Who Gives A Fish Forums

The title pretty much covers it.

Cichlids - what's on the menu, then? Anything from a human's kitchen cupboard, maybe?

I give my Mbuna a mix of New Life Spectrum sinking pellets and TetraCichlid flakes as staples. Occasionally, I'll treat them to Hikari Bio-Pure freeze dried brine shrimp or Wardleys freeze dried Tubifex worms, but that's a rare thing. I've also been known to give them some freeze dried bloodworm every now and then.

In terms of "human food", I've found they go nuts for boiled and deshelled peas, which I give them once a week. I also throw in some blanched zucchini and cucumber every other week. If anyone's got other ideas for "human food" I can try out, I'm all ears. But honestly, those peas are the clear winner with my Mbuna - they absolutely love them.

My fish - Betta, Guppies and Neons - they absolutely love it when I give them peas as a treat. I mentioned this to my dad and he decided to try it out with his Cichlids, and they went wild, some of them even swallowing the peas whole. I'm really keen to hear about other human foods that I can try with my fish, so any suggestions would be great.

So what type of Cichlids are we talking about here, exactly?

My Mbuna used to love cucumber, lettuce and courgette.

stick some tomatoes insides in a sieve and wash, they love the seeds, my lot go mad for 'em

I've also had success with spirulina-based foods, Tetramin Pro being one of them. Adding to the suggestions above, frozen brine shrimp can be a nice treat now and then. It's best to steer clear of high-protein foods like meaty ones, as they can be tough for them to digest. To be honest, I'd avoid bloodworms altogether, just to be on the safe side.

I've had some experience with feeding my Cichlids human food. They love strawberries, tinned peaches after a good rinse, blanched pears and apples. I've also tried blanched potatoes with some success. On the protein side, prawns and shrimp are always a hit. I used to have an Oscar that was absolutely crazy for Omega dog biscuits and Ocean Sticks. Most Cichlids I've met seem to enjoy cockles and mussels. I recall having a Gourami that developed a taste for hot dogs, and my mate's Pacu would eat chicken legs and even walnuts.

Just a quick clarification, I was actually referring to Mbuna's.

I've got a mate who's got a Cichlid that goes wild for scrambled egg.