feeding rates

[Not NEW Not OLD]

what is the frequency with which you guys feed your mbuna. my guys are constantly hungry and i am trying to wean them down to once a day. is this ok. when i brought them home to reduce aggression and with reading the label on the cichlid food it said to feed 2-3 times a day as much as they can eat in a few minutes. these guys are voracious eaters. any thoughts.

they are getting tetra cichlid flakes right now.
3 red zebra
3 cobalt blue zebras
3 melanochromis auratus
Thanks

[Dave66]

The crux of it is to do several SMALL as in TINY meals, since the fish you mentioned are grazers, not gorgers. That means one meal a day is inappropriate.

You can feed them just enough for them to finish in under 30 seconds several times a day. As you say, they are voracious feeders, so perhaps 15 seconds would be a better aim.

You might want to add two or three additional foods to their menu, with pelleted foods preferred. Variety is the spice of life for fish, as well as people, in foods.

Dave

[Crispy]

I don't know if flakes are the best idea... they don't seem to "fill-up" cichlids as well as pellets.

[-Lp]

The crux of it is to do several SMALL as in TINY meals, since the fish you mentioned are grazers, not gorgers. That means one meal a day is inappropriate.

I've been feeding my mbuna once a day everyday except Sunday. I read somewhere skipping a meal once a week was good for them. So I'm doing it all wrong? I need to feed them a few times a day in small doses, or will my method suffice? They do seem hungry all the time.

Also Dave, what do you mean by inappropriate? Is the way I'm feeding them detremental to their overall health and well being, or am I just being stingy with the food?

[Dixie]

Not New Not Old,
Do you plan to get a bigger tank for the mbuna? They should have at least a 55g. tank. I feed New Life Spectrum sinking pellets 2-3 times a day, normally.

[kaybee]

Mbuna's are adapted to be perpetually hungry due to the fact that in their natural environment the food which they eat is of low nutritional value so the instinctively need to constantly graze to ensure their daily dietary requirements are met (eating large quantities of low nutritional matter). This also explains their inherent aggression: highly valued algae-covered rocks territorially are seriously defended by these fish.

In a tank environment we can provide them food of a greater nutritional value that what they obtain in the wild, so in my opinion one feeding per day is fine, but the instinct to constantly 'be hungry' is there (as it is in other types of fish).

I think for the first couple of years I fasted my mbuna's about twice a week, but I've since scaled back to fasting them once a week. I think providing flake food is alright for them but it has to be the right type of flake (from a nutritional standpoint). If continuing with flake food I recommend switching to a vegatable-based flake with less than 40% protein content for them.

NLS Cichlid Formula pellets is also a great staple for them if flake food isn't something you want to provide. I provide flakes daily and a flake/NLS pellet combo a few times a week in a single feeding session.

I don't know if flakes are the best idea... they don't seem to "fill-up" cichlids as well as pellets.

Depends on the size and quantity of the flakes, all of my mbuna's look like they're mouthbrooding after eating flakes of this size.
(flakes about 2" across, a typical 'serving size' per mbuna which range 3"-6" in size)
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[jaymorris]

I agree with the other posters. I have also read that fasting your fish is a good idea. This helps reduce the amount of waste that accumulates in the tank. the more waste, the higher the ammonia and nitrite levels. I usually feed mine every other day. This also helps with getting them to breed.

[Not NEW Not OLD]

Will post some pics ofmy setup in a few minutes once the pics upload. anyway... i feed them tetra cichld flakes, and i jus tpicked up some tectra cichlid sticks with color enhancer. Im hoping that the protein level is low like you all recommend and all my reading recommends. I feed presently 2-3 times a day only what they eat in 30-45 secs and its all gone. ill drop that to two and then in a few weeks to one feeding. my only concern is waht goeth in must cometh out and that results in dirty tanks and water conditions. I change 10-20 % of the water twice a week and gravel vac once a week. I converted my magnum 350 cannister vac to a gravel vac with some tubing and it works great to pick up the gunk in the gravel.

thanks for all your helpful info.

I know mbuna need a 55g or larger but at this time its not feasible us for any thing larger than what we have. i have a deal worked out with my fish store to return them when they are larger and will work out something in trade. anyway thanks for all the info and ill get my pics up in a few ins.
NNNO

[Not NEW Not OLD]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]



Here are some pics
aqueon 38gal tank
aqueon 55 hob
aqueon 30 hob

200w heater
79 deg
ph 8.0 using api ph buffer