What to feed my American Cichlids

[d3adlydesignz]

So I have 2 tanks one is Central American and the 2nd one is South American. I'm wanting to make my own fish food to feed to my Cichlids once or twice a week. What are some store bought things that would be good for them Shrimp, Clam, Etc? I also read that when making my own fish food I can add medications if needed. So if this is the case it will help if any of my fish happen to catch illness and need medicated.

 

[dan518]

What different species do you have, Parachromis and Cincelichthys sp are both central American but have different dietary needs for example.

 

[d3adlydesignz]

Central is Jack D, Firemouth, Convicts, Salvini
South is Oscar, Green terror, Red terror, choc cichlid, severums

 

[shamrock]

Central is Jack D, Firemouth, Convicts, Salvini
South is Oscar, Green terror, Red terror, choc cichlid, severums

stay away from fatty foods like beefheart or feeders.
I have similar fish and stick strictly with dry food like pellets or flakes made for cichlids.
Like I said whatever you do, do not feed them beefheart, live food, shrimp, or anything fatty.

 

[Jason_S]

you should be able to do a quick google search for homemade fish food recipes and get a lot of popular options. shrimp, clams, mussells, chicken, peas, carrots, etc are all ingredients I've seen listed in recipes I've looked at. I don't know about adding medications but I have seen most recommend some sort of vitamin supplement. There are several online vendors that offer liquid vitamins specifically for fish that can be added. In particular I'd check Dr Fosters and Smith's website.

 

[Athletic_Amph]

something that I made and fed to both my Rivulatus' and Midas' was as follows:
1 pound of (wild caught *only*) cod
a small garlic bulb
4 packets of Knox gelatin
crushed up flakes / pellets / any other daily food used
a bag of peas

mince/puree the garlic in a cup
crush up any pellets / flakes you normally feed
blend the cod (or any *wild caught* white fish) as fine as possible

then follow the directions on the Knox gelatin packs... adding the mixture to the water while heating the water
-I added the pureed garlic in with the gelatin
once you remove the pot of water from the burner, add all your ingredients and mix thoroughly
Once satisfied with the consistency, spread it over a cookie sheet or two - approximately 1/4" thick and place in the fridge

I let my trays sit in the fridge overnight, removed them the next morning to cut up in to sheets, stuck the sheets in Ziploc bags, and threw them in the freezer

my fish devoured the food:

 

[d3adlydesignz]

you should be able to do a quick google search for homemade fish food recipes and get a lot of popular options. shrimp, clams, mussells, chicken, peas, carrots, etc are all ingredients I've seen listed in recipes I've looked at. I don't know about adding medications but I have seen most recommend some sort of vitamin supplement. There are several online vendors that offer liquid vitamins specifically for fish that can be added. In particular I'd check Dr Fosters and Smith's website.

Yeah sorry didn't mean medications I meant vitimans.

something that I made and fed to both my Rivulatus' and Midas' was as follows:
1 pound of (wild caught *only*) cod
a small garlic bulb
4 packets of Knox gelatin
crushed up flakes / pellets / any other daily food used
a bag of peas

mince/puree the garlic in a cup
crush up any pellets / flakes you normally feed
blend the cod (or any *wild caught* white fish) as fine as possible

then follow the directions on the Knox gelatin packs... adding the mixture to the water while heating the water
-I added the pureed garlic in with the gelatin
once you remove the pot of water from the burner, add all your ingredients and mix thoroughly
Once satisfied with the consistency, spread it over a cookie sheet or two - approximately 1/4" thick and place in the fridge

I let my trays sit in the fridge overnight, removed them the next morning to cut up in to sheets, stuck the sheets in Ziploc bags, and threw them in the freezer

my fish devoured the food:

Also thanks for the advice!! Seems like exactly what I was looking for. Main reason I know their not supposed to have a stick one type of food diet. So having the meat, veggies, and pellets covers it all.! Nice recipe and I like the garlic added in there too for the immune system.

 

[RealCrix220]

I have a large American cichlid set up and I feed all sorts of dry and frozen foods but I must say I really like useing the tetra discus or prima dry food. I really thought It brought out the colour in my red terrors and red tigers.

 

[cichlidfish]

I feed mine NLS pellets mostly. Mostly NLS cichlasomma formula and thera A+. A good quality pellet is all you really need.

 

[duanes]

OP Since your fish are omnivores, a diet with Spirulina(and other algae based foods like kelp and nouri) would be best. These algal products provide HUFA and iodine your fish get grazing algae in nature.
Even when predators (carnivores) catch prey, they eat the entire fish(head, intestines, bones etc), or insect or crustacean(carapace, veggies the thing eats), so they get the benefits or what the prey has eaten.
Feeding fish fillets, shrimp meat etc can be lacking in many of the nutrients needed, unless you add them to your mix.