Favourite foods...

[Piscineidiot]

Now, most people on these boards have fish that favour meaty/live foods for the best growth rates and maximum health.

I get the feeling that those who keep communities of African cichlids do something a little different though.

So, what do you all like to feed your favourite Africans, and in what amounts?

At the moment, most of mine live on tetra-bits and the odd piece of prawn and algae wafer.

 

[NotoriousSway]

I use (NLS) New Life Spectrum Cichlid formula, its perfectly balanced diet diet for a african cichlid. I would stay away from meaty/live food for african cichlids.

 

[tydus]

I use (NLS) New Life Spectrum Cichlid formula, its perfectly balanced diet diet for a african cichlid. I would stay away from meaty/live food for african cichlids.

 

[Piscineidiot]

I use (NLS) New Life Spectrum Cichlid formula, its perfectly balanced diet diet for a african cichlid. I would stay away from meaty/live food for african cichlids.

Fair enough. Might I ask why you'd steer away from meaty/live foods for africans though?

Is it because most of them are primarily omnivores/herbivores, or is there another reason I don't know about i.e. metabolic needs, tolerances to fat etc.?

 

[Mike fail]

well african cichlids have really long digestive tracts, where meaty foods will decompose in before they can exit their system. i feed nls as well

 

[NotoriousSway]

Fair enough. Might I ask why you'd steer away from meaty/live foods for africans though?

Is it because most of them are primarily omnivores/herbivores, or is there another reason I don't know about i.e. metabolic needs, tolerances to fat etc.?

Exactly, they are omnivores, well more like opportunistic, in the wild most of their diets (except for predatory african cichlids) come from algae and bacteria that grows on the rocks called Aufwuchs, they will eat anything else they find like little crustaceans but that is only a small part of their diet. I would avoid and food with high protein and/or fat content so they don't have digestive issues like bloat.

 

[Muske]

NLS main diet (75-80%)

Frozen Krill and Mysis, market shrimp a couple days a week supplemented to the NLS brands.

 

[JoeBel]

I feed NLS 1mm & Spirulina flakes, fish stay happy & healthy.

 

[MalawiTango]

NLS and cooked shrimp once a week.

 

[Pharaoh]

Bet you can't guess what I feed.... LOL

Sorry........NLS only for mine.