whats the best food for african cichlids?

Question

i have a 55 gallon aquariums w/ 6, 1 - 1.5", i was wondering whats the best food to feed them? when can i feed them guppys or goldfish?

i have a 55 gallon aquariums w/ 6, 1 - 1.5", i was wondering whats the best food to feed them? when can i feed them guppys or goldfish? my fish are assorted african cichlids

eva diane wut is ur yahoo id? maybe i can ask u a question on there alot quicker...than on this

Answer 1

I have African cichlids and they are vegetarian, the ones i have in the wild eat algae off the rocks where they live. I just feed them flake food and algae disks. What kind do you have? I have a huge book on these fish and can look up the type you have and tell you the food type for them. evaseifert is my yahoo id...

Answer 2

"Africans" comprise a huge assortment of fish including carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores, so if you want real advice, you should mention what types you have. Regardless of what types you have, a quality pellet is perfect. Go with the smallest pellet you can find, it's easier for them to digest - especially the herbivores. New Life Spectrum makes a really good pellet that comes in a nice, tiny size. The fish don't care if you feed them flakes or pellets, but pellets are neat and easy to dole out. A high quality pellet is all the diet most your fish really need - but don't let them go stale, they loose their vitamins over time. If you have more herbivorous types, like mbuna or tropheus, then spirulina flakes make a good supplement to go with the pellets and is extremely healthy for them as well as for omnivores. For herbivores and omnivores you can feed peas or wilted spinach on occasion if you wish, though it isn't necessary. Frozen (thawed) mysis or brine shrimp work well too, but go easy with it on the herbivores. For more larger and more carnivorous types you can supplement krill, shrimp, or small insects like crickets, and if you have a huge tank with the big piscavores, small fish and all sorts of invertebrates can be used. When it comes to the fish from lake Malawi and Tanganyika, avoid any types of worms, as their fatty texture can cause bloat. My mbuna tank gets a half n half diet of NLS pellets and HBH spirulina flakes, with the occasional mysis shrimp or frozen (thawed) pea supplement for fun. Depending on what kind of fish you have bought, some may take time to adjust before they brave coming out for food, while others will immediately begin chowing down. There's no harm in feeding them, but make sure you remove the food if they don't eat it, and then try again later (just small amounts).

Answer 3

The best food for them is a quality cichlid pellet like New Life Spectrum. Forget the feeder fish. Many types of African cichlids are herbivores and anyway if you feed them fish, you can introduce disease and parasites to your cichlids.

Answer 4

as other post stated there are ones who like the "meat and potatos" and one that are almost vegan. In most tanks you will have a mix of both. with my guys i like to use Omega One cichlid pellets, they have the best ingredients as per meat ( halibut,cod,krill, shrimp ect.. ) other fish foods have ingrediant like "fish meal" what is that anyway?? I also feed Omega One veggie flakes that contains kelp and spirulina algae. Both products contain omega fatty acids 3 and 6 which help to promote good immune systems for your fish. I will also feed shrimp pellets for treats, and will offer romaine lettuce for my herbivours. good luck

Answer 5

Cichlid pellets

Answer 6

Many African Cichlids are classified as vegetarians when the vast majority are omnivorous. The variety in the diet you supply for your fish will make or break its lifespan. Generally mbuna species rely 80% or more of their dietary intake to algal growth and plants. However do not mistake this for a vegetarian as their diets are in need of protein aswell.

However even if your fish appear to enjoy blood worms, livestock or any form of protein, I must urge you to understand that moderation is key. There exists a disease/ailment for fish which namely effects cichlids known as "Malawian bloat". This however is NOT specific to malawian cichlids. As a matter of fact, I would be so comfortable as to say, this is the #1 killer of cichlids in captivity.

In a nut shell, bloat is this.

Within the intestinal tract of your fish exists a myriad of bacterium. They are responsible for assisting the fish with its digestion process, these bacteria are existing in many forms of life, even higher vertebrates such as mammals, for a specific example? Cows have similar bacterium within their stomachs (plural) to digest grass that they eat in order to produce efficient amounts of milk.

If we change the diet of the animal, and leave the bacterium in them, their bodies expect that they are improperly digesting the foods they eat, the bacteria which is generally responsible for breaking down vegetation under the instance of excessive protein based foods will begin to reproduce out of control to make up for the lost digestion of vegetation... regardless that the fish hasnt eaten any.... This causes the bacteria to grow wildly out of control, to the point it will bore holes through the intestinal walls of your fish. This gives the appearance of severe abdominal swelling, and is generally known as "Malawian Bloat".

If you care to peek into this disease you'll realize I'm not making it up, variety is paramount for your fishes health. Here is an example of how I feed my Labidochromis Careleus.

Monday - Spirulina flakes, 4 Cichlid pellets
Tuesday - Tropical Flakes, 2 Cichlid Pellets, 2 Shrimp Pellets.
Wedsnesday - Spirulina Flakes - 4 Cichlid Pellets
Thursday - Tropical Flakes - 2 Cichlid Pellets, 2 Shrimp Pellets
Friday - Spirulina flakes - 4 Cichlid Pellets
Saturday - Tropical flakes - 4 Cichlid Pellets
Sunday - Protein day! Blood worms (frozen), Shrimp Pellets (dried), Brine Shrimp (Frozen)

I also keep Water Wysteria in their tank for vegetation to nibble on as they see fit.

My protein will switch around also from blood worms and brine shrimp to gumarrus and krill. As mentioned though many cichlids have different dietary habbits. But understand when I tell you, even the most vulgar piscivoire needs adequate vegetation staple in his/her diet.

Be specific in your search for a suggested diet for your fish... each species is different even though they all have relatively the same needs.

Last.. Here's a good link to inform you about Malawian Bloat
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/malawi_bloat.php

Answer 7

I've kept many types of cichlids and i find that most of them just love frozen bloodworms...