Help with Jaguar Cichlid

[Zhen-Jou]

Hi, so I received my Jaguar Cichlid in the mail yesterday but it looks very skinny. Any tips to get it back to full health besides frequent small feedings, water changes and adding salt?

Its about 4 in and it's now swimming about in a 55g quarantine tank. Once healed it will go into my 125. Thanks in advance!

Some pics after acclimating:


Edit: it's already started eating hikari gold, carnisticks and bloodworms. How much should I feed him in one sitting and how frequently in a day?

 

[K626]

I'd just feed him. If he's eating well, he'll put on weight in no time.

 

[Zhen-Jou]

I'd just feed him. If he's eating well, he'll put on weight in no time.

Thanks K626 , it's now greedily accepting hikari gold and carni sticks which I am very glad for. How much should I feed it tho? Its like it's always hungry.

 

[HybridFinatic]

Hi, so I received my Jaguar Cichlid in the mail yesterday but it looks very skinny. Any tips to get it back to full health besides frequent small feedings, water changes and adding salt?

Its about 4 in and it's now swimming about in a 55g quarantine tank. Once healed it will go into my 125. Thanks in advance!

Some pics after acclimating:View attachment 1420555
View attachment 1420554

Edit: it's already started eating hikari gold, carnisticks and bloodworms. How much should I feed him in one sitting and how frequently in a day?

At his size you should feed him 2-3 times a day. Avoid overfeeding and only feed until his stomach is a little bit plump by the end of the day after all the feedings. So 2 medium sized feedings or 3 smaller sized feeding a day. That’d be based on your discretion. Keep the pellets as a staple and I wouldn’t feed bloodworms more than 1-2 times a week. As he grows you should lower feedings to 1-2 times a day, than once a day, every other day, and than full grown adult only needs single feedings several times a week.

 

[Zhen-Jou]

At his size you should feed him 2-3 times a day. Avoid overfeeding and only feed until his stomach is a little bit plump by the end of the day after all the feedings. So 2 medium sized feedings or 3 smaller sized feeding a day. That’d be based on your discretion. Keep the pellets as a staple and I wouldn’t feed bloodworms more than 1-2 times a week. As he grows you should lower feedings to 1-2 times a day, than once a day, every other day, and than full grown adult only needs single feedings several times a week.

Thanks! I threw in a cube of bloodworms yesterday to see if it'll eat and once it did I threw in some pellets as well which to my delight he ate them all. I'll definitely reduce the bloodworms from here on in and keep the hikari gold as it's staple diet.

 

[duanes]

Most responsible cichlid shippers starve fish for a few days before shipping so they don't foul the small amount of water in bags, with their own waste, so having them arrive thin is normal. As said above, regular feeding should bring it back.

 

[Zhen-Jou]

Most responsible cichlid shippers starve fish for a few days before shipping so they don't foul the small amount of water in bags, with their own waste, so having them arrive thin is normal. As said above, regular feeding should bring it back.

Hmm that would explain the lack of poop in its bag. As this is my first time purchasing online, I was worried about its condition when it first arrived. But it has since regained it's appetite and I'm looking forward to getting it back in shape again. Once again thanks for all the advice!

 

[Zhen-Jou]

So I guessed I'd give a little update on my little fella, it's been exactly 2 weeks since I got it and I've been really pleased with its progress, it even recognises me as its source of food now. It has filled up nicely and it's colours are getting better. I've put it in my 125 with 2 bichirs, 2 Raphael cats and a chocolate cichlid (which will be moved if the Jag starts harassing it).

It's still an "it" as I still think it's a bit too young to sex, I've been browsing the forum and find the general consensus is that jags are easier to sex once they reach 6-7 in, but if I were to guess now, I'd guess it's a "she" as I don't see any spots on its lower jaw. But it's probably still too early to tell anyway.

Anyway some crappy phone pics I took a minute ago

 

[Gourami Swami]

Coming along nicely! good work getting him fattened up.

 

[Galactik]

Looking good!