What do pike cichlids eat?

[oscarfish1395]

I recently bought a two spot pike cichlid and put it in my 30 gallon tank. right now it is about 3 1/2 to 4 inches long. the only other fish in the tank is a striped raphael catfish that is about 8 iches long. so far the only food that the pike cichlid will accept is frozen bloodworms and earthworms. he wont eat anything else. Does anyone have any experience with this kind of cichlid and do you know if it can be trained to accept prepared foods?

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Try live crickets and freeze-dried krill. If you want him to eat pellets, just starve him for a couple of days until he excepts the new food.

 

[Hooked Newbie]

You are aware of how large they get correct?

 

[oscarfish1395]

yes i am fully prepared to move him into my 180 gallom tank in that event i also tried starving him but he still would not accept the pellets

 

[Polish]

The ones I kept in the past never wanted pellets, no matter what I did. So they lived on nightcrawlers, minnows, ghost shrimp, guppies, and goldfish feeders. (This was years ago, I don't do the goldfish thing anymore)

I just picked up a new pike today and we'll see what it eats but from my experience if it's not moving they won't touch it. I hope it will prove me wrong but I'm not getting my hopes up.