Feeding Cichlids Tuna Fish?

[Greg Niemi]

I feed my Red Devils and Jewel Cichlids tuna once a week whenever I make
a tuna fish sandwich. I use albacore packed in water. Is this going to
be hazardous to the fish? The only thing I am worried about is the
sodium. Is this going to poison them?

-Greg

[Kelly Beard]

Why are you doing something before you ask if it's harmful?

[Jeff Willis]

Don't worry about it! I feed my L. Malawi's everything from frozen popcorn
shrimp to hamburger to taco chips.
But I hadn't thought of tuna, thanks for the tip!
I bet they love it.

Kelly Beard wrote in message <36249db7....@news.telalink.net>...

[Andrew S Dalton]

Jeff Willis wrote in message <36258...@news1.ibm.net>...

>Don't worry about it! I feed my L. Malawi's everything from frozen popcorn
>shrimp to hamburger to taco chips.
>But I hadn't thought of tuna, thanks for the tip!
>I bet they love it.

There might be a problem with freshwater/saltwater nutrient compatibility,
though. A few years ago, there was an article in Aquarium Fish Magazine
about the dangers of feeding marine fish with freshwater feeders.
Apparently, many people will do this for years without any problems at all,
and then their fish suddenly die from heart disease. This happens because
there are many differences in the fatty acids of freshwater and marine fish.

This question is complicated by the fact that we're talking about occasional
feeding (not the consistent freshwater-to-marine feeding described in the
article), and also because the feeding is going the other way, from marine
to freshwater. To be safe, I wouldn't recommend feeding tuna to freshwater
fish more than once a week.

Andrew Dalton

To reply, remove [remove.this] from my address

[David R. Irias]

Your fish are most probably herbivores if from lake malawi and really should
be fed an appropriate food being as such.

Jeff Willis wrote:

> Don't worry about it! I feed my L. Malawi's everything from frozen popcorn
> shrimp to hamburger to taco chips.
> But I hadn't thought of tuna, thanks for the tip!
> I bet they love it.
>

[David R. Irias]

Your fish are carnivores and can certainly eat tuna without a problem
provided you maintain their water quality. Which can require a little more
maintenance to keep on the water quality. I would't be concerned with
sodium.