Cichlid
Herbivores, omnivores and carnivores
Cichlids are not one diet. The most important split is between the grazers and the predators.
- Grazers: most Lake Malawi mbuna (such as Pseudotropheus, Maylandia and Labeotropheus) and Tanganyika Tropheus. Their long guts are built for algae. Rich foods can trigger bloat, which is often fatal.
- Omnivores: yellow labs, peacocks, angelfish, firemouths, convicts and severums do well on a balanced pellet with some greens and frozen foods.
- Carnivores: oscars, Jack Dempseys, frontosa and many haps want a higher protein pellet plus frozen or prepared meaty foods.
How much and how often
Overfeeding is the most common feeding mistake. Uneaten food rots, pushes up ammonia and nitrate, and fuels algae. A good rule is to feed what your fish can finish in under a minute, once or twice a day. Growing juveniles can take three small feedings a day.
- Learn what your fish eat in the wild. Mbuna graze algae, so they need plant based foods. Oscars, Jack Dempseys and many haps eat insects, crustaceans and small fish, so they want higher protein.
- Pick a quality staple. Choose a pellet or flake made for your group: spirulina based for mbuna and tropheus, a balanced cichlid pellet for most New World fish.
- Feed small portions. Give only what the fish finish in about 30 to 60 seconds. For most adult cichlids, once or twice a day is plenty.
- Add variety. Offer frozen foods such as brine shrimp, mysis or bloodworm a few times a week for carnivores. Blanched peas, zucchini or spinach work for herbivores.
- Skip a day each week. One fasting day a week helps digestion and keeps nitrate down.
Foods to avoid
- Feeder goldfish: they carry parasites and are high in fats that are poor for cichlids. A quality pellet is safer and cheaper.
- Mammal meat such as beef heart in large amounts: hard to digest and fouls water quickly.
- Heavy protein for mbuna: bloodworms and high protein pellets are a common cause of Malawi bloat.
Going on vacation
Healthy adult cichlids can easily go several days without food. For trips longer than that, use an automatic feeder you have tested at home first, rather than a slow release vacation block, which can foul water.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I feed my cichlids?
Most adult cichlids do best with one or two small feedings a day, eaten within about a minute. Juveniles can have two or three smaller feedings.
What is Malawi bloat?
A serious digestive illness seen mostly in mbuna, often linked to high protein diets, stress and poor water quality. Signs include a swollen belly, hiding and stringy white feces. Prevention is a vegetable based diet and clean water.
Can I feed my oscar feeder fish?
It is not recommended. Feeder fish often carry disease and parasites. A quality cichlid pellet with some frozen foods gives better nutrition.
What you will need
- Spirulina based cichlid foodDaily staple for mbuna and other grazers.Check price on Amazon
- Large cichlid pelletsA balanced staple for oscars and big New World cichlids.Check price on Amazon
- Frozen mysis or brine shrimpA healthy treat a few times a week.Check price on Amazon
- Automatic fish feederFor trips and busy weeks.Check price on Amazon
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