Let's talk about cichlid diet.........

[Jim in Michiana]

I always thought there were very few acceptable foods for cichlids.... For herbivores, there was spirulina, nori, raw veggies, etc....... So I started to check out ingredients of popular fish foods......... I found.........

Krill Meal, Fish Meal, Wheat Middlings, Wheat, Shrimp Meal, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Wheat Flour, Distillers Dried Grains with Soluables, Brewers Dried Yeast, Spirulina, Monosodium Phosphate, Paprika, Limestone, Xanthophyll, Fish Oil, Lecithin, Salt, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, di-Alph Tocopheryl Acetate(Vitamin E Supplement), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Niacin, Caldium Pantothenate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex(source of Vitamin K activity), Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Manganese Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Iron Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Selenite, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Canthaxanthin, Astaxanthin, Beta Carotene

In addition to these ingredients, I also found some foods with dried/sprayed animal blood, some kind of poultry by-products, well, you get the picture.......

In omnivorous fish, I can understand the use of items like fish meal, krill meal, shrimp meal, but I'm struggling to see the purpose of several of the listed ingredients.... mainly the yeast, soybeans, wheat flour, paprika, the copper compunds and especially the LIMESTONE !!!!!!

Tell me what you feed your herbivores, your omnivores, and your predator cichlids.

 

[maverickbr77]

What I remember from feeds and feeding class (this was for mammals but most probably still applies)

Yeast has been shown to improve feed efficiency and stimulate digestive microbes. Soybean is great source of plant based protein.
Wheat flour is a source of starches.
Paprika likely a flavor enhancer but that's just a game.
Copper is important for the immune system and blood formation.
Limestone is a buffer and calcium source.

 

[kenyi]

For my mbuna (mainly herbivores) I feed spirulina brine shrimp, peas, zuchinni, African cichlid pellet, cichlid flake, the occasional bloodworm, and my favorite San Francisco Bay's frozen Emerald Entrée: It's the only purely "herbivorous" meal that my mbuna absolutely love.

I tend to not get so worked up over ingredients, I read them but I tell myself that as long as I have had success and I buy trusted brands such as Hikari, HBH, San Francisco Bay and Omega One and I feed a balanced diet of frozen veggies, pellets, flakes, and frozen food I should be OK.

 

[happypoet]

Could Paprika be a color-enhancer for the fish?

 

[maverickbr77]

ok so a few mins of research turned up this http://fish.mongabay.com/food.htm

Vitamin B1 (thiamin)
effect: breakdown of carbohydrates, promotes growth and fertility
symptoms of deficiency: frightened behavior, poor growth, decline in appetite.
source: paprika, peas, carrots, spinach

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
effect: control of enzymes and proteins
symptoms of deficiency: cloudy eyes, poor growth, loss of appetite
source: spinach, peas, paprika, carrots

Vitamin B3 (Nicotin acid)
effect: food breakdown of proteins
symptoms of deficiency: weakness, aimless movements, tumors
source: peas, liver, spinach, paprika

Vitamin B5 (Pantothene acid)
effect: hormone production, metabolism
symptoms of deficiency: weakness, sticking gill membranes
source: liver, paprika

Vitamin B6 (Pyridomin) and B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
effect: enzymes, protein metabolism
symptoms of deficiency: increased panting, loss of appetite, timidness, poor growth
source: liver, paprika

Choline
effect: growth, fat production, coloration
symptoms of deficiency: enlarged kidney and liver
source: paprika

So there you go paprika is a source of B vitamins and choline

Edit and vitamin C
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)
effect: bone and tooth development, healing, digestion
symptoms of deficiency: altered skin, liver, and muscle tissue
source: paprika, peas, spinach

 

[dafishman]

Or it could all be to make the fish taste better when you fry 'em up. Kind of like pre-seasoning?

 

[happypoet]

I need to eat more paprika!

 

[67chevelle]

Could Paprika be a color-enhancer for the fish?

Yes.

 

[Pittbull]

NLS pellets and flakes and freeze dried Krill..
Frozen Krill and Mysis shrimp..

But almost all of my fish are Carnivores

 

[kay-bee]

This is what I primarily provide for my tropheus and mbuna's:

I also feed them NLS (Cichlid Formula) several times a week.

My frontosa's and cyrtocara moorii's eat primarily NLS Large Fish Formula, occasionally supplemented with frozen mysis, krill, 3" silversides and raw shrimp from the supermarket.