# RED ZEBRA feeding... help!



## ThatSoundsFishy (May 27, 2009)

I have a very young Red Zebra. I was told to supplement its diet with bloodworms, in addition to its normal tropical fish flakes. Now I am hearing that bloodworms are actually harmful for this species because it may cause disease or even death. I am pretty new to the hobby so I don't know what to believe. HELP!


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## Timkat4867 (Jan 11, 2008)

Welcome to Cichlid forum.

Blood worms are not recommended to be fed to red zebras due to the high fat content which can be harmful. red zebras diet consists mainly of plant matter, and do best on spirulina based foods, (pellets, or flakes). One brand of food that many on this site feed thier red zebras and that is widely available would be "New life spectrum".

Being new to this hobby at times can be confusing but it is also very rewarding. Along with the helpful people on this site,Take some time to read the articles in the library section on feeding malawi cichlids.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Timkat4867 and I must have been typing at the same time. :thumb:

Red Zebra is Metriaclima Estherae, a Lake Malawi mbuna. You will see from the profile it is an omnivore. However, people have better success feeding mbuna an herbivore diet than a carnivore diet. :thumb:

Bloodworms have been suggested as a problem food for mbuna, so why take a chance? Look for something with low protein coming from a high quality source like krill or other aquatic protein, spirulina algae and not too heavy on the fillers.

I feed New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula, only 34% protein. I have to order it online, so I just wait until my online fish supply vendors have free shipping and then order several jars along with my filter media or whatever I need about every 6 months.


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## Timkat4867 (Jan 11, 2008)

I knew someone else had to be typing too. It happens to me all the time. :thumb:


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## ThatSoundsFishy (May 27, 2009)

Thank you for your help. I am so happy that I decided to have an aquarium, definitely one of the best things I have ever invested money into. I'm absolutely addicted and can't wait to add more fish!


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## Timkat4867 (Jan 11, 2008)

We are all glad to help you.

You think your addicted now,

Id bet that before long, not only will you be happy you made the decision to get an aquarium full of malawis, but youll feel the desire to have more and more tanks with different setups.

What size is your tank,(length x width x height) and how many more fish do you have? If any?

I am a big fan of the Red Zebra.


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## ThatSoundsFishy (May 27, 2009)

Yeah, my addiction definitely keeps getting stronger, haha.

My tank is a 30 Gal, approx. 19"H X 24"L X 12"D

I have 3 african cichlids in there right now but I'm not too sure what species the other 2 may be. I am just about positive that one of them is a Red Zebra.

I will be posting pictures of all 3 within the next week or so. I'm going to need some help in identifying these guys, since like I've said, I'm pretty new to the game.

I do have a few more fish in there and they seem to do fine with the cichlids, other than the usual "get out of my spot" chase. 2 Balloon Mollies, a Dalmation Molly, 3 Tiger Barbs, and a catfish that I forgot what he looks like because he never comes out of his little house.


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## Dakuan (Apr 16, 2009)

ThatSoundsFishy said:


> Yeah, my addiction definitely keeps getting stronger, haha.
> 2 Balloon Mollies, a Dalmation Molly


those mollies are already dead!

First time i got malawi's from a misinformed LFS my mollies got eaten in just 1 week :lol:


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## Timkat4867 (Jan 11, 2008)

Its great that your fish are doing well, but Im afraid that your tank that you house them in is too small for malawi cichilds. As your fish get older, they will get more aggressive, and the usual "get out of my spot" chase will usually end up in death, especially if you have other fish like mollies and barbs which shouldnt be in the same tank with malawis.

Before You go any further, figure out what do you want to keep, african cichlids or mollies or barbs. If you want the africans, I would look into getting rid of the mollies and barbs and I would look into investing into getting a larger tank. The minimum size that could safely house malawi mbunas like red zebras would be a 55 gallon, which measures somewhere in the ballpark of 48" long x 12" deep x 18" high with lots of piles of rocks as these serve as hiding places which replicates the natural environment in which they live.

As you said your africans are quite young, but you wont have much time until they start to cause problems in such a small tank.


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## ThatSoundsFishy (May 27, 2009)

Yeah, as I'm doing more research, I realized that I have made some mistakes. I guess I'll learn eventually. It sucks because I really enjoy watching my cichlids, they are by far my favorite fish in the tank and the first ones I got. So, I am kind of attached. Hopefully I can get my hands on a larger tank before it is too late.

Just for future reference, and in case I can't get a larger tank, are there any interesting cichlids out there that can be housed in a tank of my size?


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## Timkat4867 (Jan 11, 2008)

Dont be discouraged, I made mistakes when I first got my africans.

Look around, you might be able to find a great deal on a used 55 gallon.

If you cant get a larger tank, there are some cichlids that may work well in your size tank. Some of the Tanganyikan Shell dwelling cichlids are very interesting. I dont have any experience with them personally, but many on this site do keep small tanks with them.

Click on the "Library" tab at the top and go to the "quick reference" section. You will find information on what cichlids will work with your tank and many other sizes, called "cookie cutter" setups. Also, take a look at the Tanganyikan section of this forum, and do a search on 29 gallon setups, You might find a post which will help you.

Hope this helps.


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## smidey (Mar 15, 2007)

I believe that a balanced diet is beneficial. I feed a range of foods made for africans (JBL & Sera products) along with occasional (once a week) blood worms, shelled garden peas, sushi wrap & cucumber. I have fed these foods for over two years & never had a case of bloat & my fish are very healthy, grow fast as young & breed far more fish than i can sell in my area. 
i have read information about the lakes that say that the fish's diets change throughout the year depending on what is available to eat at that time. these foods can range from algae & plant matter to mozquito larvae & fry. From what i have read & other factors i have chosen to feed a range of foods & have had excellent results so i will continue to do so.


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## ThatSoundsFishy (May 27, 2009)

Not discouraged by any means. I knew I would mess up here and there, but that's how I'm going to learn and make each tank after this one better than the last. I really appreciate all the help.

smidey - thanks for the info as well.

Another question... My Red Zebra is definitely the largest out of my 3 african's and he/she (I have no idea what gender) is only about 1-1/2" at the most. How long do I have before things start to get completely out of hand?


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## Timkat4867 (Jan 11, 2008)

*** never had them in that size tank, so I cannot pinpoint a time. but I would say at 1 1/2 inches they should be starting to establish territories, if not already have. One cichlid will become dominant, and kill the rest. If you had a bigger tank, it might have bought you some time.
With such a small tank, the time is reduced.


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## ThatSoundsFishy (May 27, 2009)

:/ ****. Yeah, the Red Zebra is the dominant one in the tank and has definitely claimed his/her territory. Guess I'll start trying to find them a new home. Thanks again.


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## Randy_G (Nov 3, 2003)

I think that your tank is a bit small, I had a 36" 55 gal, and it was just big enough for 1 cobalt blue, and 1 red zebra. There were also some peacocks, and a yellow lab in there as well.

With the food, it's okay to give them a bit of protein. I used to give my cichlids bloodworms on occasion, and they loved it.

I disagree with the opinion to get rid of the tiger barbs. They are great to use as dither fish, and can help deflect the aggression of the cichlids. The barbs are quick, and can get into cover very fast when chased. When I put in the barbs, I noticed that aggression in my tank decreased. They also like to hang out in the middle/top of the water column, and helped balance out the tank. My cichlids preferred to hang out at the bottom of the tank sifting/digging in the the sand.


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## ThatSoundsFishy (May 27, 2009)

Yeah, parting ways with my Red Zebra is pretty much inevitable at this point, unfortunately. I really need to identify my 2 other cichlids so I can make a decision on them as well. They don't seem as aggressive as my zebra so hopefully I can keep them, but we'll see what happens.

In regards to the tiger barbs, that does make sense. I also noticed that overall agression decreased when I put them in my tank. They're quicker and more agile than my zebra so he/she can never quite get the upper hand. And I also noticed that when the Red Zebra is swimming towards the group of 3 tiger barbs, it kind of thinks twice about chasing them, I'm guessing because it sees that it is out-numbered.


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## Randy_G (Nov 3, 2003)

The dominant fish in the tank, was my cobalt blue. He used to cruise the bottom of the tank, and dig. Once he had his spot the way he wanted, he'd just hang out. When the two male peacocks would start to get a little rambunctious, the cobalt would come out, and sort them out. :lol: It was fun to watch him being the tank cop. :lol:


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