# Food Help..



## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

I just watched a vid about cichlids and how what you feed them depends what sex they are, feeding them food with "color enhancing" benefits makes all your fish male because the hormones that are put into it. Im currently raiseing 35+ maingano fry and feeding them flakes, frozen bloodworms and mysis. Am i turning all my fry into males by feeding them these flakes??
TetraMin Tropical Flakes *Nutrtionally balanced diet for optimal health, color and vitality*

Plox recommend me some food to feed my fry


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You shouldn't be feeding any Lake Malawi cichlids bloodworms. It is thought to be a leading contributor to bloat. I would stop that immediately.

I wouldn't feed omnivore mbuna mysis shrimp, either.

You can't change the sex of your fish. They are born either male or female, and nothing you can do will change that.

There are hormones used in the fish industry to force fish to colour up well and early for quick sale, but I really don't think you're going to find them in high enough doses in regular fish food.

The hormones used by LFS and breeders to force the fish to show colour early will make a female take on male colouration, but she'll still be a female. :wink:

The problem with these hormones is that it can be deceptive to the average hobbyist, since they are often trying to sex the fish they buy based on colour. Another problem area is that we don't know how much long term damage the heavily hormoned fish have done to them because of this.


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

So which food do you recommend that i can feed my mix of fish in my 130g that wont have any ill effects, consists of 2 oscar, jack d, midas, serverum, 2 maingano's, 2 yellow labs and 2 jaguars. opcorn:


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I wouldn't house those fish together, so it's impossible for me to suggest a food for you that won't have ill effects. They are all vastly different in their dietary, water and breeding requirements.

And, some of them will eventually be food for the oscar.


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

The cichlids n oscars have been housed together since they were fry, the others were added to the tank a year ago with purchase of a 75g tank (cept jags)...wasnt told fish were included in the purchase until we went to pick up the tank... the midas is now the largest in the tank and just last month started laying her eggs and dominating the tank. Thats the only issue i've had with any of my guys being housed together, husband drilled the 75 every1 came in and made it saltwater, all had to be temp housed in 40g bc of that, til we purchased the 130g. My supply of tanks include 130g tall fresh 75g saltwater two 40g breeder tanks, one full of maingano fry other hus's planted tank w feeder guppies. two 26g saltwater, and a 12g saltwater. So yea i need bigger tanks just a matter of convincing hus to lemme buy one... til he does cant be picky    
Heres the tank w every1 in it btw..


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

ure going to have a war on ure hands with the fish u have in that tank....how big are those jags...theyll kill everything in that tank....u relly need to either get another tank or get rid of some of those fish....all those fish are probably soo stressed out from tanksmates and inpropper diets. :?


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

Jags are size of jack u see em in vid, havent had issues w em yet only prob has been midas w her eggs


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

those jags will get quite large and mean.....IMO ure asking for trouble keeping those fish together....but nobody can change ure mind but youreself...simply stating whats best for u and the fish in the long run....things may be fine now...but can and will change for the worse at any given time.


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

Hence why im looking for a bigger tank :thumb:
All a matter of dealin w hubbie :fish:


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

if a big tank is out of the question i would relly consider reehoming most of those fish....also with this bigger tank will u be mixing the fish u have in the tank now?....if so u will still have dietary problems....btw do u know the sex of ure jags and oscars?....if for some reson they pair and spawn it will be ugly.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

cichlidaholic said:


> You shouldn't be feeding any Lake Malawi cichlids bloodworms. It is thought to be a leading contributor to bloat. I would stop that immediately.
> 
> I wouldn't feed omnivore mbuna mysis shrimp, either.


Now I can't understand to why bloodworms can't be fed to malawi's?
Explain to me why this shouldn't happen. I ask because I have fed mine a few times, not regulary and have had no issues with bloat what so ever and this sounds interesting.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

i have no problem feeding mine high protein foods either...the key word u said is not regularly.....they dont need it and will thrive with a good staple like NLS...as for why we ask not to feed it is because they may get too much under the care of a more inexperienced fish keeper and then well be answering their post about why theyre fish are dying and have bloat...so its better to just tell people to avoid it alltogethger....but yes *bigcatsrus* i have had no problems feeding high protien foods either....once a week for brine shrimp is my schedule for my mbuna..after that its a fasting day.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Don't take my word for it, bigcastrus.

This is a direct quote from Ad Konings in his book "Back to Nature Guide to Malawi Cichlids"...



> Many kinds of deep frozen fish foods are available in pet shops. Not all of them are recommended for cichlids (or any other kind of fishes). Red mosquito larvae, one of the most popular frozen foods, are very bad and should not be fed to fishes. These larvae are found in the mud of stagnant pools and feed from the mud, including when this contains chemicals which are toxic to some fishes, especially to Malawi and Tanganyika cichilds. Red mosquito larvae often occur in very acid water and since the larvae consist mostly of water such acid water is ingested by the fish. Malawi cichlids live in alkaline water and the feeding of red mosquito larvae may easily lead to the so-called Malawi Bloat. The same problem exists when you feed your Malawians glass worms for acid water. Moreover red mosquito larvae induce allergic reactions in about 30% of persons coming into contact with them!


This would also pertain to fresh or frozen blood worms, but remember, we're only talking about Malawi cichlids.

You might also do a search in this folder regarding bloodworms. You'll find alot of threads that would tend to back up Ad's thoughts. :thumb:

To the OP, I would just go with one quality staple food until you can get these fish separated out and taken care of properly. NLS, Dainichi, and Hikari all make good foods. Steer clear of all the extras you're feeding right now. If one of them gets bloat from improper feeding, you could have the whole tank infected before you even know the first one is sick.

Between the stress level and the poor diet, it's bound to happen.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I was simply asking to why not to feed bloodworms. I don't take things literally unless its something that needs to be. It just made me think thats all.

Its also good maintaince of the tank, water changes, etc, etc. Thats one thing I do take literally. I have only lost one fish since keeping cichlids. Not bragging about it but its always good to know how other people get on with feeding and maintaining their tanks.


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## interex216 (Jul 12, 2008)

BRANT13 said:


> if a big tank is out of the question i would relly consider reehoming most of those fish....also with this bigger tank will u be mixing the fish u have in the tank now?....if so u will still have dietary problems....btw do u know the sex of ure jags and oscars?....if for some reson they pair and spawn it will be ugly.


Of course not.. no need to be rude about it my plan was cichlids in a tank w decor similar to my fry tank *slate rock* jag's are a mated pair they'd get a tank to themselves, n other big guys get the 130

but since you seem to wanna make make it a point that im a terrible fishkeeper why dont you tell me what tank who should go in.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

im not trying to be rude at all im sorry u took it that way im trying to save ureself a hard time is all *** been there...we all start off terrible fish keepers.....if u have bigger tanks then good ...sounds like u got it undercontrol.


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## Jayg1500 (Nov 17, 2008)

he's not being rude, it's just that you wanted to argue with him about how your mixture isn't fighting. he's 100% correct though in that you're about to have a bloodbath on your hands. there's absolutely no way around it other than separating some of those species.


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