Cuban Cichlid feeding

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Fishkeeper96

Feeder Fish
Apr 30, 2019
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Hello, first post here but long time lurker.
Yesterday I had 10 Cuban cichlids freighted to me they are around 4-5cm (1.5-2inches if I’m correct)
I currently have then In a 75gallon tank with 2 L002 plecos.
They are extremely skittish and anytime I go to put food in the run for cover and don’t come out. Do you think I should be concerned considering their small size?
I had Festae growouts in the past that were small when I got them and continued to be skittish until I added some “dither fish” do you think it would be wise to do this with the Cubans? My lfs has some wild type swordtails at the moment or I can move some of the Lemon tetras from my other tank over if it can help.
Apologises if I’m just being silly. I understand the fish were in transit for 5-6 hours yesterday and only been in the tank for 24hours or so.
Also at this size what would you recommend feeding them?
Thanks for all the advice.
 
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As youngsters Cuban cichlids are favorite prey of birds, so instinctually any shadow causes alarm.
Give them a little time.
Floating plants are also a big help in making them feel secure.
I must warn you that a 75 gal is quite small for 10, and I believe soon you may find the largest of the group may kill and eat any smaller siblings. I have raised many, and found 3" individuals with their 2" brothers or sisters half way down the larger ones gullet in that size grow out tank.


 
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duanes said:
As youngsters Cuban cichlids are favorite prey of birds, so instinctually any shadow causes alarm.
Give them a little time.
Floating plants are also a big help in making them feel secure.
I must warn you that a 75 gal is quite small for 10, and I believe soon you may find the largest of the group may kill and eat any smaller siblings. I have raised many, and found 3" individuals with their 2" brothers or sisters half way down the larger ones gullet in that size grow out tank.


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Thank you for your reply. They are only growing out in this tank, I have a 6ft (180g with 4ft sump) that I can move them too once they grow a bit.
I feel that they may be so skittish when I try and feed them as I need to turn the top filter off and lift up the light to be able to feed them. I put in some live black worms, without turning off the filter and lifting the light and they readily ate them
 
tlindsey said:
Welcome Aboard

You can feed crushed up Cichlid pellet food.
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I have nls thera a (small size and regular), nls cichlid (regular), nls (algaemax regular), dainichi tropical (micro) and daincihi Ultimo krill (baby)
Would a mix of these work? I worry about feeding too much high protein food as I have read as babies they can be susceptible to bloat
 
Fishkeeper96 said:
I have nls thera a (small size and regular), nls cichlid (regular), nls (algaemax regular), dainichi tropical (micro) and daincihi Ultimo krill (baby)
Would a mix of these work? I worry about feeding too much high protein food as I have read as babies they can be susceptible to bloat
Click to expand...


Yes you can alternate once they recognize the crushed pellet is food. If you have time to raise live baby brine shrimp that would be great for young fry.
 
tlindsey said:
Yes you can alternate once they recognize the crushed pellet is food. If you have time to raise live baby brine shrimp that would be great for young fry.
Click to expand...
Would frozen baby brine be ok? Or live blackworm?
I feel they are so skittish when I go to feed pellets due to the fact I need to turn off my filter so it doesn’t blow them everywhere and I need to lift up my lid which at the same time lifts up the light. If I leave the like down and the filter one and put in live blackworms they eat them
 
Fishkeeper96 said:
Would frozen baby brine be ok? Or live blackworm?
I feel they are so skittish when I go to feed pellets due to the fact I need to turn off my filter so it doesn’t blow them everywhere and I need to lift up my lid which at the same time lifts up the light. If I leave the like down and the filter one and put in live blackworms they eat them
Click to expand...


Frozen brine shrimp is very low in nutrition and the blackworms may be ok if they were quarantined.
 
hey fishkeeper96

i just got a cuban myself. hes about 3.5" .. nice little fish i like him alot so far.
do yourself a favor and grab some SEACHEM REPLENISH.
my water comes out of the tap really soft so i dosed little by little to up the gh now hes waaay more active with zero signs of stress.
little guy looked miserable before i did this so for that reason i bring this up.
 
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