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FAQs on Neotropical Cichlid Foods/Feeding/Nutrition

Feeding, FW 4/7/08
Hello Neale, how are you today? I have a question for you. Is it okay to feed my fishes every other day, or is it best to feed it everyday? I don't want them to starve but my tank has been very dirty lately, which means...i have to clean it :( . Anyway, thanks for all your help.
<Hi there. What are the fish? If we're talking small tetras, Danios and the like, they should really be fed daily, though you can safely skip one day a week. Larger fish, particularly predators like big catfish and Oscars, can easily get by on reasonably large meals every other day, and some would suggest that for inactive predators (catfish, lurking pufferfish) that this is indeed recommended. That said, I'm not a big fan of feeding large fish big meals infrequently. I can't help but feel that water quality is better maintained by feeding more frequent but smaller meals (snacks, if you like). Less protein is dumped into the aquarium at any given instant, and therefore the resulting ammonia spike is smaller. For short periods (up to one week for small fish, over two weeks for big predators) most fish can go without food completely. If you're holidaying or find yourself having to deal with filtration problems, then not feeding at all for a while is therefore a perfectly viable course of action. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: feeding 4/8/08
Hi again, i have medium sized cichlids, like firemouths and convicts. Will it still be okay to feed it "snacks" every other day or is it best to just feed it "snacks" everyday. Last, when you say "snacks" how much exactly do you mean? Thanks so much for your previous answer.
<Medium sized cichlids like these can/should be given one reasonable sized meal per day. The standard advice holds here as in other situations: you want fish that have gently rounded abdomens but shouldn't look swollen. Stop feeding when the fish are still alert and looking for more, not when they are lethargic and obviously satiated or "full". All the food should be gone within a minute or two. Err on the side of underfeeding. Cheers, Neale.>

Jaguar Cichlid... gen., sys., food 03/04/2008
Hello,
I have recently acquired a jaguar cichlid. I'm not sure how old he is, but he's about 10 to 11 inches long. I think he is male.
<Lovely fish; difficult to sex.>
The lady I bought him from said he had killed his mate, and had been off his food for a week or so. She thinks he killed her because up until that time, the tank had been quite algae-filled, and the female was able to hide. The owner decided to scrub the tank down, and that is when the female became more visible and was killed.
<Doesn't really sound very likely, unless the algae were huge kelp-like things!>
The owner was an experienced fish hobbyist - in fact, I bought her entire collection: 25 years worth, mostly of African cichlids, along with a community tank and some South American cichlids. I have them in five tanks.
<Sounds nice.>
My jaguar cichlid is in a 35 gallon tank, with a little driftwood and a rock cave which he sometimes hides in. Tank dimensions are 3 foot by 1 and 1/2 foot by 1 foot. (This is the same size he was used to before I purchased him.)
<Ah, the plot thinnens. Simply too small. When I kept this species, it was in a 200 gallon system, and realistically you need to be keeping them in something "jumbo" sized, i.e., 75 gallons upwards; these are BIG, TERRITORIAL fish.>
Once he gets better I am looking to move him to a larger tank, but don't want to risk stressing him any further by moving him at present.
<Quite the reverse is likely to be true. Provided water chemistry is constant, and he isn't placed in a tank with a larger, territorial cichlid -- moving him is a great idea.>
I have had him for a couple of weeks now, and have offered him all kinds of food: frozen fish food that she had been giving him before he went off his food, freeze dried blood worms, flakes, pellets, ground beef, raw fish, live fish, but so far he has eaten nothing.
<Well, for a start, stop with the live feeder fish. Live foods generally, and feeder fish especially, appear to bring out aggressive tendencies in fish. Live fish are also parasite time bombs, unless you're breeding your own. One of the most idiotic things in the hobby is the use of Minnows and Goldfish as feeder fish. They are far to high in fat and contain lots of the Vitamin B1-destroying chemical Thiaminase. Bob Fenner (who runs WWM) has made the point in print and elsewhere that Goldfish are then #1 cause of mortality in captive Lionfish! The ONLY safe fish species that can be used as feeders are gut-loaded, home-bred livebearers. Anyway, Parachromis managuensis will eat pretty much anything when settled. Earthworms are a favourite. My specimen enjoyed squid and other types of seafood. Oily fish was enjoyed, by this wrecks water quality, so use sparingly and just before doing a massive water change. Once settled down they eat pellets, and these are truly the ideal staple, being safe and nutritionally balanced.>
I had a couple of smaller problem fish - a minnow that was killing its tank mates and a barb that was chewing the fins off its tank mate. I put them in with my jaguar cichlid, hoping he might be tempted to eat them. He does dart at them occasionally, but until this morning he hasn't killed them. Today I found the small barb dead, floating around the tank. The jaguar will look at it and just swim away. He might have killed him, but it's more likely that the barb died of stress.
<More than likely territorial aggression. In any case, this ISN'T how you solve aggression problems in community tanks. Tiger barbs for example become nippy when they're kept in too small a group. "Punishing" a specimen because it is doing what its genes are telling it to do is just plain dumb. It's a fish, not a naughty child. So, look at how many Tiger Barbs you have, and if there's less than six, add some more. Do also remember that Tiger Barbs are NOT GOOD COMMUNITY FISH. This is made plain again and again in the fishkeeping press, so there's no excuse for not being aware of this. You simply don't keep them in [a] small tanks and [b] with slow moving or long-finned tankmates. Fine with barbs and tetras, not fine with Gouramis and angels.>
The PH is 7.7; nitrites close to zero, ammonia close to zero, the water is not very hard (just above the 'soft' line when I tested it.) He has oxygen (bubbler stone), low lighting, the temperature is around 73 degrees.
<Parachromis managuensis needs hard to very hard water with a basic pH and LOTS of carbonate hardness. I'm guessing he's off colour and not eating because the water is all wrong. This is non-negotiable. The pH should be 7.5-8.5, general hardness around 15+ degrees dH, and carbonate hardness upwards of 7 degrees KH. Adding salt and other Mickey-mouse quick fixes are not an option. Raise the KH by incorporating lots of calcareous media in the filter. You can also add tufa rock and other calcareous rocks to the aquarium, but by themselves these have a marginal effect on KH. Crushed coral or crushed oyster shell in a nice big canister filter is the way to go. Water changes need to be generous: these are heavily polluting fish, and this means they produce the chemicals that acidify the water. See here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm
>
He seems very shy - not at all the aggressive guy I was told I was getting. He shies away from the walls of the tank if anyone comes near, if I stick my hand in he'll swim away, and he backs away from any food that is dropped into the tank.
<Wrong water chemistry, and absolutely normal behaviour under the circumstances.>
I've put salt in the tank and have done a 20% water change, but so far nothing has helped.
<For the seven billionth time for people who haven't learned this yet: aquarium salt doesn't raise hardness or pH. It is of no damn use in a freshwater tank! Carbonate hardness comes from carbonate and bicarbonate salts, and these are not to be found in boxes of sodium chloride! Also, water changes should be around the 50% mark, weekly.>
His water also stinks like dead fish, not strongly but it is there.
<Sounds like too much food, not removed quickly; perhaps under-filtered too and certainly not enough water changes.>
I'm concerned he is starving himself to death.
<He is.>
He seems quite active, swimming around and occasionally darting to the surface.
<Darting behaviour in stressed cichlids is a very bad sign.>
Do you have any suggestions about what I could do to get him eating again?
<Many many things. Please read my advice carefully, and then sit back and read the article about water chemistry. It is absolutely critical you understand this, because right now this fish doomed with a capital D.>
Thanks very, very much for your help and advice!
Dana
<Happy to help. These are gorgeous fish, and my specimen was a real show-stopper, but they are not "easy" fish, and Central American cichlids generally need very specific water chemistry conditions to do well. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Jaguar Cichlid, sys. 03/04/2008
Thanks for your help! I'll get him in a bigger tank right away. I have a couple of empty tanks sitting around: a 70 and a 100 gallon, so that
shouldn't be a problem. I'll get the water hardness fixed right away too.
The jag is such a gorgeous fish, I'd have hated to have him die on me, so I'll be onto this today.
Thank you!
Dana
<Dana, all sounds promising. I hope things get fixed, and you enjoy many happy years with this wonderful fish. Mine was a sweetie, and in the 200 gallon tank not at all aggressive. Possibly was a female though. So difficult to sex. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Jaguar Cichlid, sys., food 3/6/08
Hi again, Neale,
Well, I've got my jaguar moved to a larger tank (70 gallon), with plenty of crushed coral. The water has tested quite hard - we may need to dilute it just a bit but it's much better.
<Wouldn't worry about diluting the water to make it less hard. Central American cichlids like their water to be "liquid rock"! The other thing is that messing about with RO water or whatever adds to the effort and expense of water changes. Central Americans really want big water changes, and that being the case, YOU want things as cheap and easy as possible!>
Nitrites, etc. are all low. Ammonia is zero, Ph is 7.8 . Water temperature is 75 degrees.
<Perfect.>
Today he is moving gravel all over the place, rearranging his aquascape to his own liking, I
guess. He hadn't been doing this for quite a long time, so I think that's a healthy sign.
<It is indeed! Well done. A happy cichlid is a digging cichlid, that's what I always say.>
I've offered him all kinds of delicacies: frozen bloodworms, dried bloodworms, (so far I haven't been able to find any live bloodworms), cichlid pellets (large and small), brine shrimp flakes, tropical fish flakes, frozen cocktail shrimp... He STILL won't eat a thing.
<Give it time. Hunger makes the best sauce. Do try earthworms though: they're used as bait in fishing for a darned good reason -- NOTHING is as yummy to a predatory fish as a nice juicy earthworm. So grab a hand shovel, go to the yard, and have a root about.>
He just watches the bits of food float around the tank, then turns away and ignores them or swims into his rock cave. He seems active and curious: watches people as they walk past his tank, but quickly backs away if anyone actually approaches him.
<The curiousness is excellent and precisely typical of happy Guapote cichlids.>
What can I do to interest him in eating again? Why would he be starving himself when he seems otherwise healthy and active, though maybe a bit timid for a jaguar?
<Jags are timid; it's a myth I think that predatory cichlids are aggressive cichlids -- quite the reverse in fact. Predatory fish need to go about their business unnoticed, or their prey would see them. Worse, if they got into a fight, their delicate jaws would be damaged. So predatory fish tend to back off rather than go looking for fights. This holds for Guapote (what yours is), for Pike Cichlids and of course for Oscars. Compare with omnivorous or even herbivorous cichlids like Tilapia and Mbuna or even Kribs -- for their size, these fish can be incredibly punchy. In any case, make sure you have lots of hiding places (remember the Golden Rule: the more a fish can hide, the less often it will choose to do so). Floating plants such as Indian fern will also make a big difference, though those big 36" plastic plants are probably going to be easier to use in a large tank with a strong filter.>
I really appreciate all your help and suggestions. I'm very new to the whole cichlid scene, though I've done community tanks for a few years.
<Ah, welcome to the Cichlid Club! Cichlids really are fish that become members of the family; they're smart and they become tame. When I looked after my Jag it was in a display tank in a lobby area, and we'd arranged some chairs nearby. People would go get coffee from a machine in another room and then come sit by the tank so they could spend a couple minutes "chatting" with the Jaguar and the Midas Cichlid that also lived in there. The two cichlids would go to the ends of the tank and hang out quite contentedly, apparently enjoying the attention (or perhaps trying to get out and kill the big gangly apes threatening their territories!). Anyway, do try the earthworm trick, and also remember these fish hunt at dusk and dawn, so feed first thing in the morning or last thing at night.>
Dana
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Jaguar Cichlid
Earthworms? Umm... This is Canada: the frozen North! To reach an earthworm, I would have to hire a bulldozer. I'll look up fishing stores and see if they have any.
Thanks again!!
Dana
<Hello Dana. Surely you're can't be much further north than I am here in the UK? But I guess those darned polar winds make a difference. In any case, yes, earthworms should be available from a bait shop. And you can actually grow your own! Earthworm "farming" is a hobby of sorts here in England. There's an excellent little book called "The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms" by Amy Stewart all about what earthworms do, why they matter, and at the end of the book, how to care for them. Fascinating stuff! Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Jaguar Cichlid 3/7/08
Hi Neale,
I don't know whether or not we're further North than you are, but the ground is frozen solid and we're expecting another 60 cm. of snow over the next 36 hours.
<Yikes!>
Happily, there are bait and tackle stores that sell worms for people who brave the elements and go ice fishing, so I'll be headed out there after work this afternoon.
<Very good.>
The jag is still digging and digging and attacking his bubbler. He sure doesn't look sick, though he is much thinner than when we got him. I have no idea how he stays alive after a month without food.
<He's a fish, and in the "dry season" likely has to make do with very little food.>
I'll let you know whether the earthworms do the trick.
<Yes, please do.>
Thanks again,
Dana
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Jaguar Cichlid – 03/10/08
Hi again Neale,
Here's the jaguar's dietary report: he pays no attention to food whatsoever, including earthworms. I tossed one of his rejects into a different tank for my smaller cichlids and almost started a war. The worm was gone in seconds. I have a fresh one hanging from a suction cup at the side of the jaguar's tank, but he ignores it completely. I thought if I hung it from the wall of his tank, he might notice it more, rather than having it hide in the gravel like the last ones did. He is still moving a lot of rock, swimming around and investigating everything, and ducking into his cave regularly, but he's just not going to eat. If you think of anything else that might help, I'm very open to suggestions.
Thanks,
Dana
<Hello Dana. I can't think of any "quick fix" here except to try as many different things as you can. If the fish is otherwise behaving normally, there may be something sapping his appetite. Bloating, constipation and Hole-in-the-Head all start with a loss of appetite, so consider those options, since all are quite common in cichlids. I'd perhaps treat for Hexamita/Hole-in-the-Head proactively, just in case. This disease is much easier to treat before the symptoms become established and obvious. I'd then run something laxative through the system, such as Epsom salts (see elsewhere on WWM for the details). If these don't help, then something systemically anti-bacterial like Maracyn would be a good idea. All this said, he may simply [a] not be settled and [b] not wild about the foods being offered. Time and variety will fix this. A risky option might be to introduce some other fish of comparable size but sufficiently durable they won't be harmed. Often fish that are reticent about feeding become bolder when they see other fish "take the bait". This is standard practise in marine communities for example, where damselfish fulfill this role admirably. Cheers, Neale.>

Tips For Keeping Large Cichlids    2/16/07
I received your last e-mail and was a little disappointed that the answer I was looking for could not be found.  I understand that I placed a new Green Terror in with highly aggressive fish, but I also heard that Green Terrors knew how to fend for themselves.  I named mine Wimpy. When I first placed my Pike in with the Jaguar, Red Devil, Jack Dempsey, and Convicts, the Pike (being of similar size) made it perfectly clear that he was not scared of jack %$#&! Sorry if that is not acceptable on your web page, but it's the truth. I assumed things would be similar with the Green Terror, but no such luck. So here's the thing.  I already asked this question but received no clear answer.  If I trade in my Green Terror for another fish, what types of fish should I consider, that are aggressive enough to protect themselves. Oh, and I'm not quite sure what size my tank is, it's actually my boyfriends (he's in jail so I can't ask him either), but it's really big, and there are alot of plants and rocks to hide in. In fact, I think there is too much extra space and I should buy more fish. Will ponder this idea a little longer though.  Also, you said that it was a bad idea to feed them feeder fish...I don't quite understand why.  I've read that those types of fish ~love~live food. I've also been feeding them Tubifex worms, and cichlid pellets, is this wrong as well? Please educate me on what is appropriate food for my cichlids.  Thank you. -Marie
< All cichlids are territorial to some degree. When ever you add a new fish to a cichlid tank he needs to be big and strong enough to establish a territory. Sometimes this means he needs to take one away from another fish. Most of the time the fish that already in the tank will be the winner. The loser new fish is soon pushed around by all the fish and gets beaten up in the meantime. The best way is to start with a group of smaller fish and try to raise them all together. Smaller fish can inflict less damage and they soon establish a pecking order and the tank stays relatively peaceful. Older fish are already set in their ways and have teeth that can inflict damage. It is much more difficult to mix bigger and older cichlids. Larger fish are usually offered as trade-ins to fish stores so you will probably have fish like Oscars as the most common choices. The green terror was not a bad choice. It just needs to be bigger than the other fish. Next time when you add a new fish you need to move all the rocks and ornaments around, add the new fish and turn off the lights for the night. In the morning all the fish will be busy trying to establish territories and the new fish will have a chance as all the fish compete with one another.
You have a very large tank. Feeder fish carry diseases that can be transmitted to your aquarium. To successfully treat your aquarium could cost you 40$/50$/60$ on medications  depending on its size. Feeder fish are a disposable commodity and are fed just enough food to barely keep them alive. They have very little nutritional value. A better choice would be a good quality sinking pellet. Live foods such as earthworms, crickets, mealworms, waxworms and kingworms probably would all be relished by your fish. Just feed once a day and make sure that all of it is eaten in a couple of minutes.-Chuck>

Jack Dempsey Hooked On Blood Worms 11/27/06
I have a 2 inch electric blue jack Dempsey and he is in a 60 gallon tank. He has been pooping stringy white for several days. He is eating fine (although he refuses to eat anything but bloodworms) and moving around fine. Water tests all measure zero for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. No signs of ick on him or other fish in the tank, and the others poop the normal brown/black poop. Is the poop from eating only bloodworms or is it reason to be concerned about something else? Thanks for your help, Kelly
< Don't feed him for three days then offer a few blood worms with some other foods like Spectrum pellets. Over time his blood worm only diet will cause problems.-Chuck>

Cichlids not eating 11/21/06
Hello, I have a 75 gallon tank which houses a 10 inch Oscar, 7 inch  Jack Dempsey, and 6 inch Jaguar cichlid.  The past three days  both the Jack Dempsey and Jaguar Cichlid have been acting weird.   When I go to feed them both of them and the Oscar get excited and come  to the top of the tank.  However when I drop the food in both the  Dempsey and the Jaguar eat and then spit out the pellets. It seems as  if they don't want the food.  I've been feeding them Hikari gold  pellets and freeze dried krill.  They usually love both types of  food until the past few days.  I waited a couple of days in hope  that they would take the food from hunger, however they have not.   The Oscar is acting fine and eating well and not bullying the other two.  All of my water levels are fine.  There are no other  signs of problems with the fish and they are swimming around just  fine.  What could have cause both of these fish to suddenly  dislike their food?  Thank you for your help.
  Jim
<Mmmm, good reporting of your observed facts... It may be that there is more bullying going on than you realize... The fact that the Oscar itself is still feeding leads me to believe it is not the food itself that has become unpalatable... I suggest you separate the Oscar to check the aggression hypothesis. Oh, and just in case there is some sort of non-measured metabolite anomaly at play here, I would do some good-sized water changes (25%) or so, every few days. Bob Fenner>

Loui, the Red Devil... not feeding   11/14/06
Hi:
<<Hi, Daniella. Tom here.>>
I'm wondering if you can help me.
<<I’ll give it my best effort.>>
Loui Lucifer is our red deviled cichlid.
<<Red Devil Cichlid. Just a little help. :) >>>>
He is a 10' male in 47 gallon tank.
<<10” (inch), not 10’ (feet). My apologies, again.>>
He used to have a lot of energy and was very temperamental. (I couldn't keep anything in my tank or else he would kill and eat it).
<<Definitely a Red Devil Cichlid! Not unusual for this fish at all.>>
Within the last week he has changed.  He does not eat and he stays in one corner in the side of his tank.  He hasn't touched his feeder fish.
<<Too many feeder fish isn’t recommended. They’re not a good part of a Cichlid’s diet. They’re not nutritious and can introduce disease(s) into the tank. Yes, Cichlids do feed on fish in their natural habitat but these aren’t the same fish we buy at the store.>>
I can't notice anything unusual about his appearance except he has turned a much brighter range in comparison to before. He’s much paler.  We have tried feeding him blood worms thinking that he might need a change in diet.
<<A variation in diet is excellent  but I don’t think this is the problem.>>
He hardly swims and appears extremely depressed.  We have done a 25%
water change.  The pH level is about 8 and I'm not sure what the nitrites are but am taking a sample in.
<<Very good! Ask them to check ALL of the parameters including ammonia, nitrite and, particularly, nitrate levels. Cichlids are not very tolerant of nitrate levels over 20 ppm (parts per million). We, in the hobby, think of levels up to 40 ppm as being “safe” but this isn’t necessarily true for Cichlids. The lower the levels are, the better.>>
The feeder fish we bought 2 weeks ago are still alive and had appeared to have ich on them. Would this have an effect on Lou and why he is not eating?
<<Hopefully, Lou will not eat a fish infested with Ich. (I wouldn’t!) Unfortunately, the fact that the “feeders” have Ich means that Lou is liable to get it, especially in the state that he’s in. Please, research our site regarding the use of aquarium salt for treating Ich. Much as it bothers me to say this, your Cichlid comes first. Treat your tank with Lou in mind and forget the feeders.>>
Could he have an internal infection from these fish?
<<Again, Daniella, this is entirely possible. Without more information, it’s very hard to say what might be wrong with him. There are many good foods available for your fish. Stay away from “feeder fish” for the time being. There are just too many problems associated with them.>>
Help. We are really worried and don't feel he's going to make it.
<<Keep doing regular water changes to reduce possible high nitrate levels. Use aquarium salt and heat to get rid of the Ich problem. Make sure that you vacuum the bottom of the tank, or substrate, during water changes. This will help in ridding the tank of Ich and nitrates. It sounds like Lou is big and, otherwise, healthy. Hopefully, what I’ve suggested will bring him back to his “usual” self. Good luck, Tom>>

Jaguar feeding question 5/28/06
Crew,
First off, many thanks for this great site. It's helpful in more ways than you know!
My question: I have a 12" Managuense. I have fed it feeder fish although I know I'm not supposed to because of the dangers. I did a search on the site and couldn't find anything about what to feed it. I have read large sticks and things like worms and stuff but do you have a more precise diet?
<Mmm, "cichlid" et al. pelleted and stick foods, earthworms, mealworms, cut meat in moderation, fish flesh...>
It is becoming quite expensive to feed him feeders so your expertise is appreciated.
Thanks much,
Matt
<I'd cease with the feeders... Bob Fenner>

Gold Severum Not Eating 2/17/06
Hello, I have a large Golden Severum in a 55 gallon tank with a Smaller Green Severum and a few other fish, 5 other fish to be exact. My Golden has stopped eating and his fins are a bit clamped, but shows no other sign of stress. All the other fish are fine and seem to be getting along well. The only thing I did notice is that the Green Severums markings have become much more pronounced. This has been going on for about a week now, and I am becoming a bit worried about his health. Once again he does not look to be "sick" just not eating. One more thing, I have tested the water, and done a partial water change, but there doesn't seem to be any water quality problems. Thank you Guy Clemency
< I think your gold severum has been sick for a week and the smaller severum is becoming more dominant as the larger one has become sicker. Not eating and clamped fins are not good. I would recommend isolating the fish in a hospital tank and treating with a combination of Metronidazole for internal infections, and Nitrofuranace for external infections. Follow the instructions on the packages.-Chuck>

Red Devil, refusing to eat
We have a Red Devil ..it is pink. it use to eat real good with the pellets we fed it and some worms once in awhile ..but now it will not eat and it has become more aggressive. we have this big rock in the tank with the fish and it has become so obsessive of it..
<The aggression and territoriality are normal; this fish did not earn the name red 'devil' for nothing.  How big is the tank?  What are its tankmates?>
can't get it to eat at all ..we drained the tank half way and put clean water in thinking that might be it but no change..
<Even better than that (well, nothing's better than a good water change, really), please do test your water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH.  More than likely, something's out of whack and making him not feel well.  Also, did you dechlorinate your tapwater before putting it in the tank?  Did you match the temperature in the tank?  How often do you do water changes, and vacuum the gravel?  What kind/how much filtration?>
We need some help ...we need to know what we can do to make it eat. it wont have anything to do with goldfish either ..chase it and that's about it..
<Well, first off, goldfish aren't a very good food choice, and pelleted foods aren't the best, either.  Try tempting him with some frozen meaty foods, like bloodworms, or Formula One food.  Perhaps try bits of cocktail shrimp, as well.  Failing that, try soaking any of those foods in garlic juice (McCormick makes a water-based garlic extract that you can find in the spice rack at the grocery store, or you could also use garlic gel caps from the vitamin aisle - poke a hole in one end with a needle, and squeeze the oil onto the food, let it soak in).  This may help entice him to eat.>
Hope you can help
Marilyn
<Hope so, too.  -Sabrina>

Colombian Acara not eating
Hi guys,
I'd like to say thanks to Chuck for his advise on stocking!!
I have a new question about an unpleasant situation concerning my gorgeous new Colombian Acara and his loss of appetite. Here's my set-up:
75 gallon(48x18) - Fluval 404 - PH 7.4(straight from the tap - I don't adjust it) -TEMP 77F
Lots of rock and wood for caves and territories
Fish:
Blood Parrot - 4"
Gold Severum - 4"
4 Penguin tetras
4 Giant Danios
Red-Tail Shark -2 1/2"
New additions(9 days ago):
Green Severum - 2"
Convict - 2"
Colombian Blue Acara - 3 1/2"
Here's what's happening: I moved from a 30gal to this 75 and waited for it to cycle (with the fish from the first group). I seeded the tank with stuff from the 30, so it only took a week. But the nitrites didn't rise more than 1ppm, so I think I wasn't stocked heavy enough for a good cycle. Anyway, after waiting to be sure of stable conditions, I then added the Acara, green Severum and convict together all at once(9 days ago) so as to divert aggression from my larger gold sev. and parrot. The convict harasses the green Severum a bit, but the green sev. still eats and hides with the bigger guys who tolerate him, and will grow big enough to stand his ground. My problem is with the blue Acara. During the last 3 days, I noticed that he isn't eating (rejects whatever he takes in his mouth), and is starting to get harassed from the convict, who must sense that he is sick, because the Acara used to chase him and is much bigger. He doesn't seem very active, except when the convict is chasing him. The Acara was bold and hungry for the first 4-5 days or so. The following is noteworthy:
1) I noticed ich on the green sev on the 3rd day, so I medicated with Quick Cure for 3 days (removed my penguin tetras to a smaller tank and half-dosed them) until the signs went away. If I'm right, I should do another 2 or 3 day cycle after waiting 5 or 6 days?
< If you really have ich in your tank, then that could be a problem. While looking for little white spots on the fish you must realize that the parasites are attacking the gills too. Some other symptoms would be fishes dashing against a rock or sand too. What for the white spots at treat accordingly.>
2) increased the temp from 77 to 80F to speed up the ich, which is now back down to 77(I thought that maybe the higher temp was making my Acara uncomfortable?)
< All your fish could easily handle 80 degrees. This would help combat the ich too.>
3) the tank had a mini cycle after the additions which ended yesterday after nitrites reaching 1ppm(I have done 25% water changes for the past 2 days and now my amm. and nitrites are zero)
So, I'm hoping that one of the above is the cause. Maybe sensitivity to the Quick Cure?
< The Acara may have been weakened by the ich but usually they are not too sensitive to the medication. Watch out for the medication affecting the bacteria bed. Check ammonia for spikes.> Maybe acara's are really sensitive to nitrites?
<Not really> Or maybe a parasite from the beginning? the Acara ate just fine for at least a couple of days though).
Your advice would be greatly appreciated. I was told that acara's would be okay with a convict. This Acara has the most colourful finnage. I'd hate to lose him. If it's a case of not being able to live with a convict, I'll take the con back even though he is really cool eats up every scrap). What can I do to assess the acara's condition?
< Seperate the Acara from the rest of the tank. Keep him at 80 degrees. Offer him some small washed earthworms. If he doesn't eat them then there is a problem. Watch for additional problems and stay in touch. If he eats the earthworm then fatten him up for a couple of days. Before you put him back into the main tank you can rearrange the decorations add the fish back into the tank and turn off the lights for the night. In the morning all the fish will be busy trying to establish new territories and may not pick exclusively on the new guy. You convict comes from Central America and is well known for being aggressive. If the problem persists then either the Acara needs to toughen up or you will need to get rid of the convict. maybe more decorations are needed in the way of rocks or driftwood.>
And should I add aquarium salt for stress relief?
< Salt will increase that slime on the fish and not much else> I must apologize that most of my info has come from research on the net - I still lack the knowledge of experience!! (I'm definitely over-sensitive). I've only been at this for 6 months. Should I just wait it out?
< Your blue Acara can only take so much abuse. They can go a week without eating but damaged fins don't grow back nearly as nice. -Chuck>
Thanks again for your advice!
Corey Cormier

Frelling Red Devil!
Hi!
I was wondering if you could help me with an issue that I am having with my Red Devil. He is an adult male, and approximately 10 inches in length. About a week ago I put him in a new 60 gallon aquarium and now he has not eaten in a week. The pH is set proper and so is the temp. I have tried all the foods he normally eats and then some. He still won't eat. I thought that it may be
because he is still getting acquainted with his new surroundings but I don't feel like it should take this long. What do you think and do you have any answers that may help me save my fish? He is active and still moves his gravel around. How long can he go without eating?
< Cichlids in general are territorial and seem to be more shaken up by a change in surroundings then most other fish. A couple of things come to mind. If the tank is in a new location then additional foot traffic may make him more reluctant to come out. Brighter colored gravel may make him more obvious and once again more reluctant to come out. Try some washed earthworms to get him going. If the temperature is around 80 then he can probably go a couple of weeks without too much suffering.-Chuck>
Ron Sankary

Jaguar Cichlid
Hi. I just recently purchased a very large, I'd say about 9 inches long, African Managuense. I have never seen one this big before that's what tempted me towards the purchase! I am not sure though how much and how often I should feed this species especially considering this size? His second day at home in his new 45 gallon tank he ate all 10 large goldfish
that I brought home! Is 10 goldfish in one hour too much? When do you suppose I feed him a gain? He is a monster but I don't want to under or over feed based on his size. Any suggestions on the frequency and amounts for feeding?
Thanks! Chris
<Hi Chris, Don here. Please make every attempt to get him off feeder fish. Sooner, NOT later you will bring in Ick or worse. You can feed him garden worms as a treat. Many good pellets and sticks out there for large cichlids. Cheaper than feeders, far safer and better food value. But I'd wait three or four days before feeding him again. After ten goldfish he needs a break. Get him good and hungry then try the sticks. Feed as much as he will eat in five to ten minutes. You should feed a fish this size every other day. Siphon out any leftovers and test the water. He will foul it quickly. This fish can hit sixteen inches, you will need a much bigger tank for him in the future. BTW, he's not African but from Central America. Read here http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Cichlasoma_managuense.html Don>

Green Terror Growing Up 8/31/05
My baby terror has a faint red outline on its tail fin, does that mean its a male?
< The red may be based on genetic factors as well as environmental factors too. I have seen no reliable indication that a tail color indicates the sex of the green terror.>
What kinds of foods do you recommend so that my terror will grow big and beautiful?
< Spectrum pellets, Marineland pellets, OSI flake, and some earthworms when he gets larger.-Chuck>

Pleco feeding
Hi,
Thanks for your help. I took your advice and got two pleco's to go in my tank with my Oscars and Severums.
Everyone is still quite small ( Oscars are already bigger than the rest ). I never see the pleco's eating
( one is Gibbiceps Pleco and the other is a Gold Nugget ), so at night night I place some algae wafers
and cucumber slices in the tank.
<Good idea. Do you have a bit of sunken "driftwood" in the tank? A very useful adjunct to these Suckermouth South American Catfishes nutrition.>
I noticed the Oscars and Severums like these foods as well and my question
is : Am I over feeding the Oscars and Severums by leaving large pieces vegetables in tank overnight ?
<No worries... these materials won't cause them trouble (unless there's so much in the system that it rots)>
I know about the 5 minute rule...but Am worried about the pleco's not having a chance to eat if I don't
leave the food in overnight. The tank is a newly cycled tank and is very clean.
Thanks,
Adam
<Do keep an eye on ammonia for a few weeks more... and start in with regular (weekly, biweekly...) gravel vacuum, water changing, etc. Bob Fenner>

Jack Dempsey that won't eat
<<Greetings, JasonC here...>>
I've got a 5.5" Jack Dempsey Cichlid that I've had for nearly four years
that won't eat and exhibits a disturbing reaction when offered food. He will go up to the food, look like he's going to bite it, and then back up and shake his head. He also scratches himself on the gravel sometimes.
He's never been anything but a voracious eater in the past and has been
growing like crazy since I moved him into a decent sized tank (he grew an entire inch in last month). His colors are brilliant and he looks
perfectly healthy, though is very shy (used to eat from my hand, now hides behind rocks). <<How long has it been in this new tank... could just be making the adjustment, or perhaps doesn't have sufficient places to hide.>>
I've tried everything I could think of: flakes, pellets, chicken, beef,
tuna, bloodworms, live fish. The only thing he's shown any interest in
was a baby puffer fish that was in a temporary tank with him for a few
hours, and luckily my girlfriend pointed out that puffers are poisonous.
<<Lucky is right.>>
He shares the tank with a baby Managuense Cichlid that is behaving normally, though they both have decided to move most of the gravel to one side of the tank. <<Any chance of separating these two? Just on the odd chance that the Dempsey doesn't want to share, or perhaps feels a threat from the smaller fish.>>
I've been cycling the water very frequently (every four or five days) in
case water quality has been lacking. I've also examined him for external signs of disease and even peer down his throat, nothing looks awry. <<Do check your water chemistry... make sure the pH isn't off. You just want to make sure you aren't introducing the problems in your source water.>>
It's been about three weeks since he's eaten and I'm pretty stumped, any
ideas would be much appreciated. <<You might also try some live bait food, like night crawlers, ghost shrimp, or perhaps even a crayfish. Something to attract interest.>> If there's any information I left out I'll eagerly supply it.
Thanks,
Nathan French
<<Cheers, J -- >>

Re: Jack Dempsey that won't eat
Wow, thanks for the speedy response. <<You are quite welcome.>> Answers to your questions:
1. He's been in the tank for about five months. It used to have a small firemouth, juvenile green terror, and jewel cichlid (the first two are currently recuperating elsewhere, the jewel committed suicide but that's another story) but now it's just him and the Managuense. I will try adding some more things to hide behind, I removed a large lava rock when he started getting shy in hopes he'd stop being a "rockfish."
2. I don't believe he's threatened by the Managuense, it's half his size and he routinely bullies it. If they weren't separate species you'd think they are a mated pair, they stay together and attack other fish together. The Managuense has never once attacked him so I'm not worried about it.
3. I haven't tested the water quality and I probably should. <<I agree.>> I've never worried about it in the past because I keep mostly cichlids and they tend to do well in the local water supply (medium-hard, fairly neutral). <<Ever test for chlorine/amine? Do you let your water sit for a couple of days before adding?>> I've been picking up some non-cichlids lately though so it may be time to get a little more serious about water quality.
Also you didn't touch on the gravel-scratching behaviour. <<No, I didn't... you mentioned in your previous email that you had checked it over and all seemed well.>> He seems irritated, which is why I suspected parasites early on but just haven't found any. <<Well, you could still treat as if there are parasites.>> I've been thinking of giving him a salt bath, is there any risk to this? <<You mean like the opposite of a freshwater bath for a saltwater fish? I'm not familiar with the procedure for freshwater fish. It would 'seem' like it might work, but I'm not at all sure what the affect would be on your fish. I'll do some more checking around... in the meanwhile, keep up the observation and perhaps consider quarantine and treatment with other treatments if a parasite shows itself.>>
Thanks,
Nathan French
PS: It turns out the (dwarf) freshwater puffers I have aren't poisonous, but still they're too cute to become feeder sacrifices.
<<Good enough. Cheers, J -- >>

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