[Cichlidsrule102]

Hey everyone, I'm just wondering how I can bring out the best, most intense colours in my fire mouth cichlid. He is a 1in juvie occupying a 2ft grow out tank with a baby tandanus tandanus of around 4in. I have Pisces Coral Sand Micro as the substrate, as I believe both fish like hardish water. (its my old A.Calvus tank, RIP). I have some driftwood, a half coconut shell cave, a couple of large rocks, one granite, one a thick piece of slate which is set vertically to create a wall, and a hair grass plant. I plan to get some more plants. I feed him Hikari Sinking Carnivore pellets, Hikari cichlid pellets (not sure what type as a friend gave the cichlid pellets to me in a ziplock bag) and cichlid flakes, supplemented regularly with peeled peas. (the catfish shares the same diet). Anything that I could do better the colours of my fire mouth? I have seen some absolute stunners before.

 

[jaysee]

If those hikari foods are anything like the betta food, with regards to its gratuitous use of wheat along with soy, corn and potato, switching to a higher quality food will help. Krill is a natural color enhancer, and is the top ingredient in NLS foods.

BUT, if you want to reeeeeeally see them color up you need to get them in the breeding mood - that is when fish are most colorful.

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

Alright thanks. the Hikari im using doesn't have corn or potato, although it does contain some soybean meal and some wheat flour. I will try and get some NLS, Ive heard a lot of great things about it, maybe also some freezedried krill, and frozen bloodworms.

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

I dont have a big enough tank to breed them yet, but breeding cichlids is something i have wanted to try for a long time, Ill look into it. I have bred wild caught purple spotted gudgeons before, that I collected from my dam. I had them in with a various assortment of fish from local creeks and rivers, including my favourite fish, Bucky the Salmon Tailed Catfish.

 

[jaysee]

Those are better than the betta formula - they don't list wheat 3 times. The carnivore pellets have krill in them, though the food is still dyed with coloring.

Id try to get frozen krill instead of freeze dried.

 

[rsskylight04]

Try raising temp a little and feed live or frozen brine shrimp and my cichlids really love whole frozen krill, for your little one you can cut up. Also keep water clean ( low nitrate) and high oxygen. Dark color background and substrate seems to help. Also a mate and breeding but...

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

ok thanks, also would a dark substratum help?

 

[rsskylight04]

People seem to like black sand for cichlids. Also lighting will affect his appearence. Lots of secure caves and hiding spots , plants seem to help fish feel.relaxed.

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

ok cool

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

how do i upload images? im on a macbook air, not windows so its different from the instructions i found on this site

 

[Tazman]

If you have the images saved on your computer and not online then follow these steps.

Under the message reply box, you will see an option "go advanced", clink on that and it will give you some more options.

On the top line there is "paperclip" symbol, click on that and it will allow you to choose the pictures you want to add provided they are within the limits of size.

If they are saved online to a free site like photobucket.
Copy the image tag.
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[Cichlidsrule102]

since I starred including Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets in his diet, he has really started to colour up, and has blues and blue green through his dorsal fin and sides

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

I think this photo came through

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

Sorry about the algae bloom, Im trying to get it under control.

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

sorry its a few days old, he has a lot of blues and greens on him when hes in the light now. I cant seem to repeat the process of putting the photo in files from Photo Booth, so i cant upload atm.

 

[Cichlidsrule102]

an update on his growout tank