Aulonocara Questions

[morleyz]

I currently have 7 aulonocara hansbaenschi in a 150G tank. They're currently about 1.5-2" long. I'm very green in the field of africans, so hopefully you can bear with me.

Other inhabitants are:
5 maylandia esterae
1 nimbochromis venustus

Future inhabitants likely to be:
placidochromis penochilus
cyrtocara moorii
a few syonodontis
others...TBD

Currently, my staple food is Wardleys cichlid flakes. One thing I noticed is that even though I've seen many websites emphasizing a low protein diet for most malawi species, the cichlid flakes are the highest crude protein of all the food I currently own...so:

What is a good staple food?
What are some good ocasional foods?
When are they likely to start showing color?
How long before they are sexually mature and then fully grown?

Sorry for the long post and the newbieish questions...

Thanks.

 

[Hatter]

What is a good staple food?

I would highly recommend HBH Graze Veggie Flake from www.Jehmco.com (thanks Mojo) as a primary food (or any good spirulina flake). I also use regular flake like Tetramin for variety every 3rd day or so. They easily digest the flake. I also use pellets the same way, but flake more often than pellet. I use HBH soft and moist w/krill for majority of pellet feedings, but I also use the smaller variety of Spectrum cichlid pellets. I like smaller pellets as they seem to digest them easier. About the protien, I would think that pertains mostly to Mbuna. The Aulonocara eat invertabrates in the wild, that would suggest protien to me...

I have used this basic diet for years and have not had problems. I see good growth, good coloring and my females are almost always holding.

For fry and smaller juvenile's I also would suggest Cyclopseeze (sp?).


What are some good ocasional foods?

Veggies (mine like cucumber), algae wafers, brine shrimp(I've had bad experiences with it, but some friends swear by it. My advice, go very easy with it if you use it).


When are they likely to start showing color?

Should get a dominant male to color between 1.75-2" or so. Usually only one male of a given variety will color. Sometimes more will color around the edges in a large, crowded tank from what I've seen, but one will be much more vibrant.


How long before they are sexually mature and then fully grown?

Shortly after the male colors up you should start to see females holding. They may spit the first batches before their time, but they will get it right soon after.

I'm bad at estimating time that has passed in regards to fish growth, but maybe 2-2 1/2 years for adult size? A good size tank (ie your 150), quality foods and plenty of water changes all help growth.


Good luck, they are beautiful fish when adults.

 

[morleyz]

Thanks Hatter...that helps a lot.

 

[Hatter]

I got your PM and sent two replies, let me know if you didn't get them.

 

[Barbie]

Low protein is important for the pseudotropheus herbivores that graze algae from the rocks. Aulonacara have diets in the wild that contain more protein, and hence have the digestive tract built to deal with it. I feed my different types of aulonacara Cichlid Excel, Tetra bits, the new Marineland bio blend foods, veggies, algae wafters, and basically anything else I have in my hand at feeding time. Occasionally even shredded crab and shrimp if I thawed too much for the rays. They thrive on it. Hope that helps

Barbie

 

[seangingras]

osi small spirulina pellets

I also have some peacocks in with some estherae and I feed them OSI spirulina pellets(small) it works great I have never had to deal with the bloat, all the fish are colored up beautifully and they are all breeding.