New to P bass, got a few ???

[bOOsteN aUdI]

what do you suggest as feeders?

I would rather get feeders that I can breed cause the LFS closest to my house SUCKS and the next closest never takes care of the feeders they sale.

I have like 10 tanks ranging from 20L up to 75 gal. that is not in use and can be used for breeding feeders so I'm ok in that department.

if you ask me it is hard to raise feeders, they will never grow fast enough.. if you keep your water 87+ you shouldnt have any problem with the feeders. i would set up the smallest tank you have (20) feed them a quality food and then just feed them to your fish.... personally i like minnows, but ti depends on how big your cichla are

 

[pwmin]

i thought plant release oxygen? i know a few people that had full planted tanks and never had a problem

they start using oxygen at night. It's the only thing that was different between the two tanks I had them in, so that's my guess, but I could definitely be wrong.

 

[channarox]

juveniles really arent that hard to keep if you do things right.

-tank has to be cycled before adding fish
-water quality and filteration must be good, low nitrates if none at all, no nitrites and no ammonia
-your water temp must be 87+ degrees
- when small they must be fed everyday and must at least 6 inches before you try to starve them to get them off live food.. if they eat prepped foods at a smaller size and you dont need to starve them, then fine.
- you should attempt to vary their diet as best as possible
- keep up with your water changes

this is all i can really think of right now, please chime in if i forgot something

keep some salt in the tank.
no aggressive or overly active tankmates.

 

[titansfever83]

keep some salt in the tank.
no aggressive or overly active tankmates.

How much is some?

Like 1 tbsp per 5 gal or 10 gal or...............

 

[channarox]

How much is some?

Like 1 tbsp per 5 gal or 10 gal or...............

i do 1 teaspoon per 5g.

 

[High City Rida]

I use empsom salt from you local groccery store. This will help with digestion as well from all those feeders. You can get a few pregnant guppies and get started on the breeding project but in the mean time just get some and qt them for at least 72 hours. I don't qt at all but that's me. My little guy's just went through 300+ feeders in 3 weeks but I have an over eating Pike in with my little ones as well and had a few vistor cichla that are no longer with us. But get use to it this is the hard part about keeping small cichla Feeding them. I would try and work some other type foods in there as well just to get them acclimated to them in case there is no way to get feeders because sometime's that happens as well.

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

keep some salt in the tank.
no aggressive or overly active tankmates.

i agree with the tankmates but i highly disagree with adding salt in cichla tanks.. there are no traces of salt elements in soft water ecosystems.. salt cause cichla to stress so that they can produce slime coat.. i never used a drop in all 8 years of keeping cichla.. quite a few people will disagree keep your water temp 87+, water quality and filteration high and do lots of water changes and they will do fine and heal fine if damaged

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

i do 1 teaspoon per 5g.

this is the same amount i add for my hard water african cichlids.. hmmm

 

[High City Rida]

i agree with the tankmates but i highly disagree with adding salt in cichla tanks.. there are no traces of salt elements in soft water ecosystems.. salt cause cichla to stress so that they can produce slime coat.. i never used a drop in all 8 years of keeping cichla.. quite a few people will disagree keep your water temp 87+, water quality and filteration high and do lots of water changes and they will do fine and heal fine if damaged

I will back this statement bOOsten has alway's felt this way and it does work as well. And I do think stress can play a factor. But I will share a little bit of news in order to replicate Amazon water condition's it is needed.

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

so your saying there is salt in the amazon?