Water Changes and Growth

DeputyChiefJR

DeputyChiefJR

Glub! Glub!
Jan 18, 2006
431
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Central Ct
I know my cichlids, with proper feeding and water changes, go through growth spurts. How much growth can you influence through this? How often would I do water changes to maximize this?
 
With more feeding you are going to have to do more W/C. You can feed them three times a day which will definately make them grow faster. You will have to check Nitrates to get a W/C schedule to fit your feeding schedule.
 
Its up to you on the issue of water changes and feedings but you are right to notice that frequent water changes will aid in growth for normal growing cichlids, with that in mind some of your Tanganyika's will still grow very slowly with frequent water changes provided..

You can do a daily water change or weekly and both will aid in growth ratio to water changes.. Everyday will be a tiresome event and soon you would burn out on the daily chores of water changes, find whats comfortable for you and have fun eventually your fish will reach their peak..
 
I generally reccomend trying to keep nitrates at 20 or below for optimum health and growth so whatever water change schedule achieves this is good.
 
Currently, I feed once a day and do a water change about once a week. I know it's bad, but I never test my water because my town has some of the best water in the country and the tank has been established for about 4 years. Any fish loss I have ever suffered has been aggression based and mostly only took learning to mix the right combo of fish together. They're all mbuna, btw, not tangs.
 
How do you avoid the bloat that kills them?
 
Buy feeding a low protein diet nothing more than 39% and a spirulina/kelp based diet, supplement with some lives and frozens foods once a week and the bloat should stay away..

Feed twice a day - EX. would be feed spirulina/kelp in the morning as a breakfast feeding and before bed time feed a small pellet like NLS cichlid pellet and a flake like NLS garlic color enhancer works best but this is your choice..

Supplement with a feeding of live brine/black worms once a week and you can alternate weeks with lives and frozens..

Take care my friend..
 
People say.... 25% WATER CHANGE WEEKLY...etc but basicly, test your water, if you have an issue, do a change, if the water is good leave it as it is....

Test your water 1 to 2 times a week or once every 2 weeks and then act accordingly to that.

works for me.
 
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