It’s worrying when fish don’t grow as big as they’re supposed to. That probably means they’re malnourished.
Food for growth and healthiness in cichlids is the solution. I list the best cichlid food for growth.
Table Of Contents
- The Best Foods For Cichlid Growth
- Tetra Cichlid Balanced Diet Flakes Food for Cichlids
- Hikari Bio-Gold Plus Pellets
- Northfin Food Veggie Formula
- Fluval Bug Bites Pellets for Cichlids
- Northfin Cichlid Formula Pellet
- TetraCichlid Cichlid Crisps Advanced Clear Water Formula
- Your Questions Answered
The Best Foods For Cichlid Growth
Tetra Cichlid Balanced Diet Flakes
Promoting a balanced diet with protein-based food includes natural color enhancers. It supports their immune system, helping them live a long life — great fish food for tetras.
Features
- Feeding Directions – Feed 2-3 times daily only as much as your fish consume within a few minutes.
- They float in the middle of the tank level.
Ingredients
- Fish meal
- Torula dried yeast
- Shrimp meal
- Ground brown rice
- Dried potato products
- Wheat gluten
- Corn flour
- Soybean oil
- Fish oil
- Gelatin
- Sorbitol
- Dehulled soybean meal
- L-lysine monohydrochloride
- Algae meal
- Lecithin
- Inositol
- Vitamin C
Pros
- Doesn’t cloud the water
- Designed for top and middle feeding cichlids
- Contains biotin for a healthy metabolism
- Great for African cichlids
- Affordable
- Hold together in the water
- Great value for the price
- Promotes growth
Cons
- You’ll need to cut the flakes up if you have smaller cichlids
- Messy for larger cichlids
- It’s not supposed to, but some found it clouds the water
Hikari Bio-Gold Plus Pellets
Features
- Feeding Directions – A small amount twice daily, adjust the amount to fish’ needs, sprinkle on the top of the water as they’re floating pellets
- Floating pellets
Ingredients
- Fish Meal
- Wheat Flour
- Flaked Corn
- Wheat Germ Meal
- Spirulina
- Krill
- Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal
- Brewers Dried Yeast
Pros
- Less waste because of the formula
- Natural ingredients
- Easy to monitor how much was eaten
- Contains stabilized vitamin C and other parts to support a healthy immune system
- Has color enhancing ingredients
- High protein levels
- Many found their fish grow fast with these pellets
Cons
- Makes the water cloudy
- Pellets are quite large. If your cichlids are smaller, you’ll need to make them smaller
- Some found they didn’t get the amount they paid for
Northfin Food Veggie Formula
A vegetable-based formula, made with certified organic kelp and other ingredients to promote a healthy diet and immune system for herbivores.
Features
- Feeding Directions – 1-2 times daily, only as much as fish consume in 5 minutes or less
- Slow sinking pellet food for fish
Ingredients
- Kelp
- Whole Antarctic Krill Meal
- High Omega 3 (DHA)
- Heming Meal
- Whole Sardine Meal
- Wheat Flour
- Spirulina
- Garlic
- Astaxanthin
- Calcium
- Montmorillonite Clay
- Vitamin A Acetate
- L-Ascorbyl 2 Polyphosphate
- Activated Animal Sterol
- Vitamin B12 Supplement
- Riboflavin Supplement
- Niacin Pantothenic Acid
- Thiamine
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride 86 Folic Acid
- Biotin Choline Chloride
- Cobalt Sulfate
- Ferrous Sulfate
- Manganese Sulfate
- Selenium
Pros
- Veggie based
- Lots of vitamins for a nutrient-rich diet
- No artificial ingredients
- Suitable for many cichlids
- Great quality
- Doesn’t cloud the water
- Some of the best pellets food for fish like cichlids
Cons
- Quite expensive, but worth it
Fluval Bug Bites Pellets for Cichlids
Protein-rich cichlid pellets contain mostly insects and other nutritional ingredients. This is a formula perfect for smaller and medium cichlids.
Added to these are vitamins, minerals, and amino acids for healthy, happy fish.
These are made sustainably from ethically sourced ingredients in small batches.
Features
- Feeding Directions – 2-3 times daily, as much as the fish eat in 2 minutes and no more
- Granules
Ingredients
- Dried Black Soldier Fly Larvae
- Salmon
- Fish Protein Concentrate
- Green Peas
- Potato
- Wheat
- Dicalcium Phosphate
- Calcium Carbonate
- Dl-methionine
- Lecithin
- Choline Chloride
- L-lysine
- Vitamin E Supplement
- Biotin
- Niacin
- Calcium L-ascorbyl-2 Monophosphate
- Calendula
- Zinc Oxide
- Manganous Oxide
- D-calcium Pantothenate
- Vitamin B12 Supplement
- Beta-carotene
- Rosemary Extract
- Riboflavin, Copper Sulfate
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
- Thiamine Mononitrate
- Inositol
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin A Supplement
Pros
- Suitable for small-medium fish
- Natural, sustainably sourced ingredients
- No artificial colors, all-natural products make up this formula
Cons
- More of a treat food for some species, check to see if it’s right for your cichlids
- The size of the granules can vary somewhat
- Sometimes won’t satisfy picky eaters
Northfin Cichlid Formula Pellet
This is the more meat and insect-based formula available from Northfin.
Designed to enhance their size, color, and wellbeing with the best natural ingredients, this food is easy to digest and full of nutrients — some of the best cichlid foods.
Features
- Feeding Directions – 1-2 times daily, only as much as fish consume in 5 minutes or less
- Sinking pellets
Ingredients
- Antarctic Krill
- High Omega-3 (DHA)
- Herring Meal
- Whole Sardine Meal
- Wheat Flour
- Kelp, Spirulina, Garlic
- Astaxanthin
- Calcium Montmorillonite Clay
- Vitamin A Acetate
- L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate
- D-Activated Animal-Sterol
- DL Alphatocopherol
- Vitamin B12 Supplement
- Riboflavin Supplement
- Niacin, Pantothenic Acid
- Thiamine
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
- Folic Acid
- Biotin
- Choline Chloride
- Cobalt Sulfate
- Ferrous Sulfate
- Manganese Sulfate
- Selenium
- Zinc
Pros
- No artificial ingredients, all things included are of the highest quality
- Great for African cichlids
- Doesn’t cloud up the water
- Satisfies even picky eaters
- Excellent size for a variety of different cichlids
Cons
- Quite expensive, but worth the investment
- Can get stuck in the rocks or substrate at the bottom of the tank
- Sinks a little too fast
TetraCichlid Cichlid Crisps Advanced Clear Water Formula
Created explicitly for clearer water, less waste, and more nutrition in a smaller, easily digestible flake. These float and don’t clog up the tank, and keep fish happy and healthy.
Features
- Feeding Directions – 1-2 daily in small batches, this food is concentrated
- Floating flakes
Ingredients
- Fishes Meal
- Shrimp Meal
Pros
- Designed to keep the water clear
- Helps produce vibrant colors in fish, as well as promoting growing
- Designed for top and mid feeding cichlids
Cons
- Messy if you feed it to larger fish
- Careful not to overfeed, otherwise the uneaten food could clog up the filtering system
- Expensive
- Some found it wasn’t very good value for the price
Your Questions Answered
What Should I Feed My Cichlids?
Here is a list of what you should feed your cichlids. However, it’s best to look for specific guidelines depending on your cichlids.
- Manufactured fish foods such as wafers, granules, and sinking or floating pellets.
- Live foods
- Frozen foods
- Peas – (Slightly Blanched)
- Zucchini – (Cut into small slices and lightly blanched)
- Lettuce Leaves
- Cucumber Slices
- Spinach
- Roasted Seaweed
- Frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms
- Brine shrimp
- Daphnia
Can Tropical Fish Eat Cichlid Food?
Tropical fish can eat cichlid food, and cichlids can eat tropical fish food. Still it’s preferable if you feed them food specifically made for them.
How Often Should I Feed My Cichlids?
Two to three times daily.
Of course, it depends on how much you feed them, how big they are and how many of them there are, and what type of cichlid.
Refer to the food directions as a helpful guideline, and make your judgment.
What Vegetables Are Good For Cichlids?
Here’s a list of what vegetables are suitable for cichlids. Remember, it varies for different species.
- Peas – (Slightly Blanched)
- Zucchini – (Cut into small slices and lightly blanched)
- Lettuce Leaves
- Cucumber Slices
- Spinach
- Roasted Seaweed
What Do You Feed South American Cichlids?
Here is a list of recommended foods to feed south American cichlids.
- Fish foods such as wafers, granules, and sinking pellets.
- Peas – (Slightly Blanched)
- Zucchini – (Cut into small slices and lightly blanched)
- Lettuce Leaves
- Cucumber Slices
- Spinach
- Roasted Seaweed
- Frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms
- Brine shrimp
- Daphnia
How Much Food Should I Feed My Cichlids?
Start with little amounts and work upwards as necessary; don’t do the opposite.
Use the directions on the packaging of the food as a guide, but adjust it as needed to the fish themselves.
All the products listed in this review encourage your cichlids to maintain a healthy size.
Hopefully, you found one to suit your tank.
Another benefit is your fish have the nutrients and vitamins for them to stay healthy and happy.
