new to the forum, first question about new commer in tank only eats flakes

[fenlie123]

hey guys,

i have a new cichlid in my 55 gal tank, it only eats flake, and spits out NLS pellet.

any good way to let it switch from flake to pellet ?

thanks

[Greatwhite]

hey guys,

i have a new cichlid in my 55 gal tank, it only eats flake, and spits out NLS pellet.

any good way to let it switch from flake to pellet ?

thanks

I don't have (any) experience with Cichlids, but I do have experience with NLS flakes and pellets - and salty fish in general.  A fish will eat whatever it likes.  I have some Chromis who only like flakes so far and spit out NLS pellets.  The Chromis are small, and swim around with a soft New Era marine pellet in their mouths like dogs with a stick because the pellets are too big for them.  I have a Tang that will eat anything I put in there, and Anthias who only really like mysis shrimp.

If you want to get a fish to like the pellets, only feed pellets.  In salt water, you can dose the food with garlic or some other flavor enhancer until the fish gets used to eating the pellet.  Then ween them off the flavor enhancer and you should be good to go.

[fenlie123]

I don't have (any) experience with Cichlids, but I do have experience with NLS flakes and pellets - and salty fish in general.  A fish will eat whatever it likes.  I have some Chromis who only like flakes so far and spit out NLS pellets.  The Chromis are small, and swim around with a soft New Era marine pellet in their mouths like dogs with a stick because the pellets are too big for them.  I have a Tang that will eat anything I put in there, and Anthias who only really like mysis shrimp.

If you want to get a fish to like the pellets, only feed pellets.  In salt water, you can dose the food with garlic or some other flavor enhancer until the fish gets used to eating the pellet.  Then ween them off the flavor enhancer and you should be good to go.

thanks, the fish wont eat any pellets, i tried differnet brands. i think i will try not feed for couple days.

[Nerine]

are the pellets too big? too hard? My gourami won't eat the pellets unless they have been soaked first! but the severum doesn't care and will eat anything in front of his face and suck on them till they are soft.

just make sure they aren't too large for the fish!

[fenlie123]

are the pellets too big? too hard? My gourami won't eat the pellets unless they have been soaked first! but the severum doesn't care and will eat anything in front of his face and suck on them till they are soft.

just make sure they aren't too large for the fish!

thanks  for the reply, the pellets are 1mm, the smallest. i dont think the food is too hard for the fish cause everyone else likes it.

[Greatwhite]

ya, NLS pellets are a nice size and they get soaked through real fast once they hit the water...  It's just going to be a matter of the fish getting used to the new food source.

[limmer]

You did not say what kind of cichlid or how big.
Is it only one or more?
NLS comes in 3 sizes in pellets. 

[TLe041]

When the fish gets hungry enough, he'll probably be less picky and accept the NLS pellets. Personally, I'd stop feeding the flakes and use the pellets exclusively. I'm willing to bet he'll accept the new food way before he dies of starvation.

[fenlie123]

When the fish gets hungry enough, he'll probably be less picky and accept the NLS pellets. Personally, I'd stop feeding the flakes and use the pellets exclusively. I'm willing to bet he'll accept the new food way before he dies of starvation.

right now, i only feed with NLS, he was eating the fragment come from other's mouth.  hope he wont die, and get used to NLS soon, it's been a week.

[fenlie123]

You did not say what kind of cichlid or how big.
Is it only one or more?
NLS comes in 3 sizes in pellets. 

it's a baby fish around 1 inch, the pellet i feed is the smallest one

[freshwaterfun]

another thing you can do to make them eat whatever you want them to eat is get some garlic grind it and add a bit of water add the droplets to the food of your choice using a medicine dropper or something similar garlic has 2 great properties when it comes to fish a) it helps fight internal parasites b) the smell of the garlic itself is like catnip for fish irresistible.

If any of my fish are picky eaters i do this to change there diet it even works for oscars if you feed them night crawlers too often they will only eat that to get them to be less stubborn a few drops of garlic on your choice of food and bam diet change.

i also  make beefheart fish food for my american cichlids i remove all the veins and fat from the meat then add 1 clove of garlic grind it up and throw it in the mix it doesnt even have time to cloud the water its eaten so quickly

[fenlie123]

another thing you can do to make them eat whatever you want them to eat is get some garlic grind it and add a bit of water add the droplets to the food of your choice using a medicine dropper or something similar garlic has 2 great properties when it comes to fish a) it helps fight internal parasites b) the smell of the garlic itself is like catnip for fish irresistible.

If any of my fish are picky eaters i do this to change there diet it even works for oscars if you feed them night crawlers too often they will only eat that to get them to be less stubborn a few drops of garlic on your choice of food and bam diet change.

i also  make beefheart fish food for my american cichlids i remove all the veins and fat from the meat then add 1 clove of garlic grind it up and throw it in the mix it doesnt even have time to cloud the water its eaten so quickly

thanks