# Food for Tropheus Moorii?



## Fuzz (Jan 27, 2012)

I've recently picked up what I think is going to be a yellow-banded moorii. Since Tropheus Moorii is pretty much a herbivore, I've been looking around for different flakes/foods/products to feed it. Everything I've come across that says "veggie flakes" or those "discs" seem to have a high protein content and the first few ingredients are usually some kind of fish(obviously not for herbivores). I've read that Spirulina is a good food for these guys, but even those have high protein percentages too. I've also read that they need a higher fiber diet, which also screams veggies.

I don't want my moorii to get bloat or some kind of bowel issue. I know that usually eat algae in the wild, but I don't really want to have poor/ugly water conditions for my other fish in this tank. I've read that they'll out-eat "algae eaters" that are the same size, too. This is cool, but I honestly don't really know what to do about this. I haven't really found a sure shot answer in my google searches, either. 

Thanks in advance
Chris


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Spirulina and Algae wafers will be good. You can put veggies in the tank- zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers (no seeds). You can buy frozen veggie food. Shelled and blanched peas are good.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Spirulina 20 is good in my opinion. +1 with obsidian.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

a common problem that i encounter is that people think that algae is a horrible thing...there should never be a spec of it in an aquarium...if there is then the keeper is screwing up..too much food...too much light..whatever...they get that pounded into their head time after time..i guess the old saying is true.."ignorance is bliss"
now.....you bought this tropheus moorii knowing or not knowing it's actual needs ???
what are it's tankmates ??
what is your substrate ??
what is your PH ??

get a nice big piece of tufa rock or even some texas holey rock...put it in a tank and keep the light on 24/7 until you get a nice thick growth of algae on it...then put it together with your tropheus....it will be vary happy to have it..
if you think that algae is bad or ugly then take the fish back to the shop...

PAY ATTENTION TO THIS......
NO FISH IS ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY 100% CARNIVORE OR HERBIVORE !!!!!
they may be one or the other primarily ; but they are all to a degree OMNIVORES.....
you may not see a piranha munching on a plant ; but most of the animals they do eat are plant eaters...many of the rift valley species are Aufwuchs feeders...lots of little living animals in the algae growth on the rocks...

i just don't know why folks feel the need to mix species with different environmental requirements...they may be able to survive like that but does that make it the right way to care for and maintain your fish....

feed it veggie flakes...algae wafers...and spirulina flakes....it will be just fine...
and make sure the PH in it's tank is at least 8.4..............


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## kay-bee (Dec 6, 2006)

I feed my tropheus (tropheus. duboisi & tropheus. sp. black 'Bemba') a combination of foods comprised of New Life Spectrum Cichlid formula flakes and two types of veggie-based low-protein content flake food:









& Kens Veggie Flakes 









They also graze algae film from the rocks in the tank.


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