I'm new to fronts. Mine don't seem very interested in food. They will eat, however they aren't very vivacious. I usually feed them once a day. Should I feed every other day?
Feeding fronts...
- Thread starter DustyBZoo
- Start date
Mine are little pigs. They shove everything else in the tank away from food until they are full. I feed mine new life spectrum 2mm sinking pellets, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen marine cuisine, and blood worms. Mine were eating like pigs about 2 hours after I had them in the tank. Mine are about 2.5 inches at the moment. I feed mine twice a day by the way.
How big and what are you feeding them?
How big and what are you feeding them?
I had three and now I'm down to two. One is bigger abouut 5 inches and the other in like 3 inches. I've only had them about a month. I've been feeding new life spectrum sinking pellets or flake or occassionaly frozen brine shrimp.
I'll try smaller amounts of food and give them more time to settle.
Do they prefer to eat a night with lights out, or can I just feed them in the morning when I turn the lights on?
I'll try smaller amounts of food and give them more time to settle.
Do they prefer to eat a night with lights out, or can I just feed them in the morning when I turn the lights on?
DustyBZoo;4475353; said:
I dont feed mine right after I turn on the lights. I wait a couple of hours and give them the frozen food. About Thirty minutes before the timer on the lights go off I feed them the sinking pellets and the gobble them up. Right now mine are in a bare bottom 125 gallon tank while I get ready to move. I have 8 of these guys in with Calvus, Petricola, Leleupi, and Julidochromis. These guys are "night time piscivores" thats why I wait till they wake up a little bit to feed them their snack and have their main meal ready before i turn off the lights.
on a side note have you thought about adding more these guys really need to be in a colony as the like and need their own kind, maybe thats the problem. These cichlids at times can be extremely skittish.
Dobsie;4475240; said:
Mine fed like thiat when smaller too! Now that they are all about 4+ inches they have definitely slowed down.
DustyBZoo;4475353; said:
Mine don't seem to mind feeding with the lights on. I feed at about five oclock when I get home from work. I feed mine the exact same things. On the days that they don't seem really interested in food, I fed a very light feeding and then fast them for a day. The next time I feed they will eat well again. If they aren't taking food well, fast them for a day or two. Fasting fish is not a bad thing, it is actually good, it allows time for their systems to clean out. I always treat mine to frozen foods on Sundays right before a water change (helps to remove the mess afterward).
Well, both of my smaller ones have died
They were the better looking ones too. The bigger one is a lot darker than they were. Capt. Hideous (the big ugly one left) is doing fine. He even had a little chunk taken out of dorsal fin when I got him and it's healed and he's put on so weight.
I'm going to get him a buddy next week. I found some fronts about his size for 60 or 70 bucks.
They were the better looking ones too. The bigger one is a lot darker than they were. Capt. Hideous (the big ugly one left) is doing fine. He even had a little chunk taken out of dorsal fin when I got him and it's healed and he's put on so weight.I'm going to get him a buddy next week. I found some fronts about his size for 60 or 70 bucks.
Frontosa tend to eat like pigs when they are small.
Those over 3 inches slow down greatly, and adults will often ignore food if you feed them everyday.
They have rather slow metabolism's, they just don't swim around that much so they don't require alot of energy, plus as adults they are somewhat shy fish.
Feeding schedule.
fry to 2 inches, twice a day enough that they are finished in 30 seconds.
2-3 inches, once a day, enough that they are done in 30 seconds.
Over 3 inches and adults, 3 to 5 times a week, and only once on those days and enough that they are done in 30 seconds.
They will then be more active, instead of sluggish and disinterested.
You can feed them any leading brand, sinking or not, and nutrition and health wise they will be fine.
Those over 3 inches slow down greatly, and adults will often ignore food if you feed them everyday.
They have rather slow metabolism's, they just don't swim around that much so they don't require alot of energy, plus as adults they are somewhat shy fish.
Feeding schedule.
fry to 2 inches, twice a day enough that they are finished in 30 seconds.
2-3 inches, once a day, enough that they are done in 30 seconds.
Over 3 inches and adults, 3 to 5 times a week, and only once on those days and enough that they are done in 30 seconds.
They will then be more active, instead of sluggish and disinterested.
You can feed them any leading brand, sinking or not, and nutrition and health wise they will be fine.