# Can you feed African Cichlids Broccoli?



## TCP (Jan 16, 2012)

Can you feed african cichlids broccoli? Do you have to boil it first to get all of the chemicals the farmers may have used on it?

:-? :-? :-?

Thanks in Advance,

TCP


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Most of the foods that fish _can_ eat aren't necessary as long as you're feeding a quality pellet or flake etc.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

You could - but - you will need to blanch them first but here is a few thoughts,

A. Fish are always excited about *any* food and thus a "treat" is not really a "treat"
B. Fish need a diet suited to their natural diet
C. Fish food is already well balanced, variance is more important than targeting food groups. Example: Flakes or Pellets are complete diets whereas broccoli is a partial diet.

IF I was to supplement with veg (I use to but I stopped, higher costs and not any major noticeable benefits), peas would be my first choice - this has some digestive benefits. - whether this is over and above the benefits of the general food staple depends on your feeding habits.


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## TCP (Jan 16, 2012)

If people can PM me on pellet foods that are highly recommended and good quality would be much appreciated.

I don't know for sure if people can put their ideas in open discussion.

Thanks,

TCP


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Hi,

For salt water + omnivores I am using new life spectrum brands, for carnivores I am using hikari - both are very good brands.

Both will provide complete diets but for more specific formula's we would need to know your live stock.


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## Totalimmortal363 (Jan 10, 2008)

I've always had great results out of both NLS and OmegaOne.


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## cgmark (Aug 18, 2010)

I had an old book from the 1950's when I first started keeping fish in the 1980's. The book was really interesting because just about everything in it was about how to make the stuff needed to have an aquarium because there wasn't a wide selection of stuff you could buy as there is now. The tanks used were the old metal with slate bottom ones and it had plans for filters and all sorts of things. Wish I still had it or could remember the title now.

anyway, it had lots of recipes and suggestions for feeding fish. Most of them consisted of everyday household food. The one I had the most success with was chicken. Take chicken breast , rinse it thoroughly and using sewing thread wrap it around the meat several times, tie a not and hang it in the tank, makes for easy removal of the excess. I had gouramis at the time and everyone commented on the size of the ones I had, the reason was I fed them table scraps, chicken, string beans, were their favorite.

I haven't repeated that with my cichlids mainly because flake food is so easy. I'm currently using jungle foods, tropical fish food. I tried the other stuff but I ran out and bought the jungle food at my local grocery store to fill in and now they will not eat the other stuff. They love the taste of the jungle food and judging by the size and health , it seems to be good. I bought some of the spectrum and hikari stuff and they just spit it out and it ends up in the filter.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Hi,

All opinions are good ones but chicken / table scraps for me is highly unrecommended, most Africans have long intestines and thus digesting high protein foods will cause toxity in the body as they will not be able to pass the meat easily - again depends on your live stock

I have not experienced fish rejecting Newlife spectrum or Hakari, I have yet to add wild caught.


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## Mike_G (Nov 8, 2011)

It took about a month for my stubborn male jake to start feeding aggressively on NLS pellets- the females accepted it right away.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Mike_G said:


> It took about a month for my stubborn male jake to start feeding aggressively on NLS pellets- the females accepted it right away.


-- Pre-story

I received my live stock from 3 separate local breeders, the first 2 supplied me with juveniles and the third was selling his personal collection as he was getting out of the breeding situation. Another way of putting it, I added 4-5" amongst the already pre-existing juvs to spread out the sizing a little.

-- My actual intended story

Every morning I go up to the tank and all the fish collect excitedly at the closest corner to pair off with my arrival to the tank for feeding. I would add a pinch and the smaller cichlids would jump and grab the food while the larger fish stood waiting like nothing just happened. After about 3 days of this I added a few pellets from my Hikari for another tank and they would sit starring as they are floating pellets until they would fall. Now I have zero issues and it is a free-for-all when I feed.


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## TCP (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks everyone for all of your input and suggestions :wink:

I really appreciate it :thumb:

Thanks again,
TCP


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