Feeding Yellow Labs

[Ashy_]

I've got 3 yellow labs, about 2-3" and i don't really know how much to feed them. I only have your typical tropical flakes atm and i've been feeding them twice daily like it says on the tub, about 3 flakes each.

How much should i be giving them?

 

[Vengeful Silence]

Hi, Ashy. Congratulations on your purchase. Yellow labs are one of two mbuna that I actually like.

In terms of feeding, mbuna can be a little more difficult than other fish. If not fed the proper food or the proper amount (within reason), they can develop something called malawi bloat, which would be bad.

The first thing you need to do is get some quality vegetable-based fish food. I personally like the kelp veggie flakes that Omega One makes. Some nori would be a good purchase, too. These fish are herbivorous and, if fed a heavily meat-based diet, will not do well.

In terms of how much you're feeding, it sounds pretty good to me. The best way to tell if you're feeding the right amount is through observation. Your fish should always appear alert and hungry. If, after feeding, your fish become very lethargic, sit on the bottom, or clamp their fins, you are feeding too much. If they continue to be frantic, it may not be quite enough. It's something you have to learn to judge for yourself. Just keep in mind, it's far easier to overfeed a fish than to underfeed one.

Best of luck with your new fish. Please post back with any further questions, or if I didn't answer thoroughly enough for your liking. I'd also like to know, just for my own curiosity, if you have, or are planning, any tankmates for the labs.

 

[lalo99]

I usually feed what my fish will eat within a few seconds. Sound like your fine there. Yellow labs are not herbivores. They are omnivores.They will eat variety of food. A good quality pellet like new life spectrum should be great as a staple food. Treats can include mysis and brine shrimp, Bloodworms etc.

 

[Vengeful Silence]

I stand corrected, lalo99. Thank you for catching that.

 

[Ashy_]

Thanks, i might get a demasoni or a big blue peacock or maybe some zebras. I got the labs as they pretty much go with everything i like. They act like their starved its quite funny, if i watch them from afar they happily swim around but if igo near the tank they swim up n down the front of the glass for attention. Easily the best fish ive ever had, shame they dont use the rock work i paid a fortune for! I already have a bully but i expected that from mbunas.

I will get them some better food in time, can i use catfish pellets i have some of them?

 

[dthoffsett]

Thanks, i might get a demasoni or a big blue peacock or maybe some zebras. I got the labs as they pretty much go with everything i like. They act like their starved its quite funny, if i watch them from afar they happily swim around but if igo near the tank they swim up n down the front of the glass for attention. Easily the best fish ive ever had, shame they dont use the rock work i paid a fortune for! I already have a bully but i expected that from mbunas.

I will get them some better food in time, can i use catfish pellets i have some of them?

Mbuna will always appear hungry, if they aren't interested in food they are dead, dying, or holding. I fed mine as much as they could eat in 20-30 seconds, twice a day, I also skipped feeding them one day a week.

If you are going to add more mbuna however, you'll want to go with a more veggie based diet. While l.caeruleus are omnivores (they mostly eat insects and small crustaceans in the wild), the P.demasoni you are considering aren't and will get bloat if fed too many "meaty" foods. The peacock would appreciate the same diet as the labs though.

What kind of catfish pellets do you have, could you list the main ingredients?

 

[Ashy_]

fish products, cereal grains

 

[dthoffsett]

fish products, cereal grains

Does it specify the ingredients or just say fish products and cereal grains?

 

[Ashy_]

Basicly it. Cereal grains product & by-product, oil seeds, oil seed products & by-products, oils & fats, animal products & minerals. I saw some cichlid floating pellets today and they were the same ingredients.

Saw some beautiful zebras today with yellow fins just called pseudotropheus (YELLOW DORSAL) 4 for 19quid, thought about a male n 3 females should go with my labs nicely

 

[dthoffsett]

Basicly it. Cereal grains product & by-product, oil seeds, oil seed products & by-products, oils & fats, animal products & minerals. I saw some cichlid floating pellets today and they were the same ingredients.

Saw some beautiful zebras today with yellow fins just called pseudotropheus (YELLOW DORSAL) 4 for 19quid, thought about a male n 3 females should go with my labs nicely

Hmm, without them listing specific ingredients, I'd give it a skip. With most mbuna you really have to check labels even with food labeled for cichlids, most of them are marketed for New Worlds. Unless the food specifically says African Cichlids it's probably heavily fish and grain based. As lalo suggested New Life Spectrum cichlid forum is an excellent staple food (you'll probably need to order it online), spirulina flakes or pellets are a great supplement 3-4 times a week, you can give them frozen brine shrimp (spirulina enhanced if you can find it) once a week as a treat and they also really love the algae tablets marketed for plecos.

 

[mixmaster jay]

my hong's eat anything from salmon to lettuce cucuber ect also proper cichlid flakes and pellets and they seem to love it lol they know when its feeding time they nip your fingers as i feed my giant gourami/clarias and shark cat by hand (i like to tame them up i find it quite satisfying lol)