him liking it.
If that doesn’t work You may want to try to do some Epsom salt treatments to the food maybe he has abit of hex. Have you noticed any white stringy poop? Sometimes I’ve seen fish do the chomp and spit when they have hex.
If not maybe it’s just as the two said above just stressed. Good luck
If it were me I would try garlic guard soaked pellets, or vita chem to get him liking it.
If that doesn’t work You may want to try to do some Epsom salt treatments to the food maybe he has abit of hex. Have you noticed any white stringy poop? Sometimes I’ve seen fish do the chomp and spit when they have hex.
If not maybe it’s just as the two said above just stressed. Good luck
The pH and conductivity on Lake Gatun fluctuates wildly at times because of the on/off influence of sea water with daily operation of the Panama canal, and the influx of more alkaline waters of the Central American rivers entering the lake (pH often hits 9.00+), and torrential rains (lower pH).
So this rather high pH may be growth inhibiting.
The P bass have eliminated many of the endemic cichlids by eating their fry.
We have a yearly P bass jamboree here, to try and keep the numbers down.
OP ... Your tank looks very tranquil, probably because its ver crowded, there is no opportunity for territory to be carved out, it looks large.
It may just be an acclamation issue that takes time.
So this rather high pH may be growth inhibiting.
The P bass have eliminated many of the endemic cichlids by eating their fry.
We have a yearly P bass jamboree here, to try and keep the numbers down.
OP ... Your tank looks very tranquil, probably because its ver crowded, there is no opportunity for territory to be carved out, it looks large.
It may just be an acclamation issue that takes time.
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Thank you. will wait a bit more.. if it won't eat by then i'II take it out and try the vita chem treatment
The pH and conductivity on Lake Gatun fluctuates wildly at times because of the on/off influence of sea water with daily operation of the Panama canal, and the influx of more alkaline waters of the Central American rivers entering the lake (pH often hits 9.00+), and torrential rains (lower pH).
So this rather high pH may be growth inhibiting.
The P bass have eliminated many of the endemic cichlids by eating their fry.
We have a yearly P bass jamboree here, to try and keep the numbers down.
OP ... Your tank looks very tranquil, probably because its ver crowded, there is no opportunity for territory to be carved out, it looks large.
It may just be an acclamation issue that takes time. I hope so !!
AviB, Im curious as to if you have ever kept any of the endemic cichlids to your area, like the Tristramella sacra or simonis?
