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How to know what food is OK?

There are umpteen threads, or more, out there on this forum and others, about specific brands and types of food that are good for various types of fish, but how can I look at ingredients and analysis information on a label and know whether it's OK for my fish? I'm specifically trying to figure out if some of the things I've won, and that I may see in a store, that don't specifically say they're for African cichlids, are OK for my mbuna. Thanks for any thoughts. :confused:
 

zackcrack00

Members
I usually buy food from kens and mix it to create my own. For my mbuna, I did 1 part color flake, 1 part immune booster flake, and 3 parts spirulina. For my angels, I do 1 pt immune booster, 1 pt color, 1 pt spirulina, and 3 pt blackworm or earthworm, whatever I have. I use live foods for fry.

Other than doing that, I would buy reputable fish food brands like cobalt and/or YFS.


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Thank you both. However, I know that the products that you have mentioned, and that I have bought myself, that specifically say they're for African cichlids, are ok. My question is what are the keys to look for in terms of ingredients and/or the analysis information on a product that is not labeled that it is for African Cichlids to know whether it is ok???
 

Frank Cowherd

Global Moderators
Staff member
Gary Rosenthal of Aqua-Pharm gave a talk to PVAS just last Saturday on this very topic. He is a member of CCA. We should ask him to present it to CCA sometime.
 

Ading522

Members
I'm not an expert here, but when I get fish, or before I get fish at auctions, I do a quick search on water parameters and diet in the wild and then size. So for most of my fish ( which are all African peacock and haps ) I use NLS sinking pellets because of the protein content, and mix it with some veggie flakes.. Occasionally on second feedings of the day I give frozen bloodworms.. Black worms on a rare occasion .. For fry I feed brine shrimp and golden pearls..two to three times per day with increased temp to about 80.. I guess you can probably buy more food with with more crude protein content but so far I haven't strayed from what I tried first and maybe there are other foods available that can have more benefits but that's just me.. I would also like to hear more on food preferences from African rift lake fish keepers like me..

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chriscoli

Administrator
For my Mbuna, I give them something that has Spirulina or veggies high on the list of ingredients. They do need some protein, but I always try to make sure they have it with some roughage. I dont give them fresh, squishy food (no fresh meaty foods). I've heard of folks offering shrimp very carefully to induce spawning, but I generally don't bother. I also feed them NLS.....seems to do really well with Mbuna, so I alternate that with a good veg or Spirulina flake.

Most Mbuna are aufwuchs grazers.....here's Repashy's ingredient list for Soilent Green which is an awfuchs grazer diet.

INGREDIENTS: Spirulina Algae, Algae Meal (Chlorella), Krill Meal, Pea Protein Isolate, Squid Meal, Rice Protein Concentrate, Fish Meal, Alfalfa Leaf Meal, Dried Brewer’s Yeast, Stabilized Rice Bran, Flax Seed Meal, Schizochytrium Algae (Source of DHA), Dried Seaweed Meal, Lecithin, Dried Kelp, Locust Bean Gum, Potassium Citrate, Guar Gum, Taurine, RoseHips, Hibiscus Flower, Calendula Flower, Marigold Flower, Paprika, Turmeric, Salt, Calcium Propionate and Potassium Sorbate (as preservatives), Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast. Vitamins: (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D Supplement, Choline Chloride, Calcium L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Beta Carotene, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement).

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein min. 45%, Crude Fat min. 8%, Crude Fiber max. 8%, Moisture max. 8%, Ash max.
 
INGREDIENTS: Spirulina Algae, Algae Meal (Chlorella), Krill Meal, Pea Protein Isolate, Squid Meal, Rice Protein Concentrate, Fish Meal, Alfalfa Leaf Meal, Dried Brewer’s Yeast, Stabilized Rice Bran, Flax Seed Meal, Schizochytrium Algae (Source of DHA), Dried Seaweed Meal, Lecithin, Dried Kelp, Locust Bean Gum, Potassium Citrate, Guar Gum, Taurine, RoseHips, Hibiscus Flower, Calendula Flower, Marigold Flower, Paprika, Turmeric, Salt, Calcium Propionate and Potassium Sorbate (as preservatives), Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast. Vitamins: (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D Supplement, Choline Chloride, Calcium L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Beta Carotene, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement).

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein min. 45%, Crude Fat min. 8%, Crude Fiber max. 8%, Moisture max. 8%, Ash max.


Most labels have a very similar set of figures in the Guaranteed Analysis information, which is why I asked the question to begin with. It sounds like it is the ingredients that are more important, and of course, it is the ingredients that are behind the Guaranteed Analysis figures. This is helpful, thank you, along with the other information provided.
 
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