Since I have been dealing with Tropheus, I have tried not to experiment with food. But I have to admit that even though I was told, I have been using the wrong food in the start. I guess everybody has to learn it the hard way. If you read this, please believe me. It actually might save some fishes’ lives.
My first Tropheus I bought from a fish fan who is very much into African fish, named Michael Mantel in Mannheim. He gave me lots of useful advise how and what to feed them. So here is the food he told me to use:
O.S.I. spirulina, Tetra Phyll, Sera Flora and sometimes Hikari Staple medium pellets (Koi food). That was the stuff I was advised to buy. Unfortunately I also decided to buy an additional type of food, which is called Sera granu green. To feed this was not advised, neither was it a good decision, as I lost some fish to this food I believe. I am not giving this any longer.
It Tropheus react very sensitive to differences in feeding. Almost every experiment is bound to fail and might result in a loss of fish. They definitely are no meat eaters and from where they come, they only eat vegetarian. Even though they are very greedy when fed and they would eat everything given to them, they will suffer severely form the wrong food. I made this experience whilst giving them Sera granu green, even though on the picture shown on the package, there is a Tropheus. Granu green is pellet food, or better said granulate that seems very hard. Tropheus have very long intestines, and therefore have problems in digesting hard stuff. I guess feeding this resulted in some of them having ileus and from that they died.
Hikari is supposed to be fed only when soaked in water for at least one hour. As the pellets are made for Koi, they are also quite big and hard. If the food is soaked, the pellets can be squished and given. I have not seen a special good reaction from my fish having Hikari, nor did I see a special bad behaviour.
To be always on the safe side I have ended up in only giving Branded flake food from Tetra or Sera for vegetarian fish. I mix this with spirulina flakes. The other food is O.S.I. pure.
I feed 2 times a day and I change between flake food and pure spirulina every time. Once in a week I do not feed at all. I give as much as they can consume in not more than 2 minutes. That is quite a lot and they behave like Piranhas.
During feeding filters are switched off.
Main points to remember:
- Sera Flora
- Tetra Phyll
- O.S.I. spirulina
Never, never ever feed meat or frozen food like worms, bloodworms or artemia!!!