What do you guys do for your cichilds?

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R

Rickargentea

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 21, 2012
28
0
1
Mexico City
I started a thread a few days ago asking you guy your feeding routine, how and what do you use. I would like to start a new thread asking not only about feeding routines, but overall, what routine you guys have with your cichilds. Feeding, water changes etc. etc.… Do you guys have a “secret weapon” for your fish? Do you add water conditioner when doing water changes, do you guys add salt? The question here is: what you guys do to keep your cichilds in the best condition they could possibly be (talking about size, color and health).
Thanks.

Ricardo
 
The great news is, there really aren't any secrets. Use clean live food like worms and crickets, high quality pellet and frozen foods, keep your light on a timer to control day periods, give them caves to feel safe in, keep the nitrates low and 0 ammonia, 0 nitrItes, make sure the hardness doesn't crash and the water doesn't get too soft, avoid stressors like bad food, banging, noise, and they mostly take care of themselves. If you have wild cichlids you can try to copy their native waters, but stability is usually better than altering things and having the water change over time. They are among the easier animals to keep, barring aggression and parasites, etc. Always quarantine, use dividers to stop fights if necessary...and enjoy!
 
I do weekly 25% water changes. I rarely add salt. My tank has a lot of driftwood and plants. Some flower pots too for spawning. I have hrps, marbled cons, salvinis, angels and some dither tetras. They keep to themselves most of the time. There would be occasional chases but nothin too serious. They seem to like the light too cause they always hang out near the light.


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I have a fishroom of about 50 tanks of mostly new world cichlids and try to do weekly 30-70% water changes (or more frequent on heavily stocked ones). I use tap water for all of my tanks and add Indian Almond Leaves to the blackwater tanks. Otherwise, straight MoCo, MD tap.

Most of my tanks have a box and a sponge filter (powered by air). I change boxes at least once per month and squeeze out sponges and Poret (which I use as dividers in some tanks) as needed.

I feed a NLS, Xtreme or Kensfish pellets in the morning before work and usually after work for adult fish and Kensfish flake or Golden Pearls (fry food) for smaller ones and babies.

A couple of days per week, instead of prepared food, I feed live red wiggler worms (that I culture) to the fish that can handle high protein food.

Except for fry, I try not to feed at all at least 1 day per week. Sometimes 2 or 3 when I travel on business. Believe me that it does them good to not eat constantly.

Almost all of my tanks are the temp of my fishroom (72-80 in the summer, 66-75 or so in the winter).

The best thing you can do for your fish cichlids is to change lots of water, keep your mechanical filter media clean (change fluff in boxes or clean sponges in canisters or HOBs frequently) and feed a high quality prepared food regularly...and to skip a day or two per week of feeding for most fish.

Matt
 
Thank you, Dogofwar and Japbart for responding. This is exactly what I was looking for. People sharing how they take care of their cichilds. I would really like to see some pictures of your cichilds japbart and some pictures of your fish room, Dogofwar.
As for me, I do 2 or 3 Water changes a week of 25% to 30%. feed them a mix of Sera Tubifex, azoo 9 in 1 pellets,Tetra color, NLS Cichild formula and tetra spirulina flakes altogether.. As for live food, I feed them Artemia (Brine shrimp) and Daphnia. Feed them once a day. I feed them “the mix” on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Live food, Thursday and Sunday. I don’t feed them on Mondays. That’s my feeding routine.
I have some volcanic rocks in the tank, as well as some fake plants, Mangle and a couple flower pots as decoration. Nothing fancy.
Knifegill, thank you for all the information you provided, will definitely come in handy.. If you could also post some pics of your cichilds, that would be great.
Thank you!
 
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