View Full Version : I have a feeding problem!
well i bought a nimb venustus about a week back.its a 6 inch long cichlid, yellow body and bright blue face. since then i fed it flakes and it chews them up and spits them out.and then i got pellet food especially for cichlids and this too was refused. im having to feed it worms at the moment but i wish it wud simply eat the flakes or pellets. its in a 4 ft tank with a cuple of angel fishes, a blck shark and a silver shark. just curious to knw weather it cud b because the fish is settling in or cud it b ill. i heard they wud eat n e ting it can!
thnx!
PumaWard
07-23-2005, 2:57 PM
Sorry, I can't answer your question, but I have to tell you something.
Venestus get big and nasty. The malawi cichilds that get 8-10'' and should be kept in a rift set up. He will probably kill everything in your tank.
Black sharks get 2ft+ and grumpy.... and the silver sharks (irredescents or balas??) probably aren't the right fit either. Balas need to be kept in groups and need tanks around 120g to be happy... irredescents get 3ft+ and need humungo tanks.
Sorry I couldn't help with your question.
XSeaNX
07-24-2005, 4:25 AM
I will agree with puma that honest malawi cichlids dont do very well outside of a species only tank. you would be much better off with the malawi in a tank with other malawis.
however as far as your question if it is not tank raise (and most likely imported) it is going to be used to its natural live prey. To getmost cichlids it eat pellets just starve it for 2-3 days and try the pellets again if it doesnt take give it another day or 2...I have had some cichlidsthat I have had to start for 6 days to get them to accept pellets and is now their primary diet (in example with the oscars I feed pellets everyother day and earthworms, prawns, and crickets the other 3 days to vary the diet a bit)
if its still not accepting the pellets feed it and try the process again...some fish are very had to train most are not. If the above way fails...start supplementing other food with either crushed cichlid pellet powder (so it gets used to the taste...I used to wet crickets and roll them in it) or a vitamin supplement that you can usually get online that again is a powder additive either stuffed into prawns/shrimp or coated on other food.
ima try the starving technique and see how it goes. ill keep u posted and let u knw if he starts eating. thnx for thwe help. if ne other ideas out there id still apreciate them!
f8ldzz
07-25-2005, 7:13 AM
ima try the starving technique and see how it goes.
Starving technique???