Feeding option for Cichla

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pjegues

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 3, 2008
31
1
0
Winnipeg, Canada
Does anyone know of an alternative live food for cichla other than goldfish? I am looking for something other than the prawns that I am feeding them now.
 
might be small but rosy red minnows or guppys, i don't really feed live anymore...you should think about getting them off live...feed live on holidays only...lol for real...but i also breed my own live from my community tank which is filled with live breeders like mollys/plats/swordtails etc....they reproduce like crazy...and i love it when my wife looks for the babies in that tank for like 30mins and i just sit there laughing to myself cause i just got done feeding my pbass with them...lol...kinda mean but oh well, its almost as fun as watching my pbass eat
 
how big are your bass?? You can try minnows, rosey reds, guppys etc.. like evryone above me has stated.. however once your bass reach the 7-8" mark id try to convert them off live foods and onto a staple diet of pellets and frozen food..
 
they are about a year and a half now and about 12-13 inches. Currently they are off live food they almost only eat shrimp. but my feeding problem stems from the fact that I have three pbass but two are much bigger than the third (maybe 6-7 inches) despite the fact that they are the same age and breed. the small one will only eat shrimp if he is forced by starvation, when I offer live food the two bigger pbass will eat everything before he even gets one (i've tried what the petstore calls 50 feeders). So unless I can find something that this small guy will fight for I may need to add a separator to the tank or even remove him.
 
ahh i see, i have a little runt in my group of pbass aswell, hes around 5-6" while the rest are at the 10-11" mark, i noticed this little guy wasnt getting as much food as the others, but i didnt give in and i just kept feeding as normal, eventually he got the balls to man up and hit the food with the big guys, dont worry bout it, just feed as normal and he'll come around, they wont starve themselves to death if foods around..
 
aren't mollies expensive? do they breed like rabbits? im in the same situation, tired of feeding them live food.
 
Eleven Bravo;2208570; said:
aren't mollies expensive? do they breed like rabbits? im in the same situation, tired of feeding them live food.

I have about 4 pairs of mollies and when i mean pair i mean 1 male and 2 females all different color and i also have a pair of swordtails and platts and yes they produce live fry about every 21 days. And takes about 2 months to get them at the size that i like to feed my pbass with.
 
Are there any free pacu or cichlids in your local area???

I get allot of adoptions.. I usually get 13-18" Pacu for free in the local adds.. Each fish has a good 1" thick steak sized slab on each side ;) I cube it and throw it in.. the larger fish should snatch it up till their full then you can throw in some free cichlids of 2-3" for the smaller one..

In our Area I look to the local breeders for culls and I usually have a good supply of people wanting to give me there 3-6" african culls..

You will also find that no pellet; nor frozen food, nor any goldfish, will amplify the colors of your cichla like a Cichlid feeder ;) As they are a little harder to catch and require more instinct. And the fish themselves house more color enhancing properties than can naturally be had any where else in MY OPINION ;)

Also check your local Grocer for Smelt ;) Usually runs great difference in price by the pound compared to Prawns. I get it between 1-2.00 per 2lbs here. on sale... Off sale is just over 2.00 for a pound which is 4.00 for two pouns and prawns at that weight are at least double in most cases ;)
 
Wow busy tonight!
 
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