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Fish/cichlid wont eat

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Expert: Ron Coleman - 7/9/2009


Question

my fish
i have a large jack dempsy cichlid maybe 7 to 8 inches long i baught it when it was around 5 inches, it is in a 55 gallon tank with a couple other large cichlids and silver dollars, ever since i bought it it wouldnt eat live foods the other fish gorge themselves till fish are falling out of their mouths but the jack dempsy wont even look at a feeder, i normaly feed them small roseys so they are easy to swallow other than that it is a perfectly healthy fish and wil eat flakes and pellets what could be the cause of this behavier

Answer
Hi Alec,
 I don't see any reason to feed a jack dempsey with feeder fish. If it is easting flakes and pellets be happy -- that is the best thing for it.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>

Ron Coleman

Expertise

I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish). Please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. I keep fishes both as a scientist and as a hobbyist and I currently maintain about 140 aquariums.

Experience

I am an Associate Professor at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I was editor of Cichlid News magazine for several years. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.

Publications
Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes

Education/Credentials
PhD (Toronto, 1993) MSc (Simon Fraser, 1986) BSc (British Columbia, 1983)

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