# Frontosa Diet & Feeding Habits



## Brucers1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Hello Everyone,

I've got a few Frontosas and I'm upgrading to 5x2x2 tank this week, but I had a few questions about their diet.

At the moment, I feed frozen Brine Shrimp with Garlic, Frozen Blood worms, and Tetra Prima high protein pellets for Discus.

They seem to love the Brine shrimp and Bloodworms, although 1 cube is too much for them (I have 13 Fronts at 2 inch) I end up scooping some out. But even if I dont feed all day they dont eat the pellet food as much, nibble on it, then leave the rest, I only throw in about about 10 pellets. (small) but then scoop about 5 out. I would ideally want to base their diet around dry food.

So any ideas on how I can start to do this?

At the moment, I feed small amount of pellets in the morning, then a cube of either brine shrimp or bloodworms in the Night.

Thank you all.

PS The new tank has a sump built in, would I need an external filter too?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Anytime when switching food, hunger is your best ally. If your fish aren't ravenous, they're not going to accept less tasty food.

My experience with Tetra products is that they are not made from high quality ingredients. I can't find an ingredient list for Tetra Prima (I take it you are in Birmingham, UK... not Alabama :wink: ). So, perhaps Tetra makes a better product in Europe. When choosing fish food, I look for protein sources that are from water, not land. Wheat, corn, bone meal, beef's blood, etc... are ingredients I avoid. I want to see whole fish, krill, spirulina, fish meal, etc. I see from another thread that you were looking at NLS... that would be a good choice for your fronts as well.

So- getting them to eat a pellet is just going to take choosing a good pellet, and then letting them get hungry enough to eat it. Don't feed anything for three days, then give them just a few pellets. The next day, give a few more pellets. Once hungry enough, they'll take what they are offered (usually). Some fish are stubborn, though, but know that they can go for weeks without food with no harm.

As far as filtration goes... I always have two filters running on every tank. The secondary could be a simple sponge filter, or a power head with a prefilter... it doesn't need to be an external filter.

Increased surface agitation, increased water circulation, and having the back up in case one filter fails are all very good reasons to have a second filter.


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## Brucers1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Are the Frozen brine shrimp and bloodoworms ok to feed also? Maybe 3 to 4 times a week?


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## Brucers1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Will the sump suffice as filtration?

I have a Malawi tank with 2 ext filters so if anything were to fail I'd have a back up option.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

I wouldn't feed either of those frozen treats... but if you want to use them up, once a week is probably best when their growth rate slows down. To get them to eat a new food though, you'll need to not feed treats for a few weeks.

I don't know the details of your sump (flow rate, biomedia, etc). But I'd say no- one filter is not sufficient. The problem with having a back up on a separate tank is that it seems that filter failures usually happen when we're not home... and happen at especially bad times-weekends or holidays. If you want a more technical answer, then look to filter your entire volume 6-10 times an hour. So, for a 150 gallon tank, you need 900-1500 gallons per hour total filtration. Add to that the need for sufficient surface agitation (often achieved with a spray bar) and water movement in far corners (avoiding dead zones).


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## Bertz (Dec 7, 2011)

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=252045

Check out the link above, Great tips on feeding, Mysis shrimp excellent food for fronts.
I also use Hikari carnivore sinking pellets, They have done well for my fronts for 14 yrs.

Bloodworms long term you risk hole in the head with fronts, If your not careful.

Take it from someone who no's first hand, 13 fronts in your size tank will not work long term.
Sorry for the bad news, I had 17 fry and 2 adults in a 120 4x2x2 and i had to find home's for 14 of the fry when they reached around 1.5 - 2 inches.

My opinion would be grow them for a bit longer try and "Try" figuring out which ones are the dominant males usually their the biggest fastest growing, choose 2 of them and pray you can pick out another 4 females at this size its hit or miss on getting it right.

triscuit gives you great advice on filtration.

Good luck.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

I no longer feed pellets. I feed 100% frozen mysis & frozen plankton. They get the protein they need, your nitrate levels will dramatically decrease (it takes almost three weeks for my nitrates to reach 15ppm) and your fish will LOVE EVERY feeding! My Mikula are so excited every feeding time they swarm the glass, they don't spook. I'll put my face up to the glass before feeding and they will be right in my face waging their tales. I open they top, they splash me, they will even try to swim in the coffee cup that I use to feed them. You can condition them if you are patient.

Many people over feed their fronts.

I don't think a five foot tank is a good idea. You need a six to eight foot tank (imo).

Blessings!

Russ


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## Brucers1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Thank you all for your advice, I am thinking now I will put all 13 in my 5x2x2 tank, but eventually keep 1 Male and 4 Females. I will only treat with Brine Shrimp once a week for now, but I would prefer to feed pellets, easier to be honest. I will get the details of the sump and put my second 1400ef UV filter on it too.


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## Brucers1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Can anyone help on maintenance ideas.

Is once a week water change,30 to 40% ok? Filter and Sump clean once a month to preserve the good bacteria and never clean both together?

Does all that sound ok?

Thanks


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## Bertz (Dec 7, 2011)

Brucers1 said:


> Can anyone help on maintenance ideas.
> 
> Is once a week water change,30 to 40% ok? Filter and Sump clean once a month to preserve the good bacteria and never clean both together?
> 
> ...


Like Razzo said do not over feed.
A 20 - 30 % water change once a week will be fine, If your not over feeding. Never clean filters and water change on the same day.
Use a good water conditioner as well, I'm fond to stress coat, But others may have a better solution.

If you clean out your sump wait about 3 days before cleaning the other filter.

Depending on how much you feed and how much Bio load goes into your filters will determine how often you clean or replace them.

What type of filters do you have?


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## Brucers1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Yes I know what you mean, I will not over feed scoop out any uneaten food....

I was planning on using the 3 foot sump only, packing it with ceramic rings, bio balls, sponges & folter floss, maybe some crushed coral for PH buffer.

I have a APS 1400 ef + uv sterilizer but wanted to add that to my 250lt Malawi set up, I have a Tetratec 1200 on the Malawi set up, but no UV sterilizer.

What do you think? Should I maybe put the 1400 on the Malawi set up and the sump plus the 1200 on the Frontosa set up?

Malawi tank - 250 lts
Frontosa tank - 500lts


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Brucers1 said:


> Thank you all for your advice, I am thinking now I will put all 13 in my 5x2x2 tank, but eventually keep 1 Male and 4 Females. I will only treat with Brine Shrimp once a week for now, but I would prefer to feed pellets, easier to be honest. I will get the details of the sump and put my second 1400ef UV filter on it too.


Not a fan of the "one male" frontosa tank. You will miss out on so much interaction and the increase activity levels that occurs with multiple males.

Just my opinion though. Best wishes whichever route you go.

Russ


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## Brucers1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Have you got any suggestions on decor?

I was thinking dark substrate to keep them calm, just a few large rocks, maybe a plant pot for a cave for the dominant male. I ideally want a planted tank but no to keen on the maintenance.

Any suggestions, photos are much appreciated.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Brucers1 said:


> Have you got any suggestions on decor?
> 
> I was thinking dark substrate to keep them calm, just a few large rocks, maybe a plant pot for a cave for the dominant male. I ideally want a planted tank but no to keen on the maintenance.
> 
> Any suggestions, photos are much appreciated.


Dark substrate to keep them calm? Not sure that will make a difference? Go with the color you like.

Caves with at least three entrances on either end of the tank and a third one, the largest one, smack dab in the middle. We call that one "Frontosa Bank" and your alpha will probably calm that one.

Few photos (as requested):

My current Mikula gibberosa tank 240G



















My previous Kapampa gibbers tank - 265G



















A previous Kapampa gibbers tank with black substrate - 125G

In hind sight, this FB is a little small


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## Brucers1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Great pics mate, beautiful colours.

I've put some Dolphins in with my Malawis. I've out in about 10 at 2.5Inch in size, however in about a year I am planning on taking 6 out and having 1 male with 3 females.

With 2M Burundi and 6 Female.

What do you think?


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## Ron R. (Oct 21, 2003)

Brucers1 said:


> Great pics mate, beautiful colours.
> 
> I've put some Dolphins in with my Malawis. I've out in about 10 at 2.5Inch in size, however in about a year I am planning on taking 6 out and having 1 male with 3 females.
> 
> ...


Good ratio. You could even do 1 male to avoid male-to-male aggression later. If you decide to keep 2 males, just watch them.


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