Won't Eat From Surface?

[Ifti]

I have 3 Malawi Cichlids. Sorry I don't know their exact names, but one is plain bright orange, one is greyish with almost black stripes like a zebra, and one is blue, with darker blue stripes!

Anyway, I've had them for around 4 days now, and my LFS also sold me some Hikari Cichlid Gold pellets for them. Trouble is the pellets float, and the fish don't go to the top of the water to eat? At the LFS when the seller was removing them from the tank, as soon as she went to the tank the fish darted straight to the top thinking they were getting food. Now they don't do this for me at home. I put some brine shrimp, or flakes, into the water and since they start to fall down to the bottom the fish eat them very quickly - they just don't seem to come to the top for any food, but go for food as it slowly drops to the bottom. Is this normal behaviour or are they still settling in?

They seem to have a pecking order as well. The orange fish is the dominant one of them and sometimes chases the others around. Then it's the blue fish that sometimes chases the zebra one around. The striped one seems to be the weaker of the 3! I don't actually see them actually fighting etc though, and none seem like they are hurt etc.

 

[char la]

As fish are settling into a tank they can be quite nervous about eating from the surface. Not that it matters because the best food for african cichlids BY FAR is New Era African Cichlid pellets which, because they are cold pressed not heat pressed, retained their moistness and goodness and so sink.

What you dont mention is how many litres the aquarium is and what the KH is, two things which are very important for african cichlids. Mbuna, esp. need to be well stocked to spread aggression

 

[roadmaster]

I have had good success with New Life spectrum pellet's. (they sink)
Contains all that African cichlids need with regards to diet.

 

[Davo86]

Hikari Gold is not a suitable food for mbuna cichlids as it contains far too much protein and is specially formulated for American cichlids, and as you now now it floats,

African cichlids (well mbuna) are grazes so naturally take food from the floor, Hikari excel is specifically formulated for this species's herbivorous diet and most importantly it sinks,

Also as said you don't have anywhere near enough fish to provide a hierarchy in which the weaker fish won't get killed, with just three it is only time before the weaker one is picked off and then with two the process will be repeated.

 

[rifty]

Hikari in general is a naff food I agreenls and new era are much better! also most lft wont use this type of food probably more likly a flake so id use a flake as i find malawis seem to know the difference in the feel of food so i mix both to introduce a new food especially a nervious new fish!
I also agree 3 is not enough they will remain skittish until they have saftey in numbers