When to start feeding yellow lab fry?

[clintgv]

They are only 2 1/2 days old as of right now. I can't seem to find when to start feeding them on google so I need your guys' help . I fed them a little bit of tiny crushed flakes (same kind of flake I feed the grown up cichlids). But the fries weren't interested I think . Will it take them a few more days to settle in and start eating?

Thanks alot,
Clint.

[gwcana]

found this, but not sure if it's the type of fish you have

"Once hatched the yolk sac takes about 20 days to be absorbed. Due to their larger size the fry can be fed finely crushed flake food or even Daphnia if you can find it. If raised in a community setting special feeding should not be needed as the fry will be able to find small left over food particles floating in the tank. One of the best things to observe is the fry retreating back into the mothers mouth when danger nears. "

I'm guessing you won't have to feed them for a while yet.

[clintgv]

found this, but not sure if it's the type of fish you have

"Once hatched the yolk sac takes about 20 days to be absorbed. Due to their larger size the fry can be fed finely crushed flake food or even Daphnia if you can find it. If raised in a community setting special feeding should not be needed as the fry will be able to find small left over food particles floating in the tank. One of the best things to observe is the fry retreating back into the mothers mouth when danger nears. "

I'm guessing you won't have to feed them for a while yet.

When I look closely at them, they don't have their yolk sacks anymore. They were in the females mouth for roughly 23 days. I stripped them yesterday morning so there free swimming for 2 days now.

Maybe I'm feeding them the wrong food? But I do crush the flakes finely. I'm gonna try to feed them first bites when I go to Rogers sometime this coming week.

Clint.

[Chris]

I feed mine a mix of frozen baby brine shrimp and crushed flakes. I add frozen brine shrimp a few days to a week later. They will eat a bit before their yolk is all used up. I start feeding just as their yolk sack looks like it's almost gone. They are pretty-much free-swimming little fish by this point.

[clintgv]

Ok Thanks.