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Post by sdboers on Oct 1, 2014 9:56:26 GMT -5
G'day, With a 135g overstocked cichlid tank - I find I go through a fair bit of food. Before I restock, I wouldn't mind finding out what others feed their cichlids. I currently buy several types of food and pre-mix it, so every feeding is a mix. This is what I feed at the moment:
I'm finding I don't like the flakes - so a suitable pellet replacement may be in order. They break up too much in the water and float around uneaten. This simply contributes to my bioload and nitrate production without ever passing through a fish first...
Sean.
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Post by devonjohnsgard on Oct 1, 2014 18:12:04 GMT -5
Hikari, Aqua Master, or Paradigm are my suggestions
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Post by angelminx on Oct 1, 2014 18:31:17 GMT -5
I don't know about Africans, but when I had an Oscar (after she reached adult size) I would either buy (from "bait shops") or go out at night and catch Night Crawlers, and buy crickets (from the pet store), and occasionally catch other insects, to feed as a treat. I know it also depends on the species' food preference, but I have heard that you shouldn't feed earthworms to Africans. Do you know anything about this Carl?
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Post by Carl on Oct 2, 2014 11:56:35 GMT -5
A Spirulina based fish food flake is always a good part of any fish food regimen, even if used to gut load food to be fed to predators. However the "Cobalt Aquatics Spirulina Flakes Premium Fish Food" is not a true Spirulina based food, as this ingredient is too far down the list of ingredients. Many fish food companies will do this, they will take the same basic formula, then add a little Spirulina and then presto, they suddenly have a Spirulina Flake. IMHO, this is deceptive. Here is a list of the above fish foods ingredients: SALMON FISH MEAL, WHEAT FLOUR, SOY FLOUR, BREWERS YEAST, CORN STARCH, DRIED SPIRULINA ALGAE, FREEZE DRIED PLANKTON, FREEZE DRIED KRILL, DRIED KELP, FISH OIL, LECITHIN, GARLIC POWDER, EARTHWORM POWDER, VITAMIN A ACETATE, VITAMIN D-3 SUPPLEMENT, BIOTIN, DRIED BRINE SHRIMP, L-ASCORBYL-2-POLYPHOSPHATE (SOURCE OF STABILIZED VITAMIN C), BETA-GLUCAN, SPRAY DRIED EGG, GARLIC POWDER, CALCIUM CARBONATE, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, D1 CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, NIACIN, D-BIOTIN, RIBOFLAVIN, THIAMINE MONOITRATE, MENADIONE SUSIUM BISULFITE COMPLEX, PURIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, FOLIC ACID, DRIED BACILLUS SUBTILIS FERMENTATION PRODUCT, DRIED BACILLUS LICHENIFORMIS FERMENTATION PRODUCT, METHIONINE, NATURAL COLORINGRecommended further reading (including recommended foods) www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Quality_Fish_Food.htmlwww.americanaquariumproducts.com/SpirulinaAlgae.htmlCarl |
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Post by sdboers on Oct 2, 2014 12:31:06 GMT -5
Thank you for that information - I hadn't looked that closely into it yet. Deceptive is an understatement.  Their Pellets are the same... SALMON FISH MEAL, WHEAT FLOUR, SOY FLOUR, BREWERS YEAST, CORN STARCH, DRIED SPIRULINA ALGAE, FREEZE DRIED PLANKTON, FREEZE DRIED KRILL, DRIED KELP, FISH OIL, LECITHIN, GARLIC POWDER, EARTHWORM POWDER, VITAMIN A ACETATE, VITAMIN D-3 SUPPLEMENT, BIOTIN, DRIED BRINE SHRIMP, L-ASCORBYL-2-POLYPHOSPHATE (SOURCE OF STABILIZED VITAMIN C), BETA-GLUCAN, SPRAY DRIED EGG, GARLIC POWDER, CALCIUM CARBONATE, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, D1 CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, NIACIN, D-BIOTIN, RIBOFLAVIN, THIAMINE MONOITRATE, MENADIONE SUSIUM BISULFITE COMPLEX, PURIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, FOLIC ACID, DRIED BACILLUS SUBTILIS FERMENTATION PRODUCT, DRIED BACILLUS LICHENIFORMIS FERMENTATION PRODUCT, METHIONINE, NATURAL COLORING Quite disappointing... Buyer beware! Sean. |
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Post by Carl on Oct 2, 2014 15:40:21 GMT -5
So true!!  Carl |
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Post by Ameenah on Oct 3, 2014 21:45:44 GMT -5
I have my cichlids on nothing but AquaMaster Cichlid Pellet Food I feed them twice a day (via Eheim Everyday Automatic Feeders since 9-2014) and my cichlids "gobble it up" so I am pretty sure they love this food too. It is top quality ingredients specially mixed into pellets even my 2-inch babies are able to eat. I purchase the 2 kilo size bags from AAP for a very reasonable price. Please visit my Big Tank Blog and SEE the videos of my cichlids - overstocked??? Nope!!! Not with my filtration systems. |
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kevin
Full Member
Posts: 121 
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Post by kevin on Oct 9, 2014 19:00:15 GMT -5
Hey Sean,
I have a west african river cichlid (zebra tilapia) that I had been overfeeding with frozen cubes- mainly because he would still eat it up in 5 min. He's a big fish (approx 12" and fairly old) so good appetite. Having a bioload issue- high nitrates etc because of a lot of waste, I have since switched to Paradigm Carnivore from AAP. I use a lot less food, which provides yet more nutrients than he was getting before, but producing even less waste.
He goes for it too. Soak in a little water first to purge air and drop in. He eats mid drop and from bottom.
There's a thread with several pages of nutritional content that may help you see specific blend and ingredient content. Kind of echos what Carl said on the actual food benefits.
You can find it under "General Discussions" and the thread is called "Fish Food". See member clayn
Hope that helps.
Kevin
See "Fish Food" under General Discussions
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