"Cichlidiot" wrote in message
...
Racf wrote:

I hear what your saying. I still must stick with what I said,
though.....In an algae only food to eat scenario, they would
probably
out compete the other fish....I imagine that's what drove their
special
qualities.....but they will eat what they can get regardless....As
do
most critters...some foods are preferred over others.... I do not
believe its a fact that a Mbuna cannot digest anything but
algae....I am
not even aware of another herbivore that is so limited, but I am
aware
of many carnivores that would do poorly eating grass and brush.
Breaking down fats is something even us humans have a bit of trouble
with....but proteins and carbs.....I do not think so.

And where is your biology degree? (And before you ask the same of me,
mine
is on the wall behind me right now). You obviously have never taken a
physiology or morphology course. Otherwise you'd know about things
like
digestive enzymes and intestinal tracts that affect what a creature is
able to eat. Here's a very simple example for you: lactose intolerance
in
humans. This is primarily due to the lack of the digestive enzyme
lactase
(although in some it is actually a true allergy to lactose or a
reaction
to other components in cow-derived dairy products). This lack of
lactase
causes intestinal discomfort, gas and bloating because the lactose
cannot
be digested.

If a creature does not have the digestive enzymes to break down a
complex
structure (which proteins are BTW) into its more simple components
(such
as simple sugars or amino acids), then it will have issues eating
something which contains a high quantity of that complex structure.
Everything I've read about mbuna suggests that they do not have the
capacity (ie the digestive enzymes and so on) to live on a diet
consisting
of mostly carnivorous foods without some serious digestive
side-effects,
such as bloat. The occasional intake may be tolerated, but not a
constant
diet of such food.

Oh, and for not believing other herbivores are so limited, there are
other fish with similar algae eating habits. Several scientific
studies
are underway with just the primary goal of gaining even more insight
into
the physiology of the digestive tracts of fish that are herbivores.
For
example, read this faculty page for a professor at Fullerton:

http://stromboli.fullerton.edu/mhorn.html

It is of course brief, but shows that there are other fish that are
similarly algae eating herbivores. In the case of that professor, his
research focuses on several marine herbivores. That is also just one
example that popped up on a Google search for research in this field.

Now, in the future, if you wish to make such claims, please do not
base it
on "personal belief". Provide some sound scientific research to back
it
up. Right now, most of the scientific knowledge indicate that algae
eating mbuna should be fed an herbivorous diet. Perhaps you have done
an
experiment or two comparing the effects of a carnivorous diet vs a
herbivorous diet on these mbuna fishes that you'd care to share?

It started as a simple question about feeding larvae/worms to a Mbuna.
I see nothing wrong with a varied diet....and really that's what its all
about. I believe this is part of their natural diet, anyway....

Nobody is suggesting we feed cheese, milk, hamburger, chicken, and ham
to them. I am not buying your cannot digest assertions in this
case....and bloat issues occur naturally in just about any critter with
the right circumstances, regardless of the food type...

I could be wrong, but just do not think so in this case. Besides, its
well known that herbivores rarely get all their required nutrients from
merely plants...Even Chimps eat monkeys once in a while...