Flowerhorns and vegetables

[Cichlids keeper]

Consider that in nature A trimaculatus is an advanced predator (by analysis of wild caught individuals stomach contents),
but then what it is hybridized with to get a FH.
Some say Vieja, a frugivore (a fruit eater) or......
if it a one of the Herichthys, primarily omnivores, that when stomach contents of wild caught individuals are analyzed is often 50% algae.

I think it's pretty safe to say that FHs are omnivores because most are a mix of a few different species from multiple genuses with different dietary requirements.

 

[RD.]

Agreed, FH genetics would lean towards omnivorous.

JSpilo what size is your fish, and what size are the pellets? A fish that takes food in, and chews, and spits out, is typically due to the pellet being too large for the fish.

 

[Ruturaj]

Agreed, FH genetics would lean towards omnivorous.

JSpilo what size is your fish, and what size are the pellets? A fish that takes food in, and chews, and spits out, is typically due to the pellet being too large for the fish.

Didn't think about the pellet size could be the reason, my 6 inch flowerhorn eats anything of any size, I have algaemax 2mm, northfin cichlid 2mm, ultrared 3mm, hikari blood red parrot plus 3.5mm and krill pro 7mm (I ended up buying most of those for parrots).

 

[RD.]

It's actually quite common, and many hobbyists do tend to feed larger than required pellets to their fish. So yeah, it can get messy.

 

[JSpilo]

It's actually quite common, and many hobbyists do tend to feed larger than required pellets to their fish. So yeah, it can get messy.

She's 4" eats 3-4mm pellets. She'll eat anything, even first time having that food, doesn't spit out, just gobbles it up. The whole needs to get used to it idea is ridiculous. Why starve when it eats everything else without needing to starve it? If a fish needs starving to eat a particular brand, to me that brand is no good.

 

[Ruturaj]

She's 4" eats 3-4mm pellets. She'll eat anything, even first time having that food, doesn't spit out, just gobbles it up. The whole needs to get used to it idea is ridiculous. Why starve when it eats everything else without needing to starve it? If a fish needs starving to eat a particular brand, to me that brand is no good.

That brand does work well for many. For few people nothing but hikari works, doesn't make hikari better than northfin/NLS. My Parrots for whom I got northfin don't eat it but they do eat NLS and hikari. I am not saying you should feed NLS, you just can't call it no good just by one case. If you wanted to make it accept it, trying to starve was a good way.

 

[Cichlids keeper]

She's 4" eats 3-4mm pellets. She'll eat anything, even first time having that food, doesn't spit out, just gobbles it up. The whole needs to get used to it idea is ridiculous. Why starve when it eats everything else without needing to starve it? If a fish needs starving to eat a particular brand, to me that brand is no good.

The thing is Cichlids are intelligent for fish and because they're are intelligent imo they form opinions on what they like and what they don't. They won't eat what is healthy for them, they will eat what they are familiar with or what they like, kinda like a dog. If you feed a dog dry food their entire life and decide to switch to a raw diet or a new brand they aren't used to eating it's hard to get them to change because they know what they are used to. I'm not saying Cichlids are even close to the intelligence of dogs but it is kinda similar. Not saying you have to feed nls anyway it's just one among a few good options. Also what else are you feeding it besides your staple pellet because if you are feeding treats like frozen or live foods it will always take because any fish will take anything more natural over something that isn't.

 

[JSpilo]

The thing is Cichlids are intelligent for fish and because they're are intelligent imo they form opinions on what they like and what they don't. They won't eat what is healthy for them, they will eat what they are familiar with or what they like, kinda like a dog. If you feed a dog dry food their entire life and decide to switch to a raw diet or a new brand they aren't used to eating it's hard to get them to change because they know what they are used to. I'm not saying Cichlids are even close to the intelligence of dogs but it is kinda similar. Not saying you have to feed nls anyway it's just one among a few good options. Also what else are you feeding it besides your staple pellet because if you are feeding treats like frozen or live foods it will always take because any fish will take anything more natural over something that isn't.

Hikari Bio-Gold+, Northfin Koi and Omega One

Edit: I only feed it pellets nothing else

 

[Cichlids keeper]

Hikari Bio-Gold+, Northfin Koi and Omega One

Edit: I only feed it pellets nothing else

Ok that's good, why do you feed koi food though?

 

[Ruturaj]

Ok that's good, why do you feed koi food though?

His fish only eats floating pellets. I assume only northfin koi is only pellet that floats from northfin.