Parachromis managuensis

[jwd]

Update:

So, yesterday during the day I tried feeding Cichlid gold sinking pellets. I cut the medium size 5mm in half and dropped them in. I also tossed in a couple mini floating pellets. They swam by both all day so I took those out and before I left for the day I dropped in a few sinking pellets.

I arrived to work today and the pellets were still there so I fished them out. It's been a week today since they've eaten anything. Since they've been in my care they've eaten blood worms twice (first two days).

1. I could keep this regiment going
2. I could feed bloodworms and go buy some shrimp at the market and keep up with the pellets.
3. Give them to Frank

Which should I do?

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

Would some non-cichlids be a good idea? Maybe make them feel more comfortable?

 

[jwd]

Would some non-cichlids be a good idea? Maybe make them feel more comfortable?

That's a good question and one that I wonder myself. They still hide more often than not. Options for dithers? Also, and I wish I would have thought about this when I ordered from Jeff, can I throw in a pleco? I would have ordered one of his beautiful blue phantom plecos!

I'd be worried that if this is a male/female group and they start to breed they'll kill the pleco and dithers. I can always take the dithers out because my lfs takes trade ins and give me 1/2 back on everything I bring in.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

I don't know if the pleco is going to do anything advantageous for your situation with the Jags not eating. Other people can chime in but some tetra variety for dithers/target fish? I've also heard of people using Mbuna but I hate the look of Africans with Americans.

 

[jwd]

I don't know if the pleco is going to do anything advantageous for your situation with the Jags not eating. Other people can chime in but some tetra variety for dithers/target fish? I've also heard of people using Mbuna but I hate the look of Africans with Americans.

Yeah, the pleco wouldn't help but I wonder since we're on the subject of adding something else to the mix. As for the dithers, since it would be temporary I wouldn't mind putting whatever works. Not going for aesthetics really because in the end I just the Jags to be happy and healthy. I'll take the dithers out.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

It's tough because nothing is really an exact science. I bought a 6-7" JD that just wouldn't eat for me for what seemed like months. I had him with a female, whom he killed, and with a flowerhorn whom with he fought all of the time. I tried putting him with some Vieja and Amphilophus in my 90, terrible idea he got beat up pretty badly pretty quickly. He then went back with the flowerhorn and they fought all the time again so I put him with two Oscars and all of a sudden he's a completely different fish. Begging for food and not scared at all. I hope it works out for you!

 

[jwd]

It's tough because nothing is really an exact science. I bought a 6-7" JD that just wouldn't eat for me for what seemed like months. I had him with a female, whom he killed, and with a flowerhorn whom with he fought all of the time. I tried putting him with some Vieja and Amphilophus in my 90, terrible idea he got beat up pretty badly pretty quickly. He then went back with the flowerhorn and they fought all the time again so I put him with two Oscars and all of a sudden he's a completely different fish. Begging for food and not scared at all. I hope it works out for you!

Thanks! I'll go to my lfs today and get something after I get some suggestions on species. I need to get that done sooner or later because when I leave at 5 today the dithers are on their own until the next morning. I want to be able to see how they work out together before I leave for the day.

 

[jwd]

Okay so I've been reading other threads on here and it seems like people have had luck with convicts. I've seen that a lot of people say to use giant danios (I don't have those available to me, I have zebras) and silver dollars. My lfs only has huge silver dollars and they're not cheap. I would be open to try convicts but I'd worry about them going after my Jags.

 

[DarylMac]

I've never known a fish to starve in an aquarium. My chocolate wouldn't accept pellets for close to two weeks when I brought it home; at least that I could tell.

I had other fish in the tank so I never fished out uneaten pellets - eventually something eats it.

Anyhow, back to the chocolate cichlids... like you I was concerned. However, I stuck to a strict diet of the pellets is use as a staple (NLS), and eventually the chocolate started eating them and only then did I start using the other foods I commonly use on occasion for treats; namely frozen blood worms, frozen brine/mysis shrimp and frozen tubifex worms.

If I were you I'd not feed anything for at least 2 or 3 days to start and then try dropping in a few pellets. If they aren't eaten within a few minutes fish them out and let the fish go hungry.

 

[jwd]

I'm a terrible parent I just caved and fed them. They almost ate the entire blood worm cube and they're swimming happily front in center of the aquarium basically mocking me.