[Mr Tobias]

Ok.. if I may, and I don't want to come off as preachy...... But, those Tetra sticks are ****. Fish love them because of it, go figure. At her age she really shouldn't be eating every day, certainly not twice per. A stubborn cichlid can try your patience, no doubt, but rest assured they won't starve themselves. Show some resolve and make her eat better. Frozen food is often as much as 75 percent moisture, offers very little in nutrition. Freeze dried on the other hand is far superior. Tried raw fish, shrimp? Live earthworm, mealworm? Virtually anything on the market is better than Tetra sticks. Popular in the mid grade pellet is Hikari or Omega One. High end quality is Northfin or New Life Spectrum. Don't worry one bit if she won't eat. Fish like that can go weeks, no exaggeration, and not eat anything, and show no ill effects. When she gets hungry enough, she will accept what you offer. Make it so,lol!

Can you elaborate on not eating every day please? Is this particular to this type of fish? I've always fed 6-7 days a week (never had a Red Devil).

 

[Mr Tobias]

@Florida Chester. A fresh water cichlid must retain within itself a salinity level higher than its environment. Salting the aquarium, while not making it brackish, not considered medicating either still makes the fish burn calories to regulate itself to it's water. Salt as an everyday component in a freshwater cichlid tank is unnecessary imo. @ Mr. Tobias.. I refer to adult fish, and while Ginger maybe borderline old juvie- sub adult, she doesn't need that many calories. Any given cichlid will retain its last meal for about 4 days. They are genetically able to go long periods with no food, as in the wild food is simply not available at all times. It's good to let our aquarium fish have some lean times. Makes them properly digest , take full advantage of all nutrition. A hungry fish is a healthy fish. Not starving, under nourished by any means, but far from over fed. I'm sure your ,6-7 feeds a week are not harmful in any way, but your fish will do just as well with ,4-5. Keeps the tank and water cleaner too. What goes in always comes out!
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Excellent, thank you. I will keep that in mind particularly when the fish mature.