# Feeding Yellow Labs



## jschall (Apr 2, 2009)

My labs are 1.5-2". I've been feeding some TetraMin tropical flakes and some TetraCichlid mini pellets.

According to the "feeding mbuna" article (below), I'm should be feeding various vegetables.
My question is, how can a 1.5" fish eat peas, zucchini, carrots, spinach, or romaine lettuce? I somehow can't see them biting a chunk off.

What do you feed your small mbuna, and how do you prepare it?

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/feeding_mbuna.php


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## gaqua (Apr 11, 2008)

If you blanch zucchini a bit and rubber band it to a rock and drop it in the tank, they'll graze on it. They'll peck at it like birds would peck at one of those big bird feeders. It's really neat to watch.

Also, if you have any plecos they'll go after it like crazy.


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## khaki (Jan 12, 2008)

Just feed them New Life Spectrum and they WILL grow healthy as ever.


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## jschall (Apr 2, 2009)

Mmk, will try to find that.
Meanwhile, will keep feeding tropical flake.


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## jschall (Apr 2, 2009)

Nutrafin Max Cichlid food good?

Edit: Also, I've started crushing up some pleco tablets for them, since I gave the pleco to the LFS. They're spirulina, I think.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I don't know anything about Nutrafin, I order NLS Cichlid Formula online.

But you don't have to crush up the pleco wafers...they will play frisbee and keep-away with them, LOL.


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## 55gal (Jan 19, 2009)

jschall, wrote:
According to the "feeding mbuna" article (below), I'm should be feeding various vegetables. 
My question is, how can a 1.5" fish eat peas, zucchini, carrots, spinach, or romaine lettuce? I somehow can't see them biting a chunk off.

I just feed my Cichlids pellets which should be soaked for easy digestion, Tetra-Color granules and veggie wafers. They seam to be very happy and colorful.

You will find that if you feed them the food that you indicated above, the more vacuuming/cleaning/ water changes you will need to perform.

Enjoy!


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## jschall (Apr 2, 2009)

Ok, I'll keep doing what I've been doing but will pre-soak.
At least, until I run out of food.


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## jschall (Apr 2, 2009)

I would also note that when I called my LFS, I was told that new life spectrum is an "outdated food," and that there is better stuff available. Specifically nutrafin max.

What truth, if any, is there to this claim? Should I order new life spectrum?


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## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

I use NLS and my fish love it. No issues with it.


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## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

Oh, and by NLS being outdated he probably meant it isn't the latest and greatest food out there. Newer stuff must be better, huh? I personally prefer to go with what has worked well in the past for me and many others...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I think he just doesn't carry NLS, LOL. Nutrafin is one of the less expensive varieties, isn't it? If you don't want to go NLS, then try Dainichi. And with a quality food, pre-soaking is not necessary. (Used to be, years ago, with food that had low quality fillers.)


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

NLS is more expensive to LFS's so they all come up with dorky reasons why they don't carry it.. It's annoying. "Oh No, well that stuff blah blah blah but the stuff I have is the best, see, tetra flakes, best there is, blah blah blah..."

NLS is worth it! Try it, you'll understand within days.


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## Terrence23 (Oct 2, 2008)

lol NLS is outdated? It's fish food not the latest ipod.

NLS is a bit on the pricy side but one good tip I got was to buy NLS in bulk from an online dealer instead of the smaller jars. I recently saved over 60% buying a large bucket of NLS from Big Al's over what I was paying for smaller sizes at the local LFS. It should last me a year.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

If you take into account the higher risk of bloat and other illnesses caused by poor quality food, NLS is a bargain.


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## co2+o2 (Mar 22, 2006)

NLS cichlid and NLS grow are far and away the best foods I have ever fed my fish.

Worth any extra cost imo.


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## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

jschall said:


> I would also note that when I called my LFS, I was told that new life spectrum is an "outdated food," and that there is better stuff available. Specifically nutrafin max.
> 
> What truth, if any, is there to this claim? Should I order new life spectrum?


 :lol: New Life Spectrum is a great food, I'd choose it over Nutrafin hands down.


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## Kevin007 (Jul 20, 2008)

I feed mine Omegaone cichlid flakes and nutrafin spirilina flakes


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## jschall (Apr 2, 2009)

I threw a zucchini slice in there, the turtles shredded it pretty quick and the shredded bits sank and are sitting on the substrate with cichlids picking at them!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Make sure you remove the excess within 10 hours or less with your nitrate issues.


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