# bringing out the color



## dschoter05 (Oct 14, 2008)

i want my P's to have good color. (who wouldnt) i currently feed them shrimp. i was thinking of taking some Hikari Cichlid Gold and sticking them in the shrimp, and also injecting the shrimp with ZOE. i plan on doing all this just before i feed the shrimp to my fish. is this a good idea??? will it work. i kinda think as soon as they tear into the shrimp the pellet will just fall out


----------



## Guest (Nov 18, 2008)

Have you tried offering the fish the pellets without the shrimp? They might not require alot of coaxing.


----------



## dschoter05 (Oct 14, 2008)

Bullsnake said:


> Have you tried offering the fish the pellets without the shrimp? They might not require alot of coaxing.


tried it they did not take them but might try it again. just read a post in the saved topics on training your fish to eat what you want them to eat. might try that to get em to take the pellets


----------



## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Good diet with good water provides the best chances of having good colored piranhas. Try some other foods not just shrimp.


----------



## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Malawi- said:


> Good diet with good water provides the best chances of having good colored piranhas. Try some other foods not just shrimp.


I agree.
Tannins in the water help too.

If you're talking about a pygo tank.... which I suspect you are.... try training them to eat pellets.
There is no food that's better for color than a good pellet.


----------



## sapir (Jun 20, 2008)

when you try to feed pellets drop the pellets one by one and your Ps will start showing some interest, once they eat it they will love it. at least mine did


----------



## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

And once the piranhas see one piranha eat one, they all become interested.


----------



## thedude8 (Oct 6, 2008)

Malawi- said:


> And once the piranhas see one piranha eat one, they all become interested.


My bigger ones (3 inches) would not go near the pellets. It took the smaller ones (about 1.5-2 in) to go after them first before the bigger ones even became faintly interested.

Now they love them. I usually feed shrimp, pellets, catfish, scallops, and tillapia. I usually have all in my freezer on a regular basis except the catfish. All my p's colors are developing very nicely, at least I think they are


----------



## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

See, it normally works. As you notice, smaller they are more interested they are in varieties of foods. Best of luck.


----------



## andymellon4 (Mar 17, 2009)

I have had cichlids for years now and there staple has been hikari staple mixed withhikari gold and they loved it

i started throwing that in withmy baby P's and they are showing interest in the Hikari gold and little with the staple should i just ditch the Hikari Staple?(when they get a little bigger i plan to feed them krill shrimp, white fish meats and beefheart but my staple is prob going to be hikari gold or so i hope)

Also is it good to base my diet around these hikari Gold(soley) cause as stated earlier i want my P's to have color? The biggest one is nearing 2" and i have not begun to see any color on any of them.

any suggestions


----------



## dschoter05 (Oct 14, 2008)

since starting this post my reds now eat hikari gold regularly. It didnt take them long. I feed it to them as a staple mixed with shrimp and grouper.


----------



## Crossfire636 (Mar 26, 2009)

I got my reds eating flake food and shrimp. They are only about 1"-2"'s. They love it. When i come into the room they all come out to the front of the tank and beg for food.


----------



## dschoter05 (Oct 14, 2008)

Crossfire636 said:


> I got my reds eating flake food and shrimp. They are only about 1"-2"'s. They love it. When i come into the room they all come out to the front of the tank and beg for food.


Mine circle at the top of the water. kinda like vulchers lol


----------



## exodon king (Mar 25, 2009)

I have tried a lot of different foods for color, and the best is dainichi ultima. Dainichi pellets are priced similar to NLS but is a much better food.


----------



## upgradepc (Jan 30, 2009)

i just picked up some boyd "vitachem" today. i guess its like kent zoe but i added it to a fresh water change. it smells like rotten eggs though. im probaly going to soak some shrimp in it to give an extra boost in vitamins. i forgot to get some garlic extract while at my lfs to get my rhom to eat shrimp and krill. i heard garlic can entice your fish to eat certain foods and fight off parasites. heres what vitachem claims Vita-chem proven results , increased growth, fabulous intense natural colors, natural vitality restored, appetite restoration, rapid fin regeneration, increased resistance to disease, tends to create natural mating & breeding instincts in aquarium environments


----------



## sandman503 (Feb 10, 2009)

upgradepc said:


> i just picked up some boyd "vitachem" today. i guess its like kent zoe but i added it to a fresh water change. it smells like rotten eggs though. im probaly going to soak some shrimp in it to give an extra boost in vitamins. i forgot to get some garlic extract while at my lfs to get my rhom to eat shrimp and krill. i heard garlic can entice your fish to eat certain foods and fight off parasites. heres what vitachem claims Vita-chem proven results , increased growth, fabulous intense natural colors, natural vitality restored, appetite restoration, rapid fin regeneration, increased resistance to disease, tends to create natural mating & breeding instincts in aquarium environments


i should try the garlic method. MY Ps are real picky, theyll only eat fish, no shrimp, no pellets, no scallops.


----------



## Crossfire636 (Mar 26, 2009)

Crossfire636 said:


> I got my reds eating flake food and shrimp. They are only about 1"-2"'s. They love it. When i come into the room they all come out to the front of the tank and beg for food.


Haha I think i jinxed myself. I got home last night and they are wicked skittish. I can not get them to go to the top for food. I tried to feed them crickets but that was a complete failure.

I woke up this morning hoping it had changed but they are still afraid. It is a night a day difference. Before I would come into the room and they would come right out from hiding. Im going to cut back on feeding and see if that helps.


----------



## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

I actually let mine sit in the tank and then press them together making it larger.
I then would hold it with Tongs mid level of the water and my Mac would devour them.


----------



## lovemyreds (Feb 18, 2009)

i feed my piranhas Cichlid bio-gold pellets they eat them as if they where live fish.also frozen krill soaked in Kent Zoe.my guys colors are awesome.sticking pellets in food so that they eat it is fine as again as long as they eat it.piranhas will learn to eat pellets even if they at first give it the cold shoulder.


----------

