# Best FOOD for peacocks and 1 yellow lab



## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

what brand of food is best for peacocks?

does my yellow lab need different kind of food? mbunas are top grazers right? and peacocks bottom?

thanks


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

mbunas aren't top grazers

a browse of the profile pages will let you know what your fish prefer.


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## Sub-Mariner (Dec 7, 2011)

Just feed them all NLS 1mm cichlid pellets.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

so all mbuna are top grazer and like rocks/driftwood.

peacocks are bottom grazers? like more open space but enjoy rock/driftwood scenary.
do peacocks swim at the bottom of the tank mostly?

do i need 2 different foods? one that floats, one that sinks?


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## heaya (Oct 18, 2011)

I think you might have some confusion. Mbuna are usually on the herbivore diet, they don't need high protein, it can lead to bloat.

Most my fish rush to the top of the tank when it's feeding time. Definitely the case with the malawi tank, I feed a higher protein diet to the remaining peacock, I use a pellet that is too big for my largest lab, he gets a smaller pellet.

My convict only tank, the babies do, but the main male is a wuss and waits until I walk away most of the time, so he gladly accepts food that falls to the bottom.

So, the point - floating/sinking, the fish will adapt. I use both right now just because my peacock is greedy and if I throw something towards the top, he'll dart for that, and usually that means he's not eating up the sinking food.

What's best and all of that comes down to personal preference, the results you see in your fish. 
You can check out the reviews section, but do look at the profiles for your specific fish.


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## Sub-Mariner (Dec 7, 2011)

Soup3777 said:


> do i need 2 different foods? one that floats, one that sinks?


No you dont. My Peacocks / Haps / Mbunas will come up to the top and eat the food until it starts to sink then they will all eat the pellets that land on top of the sand.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

okay cool 1 type of food!!!!!!!!

im going to go very high quality because this will bring out their colors!

love this forum


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

well i have 5 peacocks and 3 mbunas in my 55 gallon.

peacocks like protein thinking NLS has alot of protein

but mbuna are more veggie eaters... should i get diffferent foods for them?

how would mbuna no which pellets their suppose to eat..
should i get smaller pellets for the mbuna?

i dont want them to get sick by eating the peacocks food that may have to much protein for them?


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## theboothsociety (Jan 3, 2012)

I just got NLS and the fish love it. Like that they are sinking pellets too for those who dont come to the top. A variety cant hurt but is not necessary. If you dont feed you fish for a few days, they will eat anything you throw in there.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

NLS does not have a lot of protein...it is actually one of the lowest protein foods available...try comparing among the foods. It's great for both mbuna and peacocks which is lucky because fish DON'T know which pellet to eat...they will eat it all.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

FYI the cichlid formula has 34% protein and 'Thera A' (more generic freshwater) has 41%. Ingredient lists basically identical, Thera A has more garlic. I've bought both, have no opinion presently on which is better.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

K im buying 5 pounds of NLS.

1mm pellets

my guys are all small, 1 medium size. when should i upgrade thier pellet size from 1 mm?


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

DJR answered in another thread that he still feeds everything 1mm - might not NEED to upgrade it's personal choice. They'll eat the small stuff.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

And I would not recommend five pounds for a single tank. It will take two years or more to use...I'd rather buy fresh every six months or more often.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

do you buy the 600grams DJ at a time? and how long will that last 8 cichlids per say?

what other food if any should i supplement with NLS, ex.. veggies, or is it even necessary as NLS seems almost complete.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

does buy fresh make a huge difference? i never see an experation date on fish food. I'm only asking because the 2300g is like 50 bucks and the 600g is 25$.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

They do have expiration dates. I guess you can freeze the main bit and defrost 1 month's worth at a time if you want to go big. I'll probably do this in the future, especially since I can't easily re-order at will.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

i wonder if freezing can ruin the food or devalue its nutrition...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Not any more than human food, which is proven to retain it's nutrition if properly frozen. :thumb:

People that dive Lake Malawi with Ad Konings every year and import fish keep it in the freezer...good way to ensure no bugs, they say. :lol:


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

dj are u like the king of cichlids.

can u send me you tank list with pics. im curious what you have 

i will buy the 5 lb since its wayy cheaper and freeze it.


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## repeter (Dec 11, 2011)

Hey DJ, can't you just put them in containers of your own and freeze them? Alot of people I know do that. It just has to be air tight and water proof. That's what makes the fish food go off right?


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## repeter (Dec 11, 2011)

Never mind my post before haha. Didn't see the 2nd page.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Well most human food you don't want to freeze for more than 6 months. So I like to buy only what I will use during that period.

I keep mine in the original bucket in the freezer, and put some in 3 NLS jars saved from the one-tank days. I keep one jar at a time out, and the rest stays in the freezer.


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## ndblaikie (Oct 12, 2011)

I bought 2x 600g for my 180g tank and am feeding once a day. I still have some left, so probably last quite a long time with only 8.

Add some Romaine lettuce, peas and carrots. My fish love them!

Very occasional treat of bloodworms as well..cannot give too much as it causes problems if you over feed it.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

guess ill stick with the 600g (last 6 months) i will freeze that.

i dont no how good 2 year old frozen will be for my cichlids.

gotta feed them the best to get there full potential of colors, worth the extra money to me.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

I am hearing alot about hikari cichlid formula.

which do you think is better the New life spectrum or hikari brand?

i plan on using one pellet only as main food source and giving them veggies here and there


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

Soup3777 said:


> I am hearing alot about hikari cichlid formula.
> 
> which do you think is better the New life spectrum or hikari brand?


You will find a zillion opinions on that question with very little useful info provided to 'back up the claims'.

In my personal opinion, New Life Spectrum has given me far superior results as compared to what I expect from a fish food. Good color, growth, spawning, eagerly eaten and little fish waste produced. 
:thumb:


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

seems most pros here use NLS


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

how often do you guys feed your cichlids NLS?

i read that more smaller feedings can tame aggression.

i have an auto enihem feeder, was thinking 3 times a day?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

1X daily and I fast at least one day a week.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> 1X daily and I fast at least one day a week.


+1


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

*** been reading alot to feed them 2-3 times a day.

this will tame aggression. how come u guys only feed 1x a day and fast?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The biggest killer of aquarium fish and the biggest cause of water pollution and pest infestation is overfeeding. I'll bet you are reading that on the fish food container. :wink:

If you took the amount I feed over a week (6 feedings) and divide that same amount into 21 feedings and not one pellet more, that would be fine. Most people can't feed such a small amount. :thumb:

I have never seen a change in aggression due to feeding. When I leave the fish for a week unfed (on vacation for example) there are no more tattered fins or missing scales when I come back than when I left. Just a theory some adhere to.

Newly spit fry need multiple daily feedings. Once the fish are one inch (including tail) this is no longer necessary.


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## Soup3777 (Jan 28, 2012)

k i will stick to feeding once a day.

because if i do smaller feedings some of the fish may not get the food as the greedy fish eat alot of the food when it first hits the water.

is there a chart by size of fish/numbers how many 1mm NLS pellets i should feed daily? I havent recieved my NLS in the mail yet, but i want to be prepared once it arrives.


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## Sub-Mariner (Dec 7, 2011)

Just feed enough so the pellets are eaten within :30-1:00 after hitting the water. *** read before that their stomachs are the size of their eyeballs so that should give you some type of reference on how much to feed them.


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## repeter (Dec 11, 2011)

DanniGirl said:


> DJRansome said:
> 
> 
> > 1X daily and I fast at least one day a week.
> ...


+2


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## repeter (Dec 11, 2011)

Sub-Mariner said:


> Just feed enough so the pellets are eaten within :30-1:00 after hitting the water. I've read before that their stomachs are the size of their eyeballs so that should give you some type of reference on how much to feed them.


Gimme the article you read that from!!! I am interested to confirm that haha


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I know I have passed along the stomach versus eyeball thing. Don't remember a particular article...but it's around in books, internet and fish keepers.


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