getting Firemouths on Pellets.

[zpetrichko]

I have 2 fire mouths in a 55. they have very poor color with almost 0 red in their stomach. I have tried giving them cichlid pellets but they however just spit them out. I have tried starving or just offering pellets and they just spit it out. The problem is that i have other fish in the tank and i don't want to starve them because they are being picky. any ideas? I have a 20 gallon set up but i don't think putting 2 firemouths in a 20 is a good idea.

 

[cichlidfish]

How big are the FMs and are you feeding them sinking pellets?

 

[sweeed]

What color is your substrate? If you have white substrate the fish will be much paler color. If you have black substrate the color should be there. I have two of them in with white substrate and both are pretty pale.

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

did you treat the firemouths for internal parasites when you had them in quarantine? really bad looking fish that spit out food may have an issue with some type of parasite

 

[thedarkone]

How big are your FMs and how big are the pellets. I might be that you are trying to feed them pellets that are too big for them to eat. If this is indeed the problem I have 3 suggestions.

1. buy smaller pellets they come in may different sizes. Baby, mini, small, medium, and large.

2. Crush the pellets up and let them eat them like a flake.

3. soak them in tank water 10-15 minutes before feeding, that way when they put them into their mouths they come apart and are easier to eat.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[DaveUK]

Are they the right Cichlid pellets? I tried some left over African Cichlid pellets (ran out of other food) for my Americans and they spat them right out, didnt like them at all

 

[xEchOx]

did you treat the firemouths for internal parasites when you had them in quarantine? really bad looking fish that spit out food may have an issue with some type of parasite

Hex.

 

[zpetrichko]

I didn't treat them however I've had them since November. One of the FM's eats the pellets fine the other just doesn't eat them. They are Hikari Mini pellets. its been better lately. The substrate is Sand but shouldn't they still have color? the lines on them are black but their stomache is still white.

 

[thedarkone]

The substrate is Sand but shouldn't they still have color?

I would say yes, but only because my substrate is plain old pool sand and my FM has a ton of color. His belly is a very vibrant orange.

 

[perfect_prefect]

Are they the right Cichlid pellets? I tried some left over African Cichlid pellets (ran out of other food) for my Americans and they spat them right out, didnt like them at all

holy shiznit batman, he has fish that can read, you need to get them on letterman.



its not that they didnt like them because they were Africans food, they didnt eat the more than likely because they are used to peas and you just fed them cauliflauer, they werent used to it.