Foods for Midas Cichlid Fish

The Midas cichlid is a tropical freshwater fish native to South America. They are extremely hearty fish and have few special food requirements, even going so far as being able to eat grasshoppers and other insects caught in the house and dropped in the tank. Food choices for Midas cichlids vary depending on the size and maturity of the fish.

  1. Flake Food

    • Feed very young Midas cichlids tropical flake fish food to provide the right balance of nutrition. Midas cichlids that have orange coloring on their bodies should be fed foods high in carotene to maintain and amplify their coloration as they grow.

    Pellet Food

    • Expand the Midas cichlid's diet to include pelletized cichlid food during the second growth stage, when between one and four inches in length. Use less food at each feeding, however, following the package instructions carefully and watching your fish as they eat. Avoiding overfeeding will prevent the aquarium from becoming cloudy. Pellet food can also be fed to adult Midas cichlids, but choose a food with a larger pellet. Foods with a high carotene content and balanced nutrition are a good choice for Midas cichlids.

    Freeze Dried Food

    • Introduce freeze dried food when the Midas cichlid is between one and four inches in length and capable of eating pelletized food. While freeze dried food should not be used every day, it does help to vary their diet and keep them healthy. Some examples of available freeze dried foods include brine shrimp, blood worms, krill and plankton. These are not to be considered staple foods for the Midas cichlid but a way to round out their carnivorous diet.

    Live Food

    • Live food such as other, smaller fish should be introduced to the tank occasionally after the Midas cichlid has reached at least five inches in length. Pelletized cichlid food should remain the daily staple but live food such as feeder goldfish or guppies are an excellent way to expand your large Midas cichlid's diet. Live foods such as blood worms and mosquito larvae can be fed to young cichlids, but are hard to find in major pet stores. Check with specialty aquarium dealers for a wider selection of small live foods.