Feeding

Many people believe that variety is the key to feeding Tropheus. While this can be good for other cichlids, the easily stressed Tropheus are better off with a consistent diet of green food.

Ocean Star International Spirulina Flake is very high quality. Take care to gradually change to a new food rather then suddenly feeding something different.

OSI Spirulina Pellets are easily digested by more mature Tropheus, especially if soaked prior to feeding.

Young Fish (under 3")

I feed crushed OSI (Ocean Star International) Spirulina Flake twice a day. I put the flake in a small cup, crush it to a powder then add liquid vitamins (I use Boyd Freshwater) and filtered or tank water to make a loose paste. Then I pour in varying amounts depending on the fish in the tank. For instance, a group of 20 Tropheus fry will get approximately 10 drops of the food, whereas an adult group of around 20 fish will get approximately 1/2 Tablespoon. Soaking the food makes it very easy to digest and the fish like the small particles.

In addition to the flake I also give each Tropheus tank one large leaf of Romaine lettuce every morning before they have their flake. I attach it to the side of the tank with a lettuce clip which you can buy at most local pet shops. The first time you introduce your fish to the lettuce they may totally ignore it or even act afraid until one of them starts picking at it. Once they get the hang of it, it will be consumed in minutes!

Adult Fish

They get OSI Spirulina Flake crushed in my hand so it's not too large. They get this twice a day also. In addition, they get OSI Small Spirulina Pellets that have been soaked for 15-20 minutes in a little bit of water.

I feed adult brine once in a while to my mature Tropheus, but no more than once a week. This is not a good food for young Tropheus, especially if fed daily.

These guys love lettuce as much as their younger counterparts! In fact, it's good for all your cichlids.