Converting Cichla off Live Food

[X-Tank]

Rapps' 1st and 2nd batch kelberi are killing me. So stubborn and would NOT eat any non live food. I had a chance to buy some feeders from wholesale today, so I did an experiment.
I freezed half of feeders, and kept another half alive. When I fed my Cichla, I mixed half live and half frozen to them. Wow.... they took them indiscriminately. I was SO surprised. About couple hours later, I gave them only the frozen small goldfish feeders, guess what... they ate them no problem. I am going to keep trying this, gradually mix some chopped anchovy or something else.
So are my Cichla considered OFF live food???
Anyone tried this before?

 

[CichlaRyan]

wow good idea man, ill see to it.

 

[coeus]

pavlovs dog method... sounds fun

 

[coolermaster]

Hi guys. Do you think this will work with a 14inch stubborn ocellaris? I've already started the method..

 

[X-Tank]

Hi guys. Do you think this will work with a 14inch stubborn ocellaris? I've already started the method..

I had some 10" rapps' kelberi on live for at least 8 months since I got them. I failed to convert them into prepared food. I started to give them frozen goldfish feeders about a month ago, and now they are all taking frozen anchovy and silverside.

 

[mjoseph2]

Thanks a lot man. Is it still ok to feed them feeders now and again for variety or will that get them turned off live food?

 

[X-Tank]

Rapps' 1st and 2nd batch kelberi are killing me. So stubborn and would NOT eat any non live food. I had a chance to buy some feeders from wholesale today, so I did an experiment.
I freezed half of feeders, and kept another half alive. When I fed my Cichla, I mixed half live and half frozen to them. Wow.... they took them indiscriminately. I was SO surprised. About couple hours later, I gave them only the frozen small goldfish feeders, guess what... they ate them no problem. I am going to keep trying this, gradually mix some chopped anchovy or something else.
So are my Cichla considered OFF live food???
Anyone tried this before?

Proven to WORK.
2 weeks after they accepted frozen feeders (goldfish in this case), I mixed some frozen silverside and anchovy. Gradually I increased the proportion and finally to 100%.
200 frozen anchovy for about $4. I will still give them live occasionally.


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[CichlaRyan]

awsome video james,

are you using chopsticks? ^.^ wow... good idea man. my hands smell like frozen fish for like an hour before its rancid oder leaves >.<

 

[Angler]

Hmmm. This frozen goldfish thing is a very interesting method. I think I am going to try this tommorrow. Chopsticks are pretty dang smart too!

If you freeze the goldfish, would this also kill any disease parasites?

How do you go about freezing them? I guess there isn't really a humane way.

 

[CichlaRyan]

How do you go about freezing them? I guess there isn't really a humane way.

you really cant go about any other path unless you cut there heads off with a knife.. quick fast and done.