How can I maximize growth of my peacock fry

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T

talal101

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 29, 2011
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alberta
Hi,
I recently bought 18 peacock cichlid fry (about 1-2") for my 65g and have had them for close to 2 weeks now. Only one of them which is just over 2" has just a slight yellow coloring starting to come out on his anal fin and all the others are still the same juvie colors.
I'm currently feeding them NLS grow, color enhancing flake food and frozen blood worms as well as doing 5-10% W/C every week. Is there anything else I can feed them to help them grow faster and show colors sooner? How long should it take them to be fully colored up? And how long till they are fully grown? Assuming they are growing under good conditions which they are of course lol.
Thanks
 
More water changes, different substrate and deco, lighting all contribute to color
 
Did you cycle the tank before hand or was this an established tank? What are you water parameters? I know of some people that do large daily water changes in grow out tanks to help them grow quicker, as water quality (not to be confused with clarity) in my option is more important than what brand of food you feed them.
 
The tank was cycled for a good 2.5 months before I put them in and all the parameters are good. I might start doing 5-10% twice a week. And I agree water quality is very important but so is food. I can feed cheap crappy food and do water changes everyday and nothing will happen. So I think they go hand in hand. Maybe all I should do is do W/C more often?
 
First of all NO MORE BLOODWORMS ... bloodworms are bad mmmmmkay... African Cichlids have a long narrow digestive tract, and the bloodworms can get stuck causing a bacterial infection that can lead to bloat and death, which is not good.

Since they are small, a flake is best for them, I suggest Spirulina, it has enough proteins and plant matter for a stable diet, throwing in some frozen/live, mysis or brine shrimp a couple times a week could help too. I was goin to suggest water changes as well but you got that covered I see... I have 4 baby peacocks, this was the diet I gave them and they grew a whole inch in about 45-60 days.

The rest is just patience... think of them as children, you can feed them all you want, but theres nothing that will speed up growth faster than nature will let them... there's average, then theres optimal... were shooting for optimal. It is the best we can do.

Cant wait to see what you got:popcorn:
 
wow i had no clue that blood worms were so dangerous lol. im for sure gonna stop feeding blood worms and start feeding bs and mysis. and wow it took 2 months to get an inch....thats so dissapointing but its still good i guess. and yeah i agree they are like children you have to give them patience. thanks i will post pics as soon as they are colored up...posting now would be quite boring lol but i assume i wont be posting until christmas lol
 
Continue feeding NLS grow. Add 1mm pellets if they're over 1" in length. Start changing 50% a week for water changes. Consider using purigen as well, I swear that it helps the whole group put on size.
 
some are still under 1" and some are over so i will keep feeding until they are all over 1". then move on to the bigger pellet and what is purigen? i have never heard of it.
 
water changes, water changes, water changes. Oh yeah good food, I like nls the grow formula
 
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