What do mbuna cichlids eat to grow, and can they be kept with these two kinds of fish?

When you mention mbuna cichlids, anyone who keeps fish surely knows them: they are not only aggressive but also highly territorial, and if kept in a small aquarium they will eat the other fish; however, because they are easy to keep, many people like to keep a few in the office or at home, so what do mbuna cichlids eat to grow? What fish can they be kept with?

I. Introduction to mbuna cichlids:

1. Where are mbuna cichlids distributed?

Mbuna cichlids have a small distribution range and are found in the coastal areas of our country, such as Liaoning Dadonggou, Hebei Shanhaiguan, Hebei Qinhuangdao, Shandong Qingdao, Shandong Yantai, Shandong Longkou and other places, where they are relatively common.

2. How many fry can a mbuna cichlid produce at one time?

The number of fry mbuna cichlids produce varies; generally, if the water temperature or water quality is relatively stable, one mbuna cichlid can produce about one hundred or more, but if the water temperature is unsuitable or other external factors interfere, one can usually produce only a few dozen.

II. What do mbuna cichlids eat to grow?

1. What do small mbuna cichlids eat?

Small mbuna cichlids are omnivorous; they eat water fleas, bloodworms, tubifex worms, and even small fish, so you can buy some inexpensive brine shrimp or various small fish from the market to feed them, but when feeding you must be careful, lest parasites or viruses parasitize the mbuna cichlids' bodies and cause death. In addition, frozen foods should also be fed sparingly, to prevent the fish from getting diarrhea.

2. What do large mbuna cichlids eat?

Large mbuna cichlids are omnivorous; they eat both plant-based feed and artificial feed, so when feeding, try to give them foods with a high protein content; for example, the Lake Tanganyika cichlid feed sold on the market can be used for feeding, and you can also feed them some vegetables and the like, and appropriately increase the feeding amount according to the fish's growth.

III. What fish can mbuna cichlids be kept with?

Mbuna cichlids are highly territorial, so it is best not to keep them together with other fish; if you want to keep them together, it is best to keep them with loaches and the dogtooth catfish:

1. Mbuna cichlids can be kept together with loaches:

Mbuna cichlids have a tall, flat body, with a body length of over 50cm, and the body is silvery-red with dark blue spots on it, while loaches are small, slender, with a body length of about 10cm, a round body, covered all over with slime and with some small black spots on the whole body; keeping the two together not only enriches the colors of the aquarium but also makes it unlikely that the two will fight, and even if a mbuna cichlid tries to eat a loach, the loach will quickly escape.

2. Mbuna cichlids can be kept together with the dogtooth catfish:

The dogtooth catfish has a wide, flat body, an elongated body, a grayish-black back, a snow-white belly, an orange-red caudal fin, carmine-red tail and dorsal fins, and blue-black other fins; its appearance is relatively graceful, it is naturally afraid of light, and during the day it stays for a long time in hidden places at the bottom of the water. Keeping it together with the silvery-red, tall, flat mbuna cichlid can not only enhance the colors of the aquarium but also prevent competition from occurring, but the premise is that food must be sufficient, to avoid killing each other because of insufficient food; especially when feeding small fish, the amount must be sufficient, because the dogtooth catfish is very ferocious toward small fish.

The above is a detailed introduction to what mbuna cichlids eat to grow and what fish they are best kept with; I hope it is helpful to everyone.