Apistogramma feeding routines

[KitchenPro]

Just got a pair of Apistogramma cacatuoides and wanna make sure I'm feeding them right. They're in a 20 gallon with sand substrate, some driftwood, and a few Java ferns. Been giving them flakes and frozen bloodworms twice a day. They seem to eat but not super excited. What's your routine?

[SeaSiren]

I've had my Apistos for about a year now. They're in a 30 gallon with lots of hiding spots. I feed them a mix of frozen brine shrimp, daphnia, and high quality pellets. They go nuts for the brine shrimp. Maybe try varying their diet a bit?

[kalixi]

Apistogramma are micropredators in the wild, so they prefer live or frozen foods. Flakes might not cut it. I'd recommend adding more protein like blackworms or even small crickets if you can find them. Also, keep an eye on water quality with heavy feeding.

[florinka]

Apistogramma are micropredators in the wild, so they prefer live or frozen foods. Flakes might not cut it. I'd recommend adding more protein like blackworms or even small crickets if you can find them. Also, keep an eye on water quality with heavy feeding.

Totally agree. I've had success with Hikari Micro Pellets as a staple, then supplementing with frozen foods. My pair spawns regularly on this diet.

[corolla]

Mine are picky little buggers. They'll only eat frozen foods if I wiggle it with tweezers first. Gotta make it look alive or they ignore it. Maybe your guys are just spoiled like mine!

[KitchenPro]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna grab some frozen brine shrimp and see if they perk up. Appreciate the help!

[SeaSiren]

Let us know how it goes! Mine took a few days to really go for the new foods when I first got them. Patience is key.

[kalixi]

One more thing, make sure you're not overfeeding. Apistos are small and can get bloated easily. I do a small water change twice a week to keep things clean with all the protein.

[florinka]

I've had my Apistos for about a year now. They're in a 30 gallon with lots of hiding spots. I feed them a mix of frozen brine shrimp, daphnia, and high quality pellets. They go nuts for the brine shrimp. Maybe try varying their diet a bit?

That's a solid routine. I'd just add that rotating foods prevents nutritional gaps. My guys get a different frozen food each day of the week.

[corolla]

Y'all are making me hungry with all this talk of shrimp and worms. Maybe I should try eating some brine shrimp too, ha!