feeding problems

[stillballin145]

i have 3 cichlids(agressive)..2 little ones and 1 big one. also got a male peacock in my 20g long. i couldnt wait to see them eat live fish as i did at the LFS so i bought 8 feeders and threw them in one by one. nothing at all happened. arent aggressive fish supposed to attack and have lunch ? whats the deal ?

 

[stillballin145]

all they eat is the pellets and some ham every once in a while..

 

[420Loach]

how big are they? i think only large cichlids eat feeder fish(oscars,midas,flowerhorn,ect.)

 

[wayne]

I can't believe you're so excited by feedingfeeders- prepare to be flamed.
Frankly only larger cichlids will touch feeders, most fish will eat very small fish ie fry if they get the chance. Feeders are just a p.i.t.a., and a good source of malnutrition and diesease.
Which cichlids did you get? Agressive? - what to? I have aggressive fish that eat nothing but plant matter, but they're still aggressive to each other for territory.
The peacock is never going to be interestd in feeders.

 

[Flex26]

I don't think that the aggressiveness of a fish dictates it's diet. I think you need to find out if the fish is carnivorous, omnivorous, herbivorous before you start feeding feeder fish. (I think there are some more terms, but I don't know what they are )

It sounds like your peacock is an african. They normally eat plants. However, I have read that you can feed them brineshrimp and bloodworms occasionally. But usually they eat plants.

 

[stillballin145]

can i add a red belly pacu and an oscar(both same size as other cichlids,small) ? will they do good together or will they kill eachother ? i was thinking on putting these 2 fish as the last ones to finish off my tank. help..thanks in advance-

 

[420Loach]

i dont know about the pacu, but the oscar will not fit in a 20 gal. i just decided to not get one for my 55 because of its full grown size. if you want an oscar you should have a 55-75 gal tank for it by its self with excellent filtration. how big are your current cichlids?

 

[stillballin145]

my cichlids are about 2inchs long. please help! i need to know if i can have the pacu and a small oscar, same size as cichlids, in my tank!!

 

[wayne]

No you can't because they grow astonishly quickly, the oscar will hit a foot and the pacu about 3 feet I think. They will grow quickly, eat the others and then die of ill health. You need at least a 55 for the oscar big, big , big for the pacu. Don't even bother buying the fish if you haven't got those big tanks as they'll get big real quick - I had a tilapia grow from 3 to 10 inches in about 6 months, and these fish might do the same.
Go and look at some full grown examples of these fish in a good shop - not petco or whatever, and decide for yourself if they'll go in a 20.
Realistically if you want to keep big, character, aggressive fish you need a much, much larger tank than a 20. You could keep , maybe some lake tangs, but only a pair of brichardi for example, or a trio of peacocks. But you will ahve to choose very carefully.

 

[Eli916]

DONT GET A PACU!!!!!!!!!!!!!...i had one...grew to about 10 inches in about 4 months...I had him with my oscar and he hated him...they would always go after eachother....he grew WAY to big so i had to give him back to the fish store...and they said it was good that i did cause it was STILL growing...and it was 10 inches already...they said the can get up to 2 feet! or bigger...dont go with the pacu...they r more trouble then need..also if u have an oscar in a 20 get a bigger one fast...they grow like u wouldne belive...mine hit 9in around april and i got him in december
~Elizabeth