• 2.5–2.8 mm mini pellet — sized between the small and standard Cichlid Excel pellets, for mid-size cichlids.
• Vegetable-forward recipe — flaked corn, wheat germ meal and spirulina give herbivorous cichlids the plant matter their gut is built for.
• Astaxanthin included — supports vivid natural red and blue colouration.
• 37% minimum crude protein — formulated to Hikari's published guaranteed analysis for herbivorous cichlids, lower than Hikari's carnivore-focused pellets by design.
• Sinking, holds together — reaches mid-water and bottom-feeding cichlids before it breaks apart.

Full ingredient declaration, reproduced verbatim from Hikari USA's published statement for Sinking Cichlid Excel:

Fish meal, wheat flour, flaked corn, wheat germ meal, spirulina, krill meal, dehydrated alfalfa meal, fish oil, brewers dried yeast, DL-methionine, garlic, astaxanthin, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (stabilised vitamin C), inositol, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, niacin, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, salt, ferrous sulphate, magnesium sulphate, zinc sulphate, manganese sulphate, copper sulphate, calcium iodate, blue 2 (artificial colour).

Guaranteed analysis

Artificial colour: contains Blue 2. No formal allergen statement is published by Hikari for this product; the recipe is built on fish, shellfish (krill) and wheat/corn ingredients.

Feed two to three times daily, an amount your fish will completely consume in a few minutes. Remove any uneaten pellets after feeding to keep water quality up.

Suitable for: herbivorous cichlids and larger tropical fish that do well on a diet rich in vegetable matter.

Not suitable for: as a primary diet for strictly carnivorous fish — the protein level and plant-based recipe are built for herbivores, not predators. Not a fry food; the 2.5–2.8 mm pellet suits established juveniles and adults.

How is this different from the standard Cichlid Excel pellet?

This is the mini pellet in the range, at approximately 2.5–2.8 mm, aimed at mid-size cichlids. Hikari's larger Cichlid Excel pellet suits bigger fish that would otherwise need several mini pellets per mouthful.

Will this suit my carnivorous cichlid, like a large predatory Central American species?

It's built for herbivorous cichlids rather than predatory ones. A carnivore-formulated Hikari pellet, with higher protein, is the better match for fish like large predatory Central Americans.

Why does it contain an artificial colour?

Blue 2 is included in Hikari's published ingredient statement for this product, alongside the astaxanthin used for colour enhancement.

Pairs well with a spirulina-rich flake for surface feeding in the same tank, and with an occasional feed of Hikari's algae wafers for grazing variety.

A shelf-stable dry good, not a perishable or livestock item, so no cold-chain handling is required and standard shipping applies. Check the use-by date on the pack on arrival — contact us if anything looks wrong and we'll sort it under your rights as an Australian consumer, in addition to any manufacturer guarantee.