How much food?

[CathyH]

Have 25 mbuna cichlids ranging from 1-3", and three syno catfish in a 95 gallon tank. I am having a really hard time judging how much is enough. I have New Life Spectrum pellets, and algae wafers. It seems like it would take the entire jar of food to last the 30 second to two minutes of feeding time. They eat everything! And then they all chase one fish around the tank and it makes me so nervous.

What measurement, tablespoon, teaspoon, handful? I am pretty new, and my fish aren't starving, they did eat my rogue tetra. He was accidentally left in there when we put the cichlids in. He was doing great, but then all of a sudden, they ate him.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm going away for four days and want to have a food handle on how to stock the auto feeder.

Thanks! I love this forum!!!!!

 

[Andrew McFadden]

If your only asking for an auto feeder I wouldn't use one. I went on a 10 day vacation and I didn't feed them. They will be fine

Other then that the amount I've never really measured but its probably a table spoon give or take. As for the chasing put it in different spots of the tank so maybe that won't happen. But it probably will since it is Africans nature lol

 

[CathyH]

Thank you, that helps.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

No problem

 

[Labenator65000]

Have 25 mbuna cichlids ranging from 1-3", and three syno catfish in a 95 gallon tank. I am having a really hard time judging how much is enough. I have New Life Spectrum pellets, and algae wafers. It seems like it would take the entire jar of food to last the 30 second to two minutes of feeding time. They eat everything! And then they all chase one fish around the tank and it makes me so nervous.

What measurement, tablespoon, teaspoon, handful? I am pretty new, and my fish aren't starving, they did eat my rogue tetra. He was accidentally left in there when we put the cichlids in. He was doing great, but then all of a sudden, they ate him.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm going away for four days and want to have a food handle on how to stock the auto feeder.

Thanks! I love this forum!!!!!

Even a teaspoon is way too much. Just a pinch or two. 30 seconds. Two minutes is too long. Skip the auto feeder. They could go a week or more without feeding. Just turn off the lights. Don't overfeeding before you go.

 

[Cichlid-dude]

A teaspoon too much? If i put a teaspoon of food in my 180 maybe 5 fish would get fed. It really depends on the size and how many fish.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

A teaspoon too much? If i put a teaspoon of food in my 180 maybe 5 fish would get fed. It really depends on the size and how many fish.

And how much you put in at once this isn't an easy subject. Just use your best judgement. Lol I was guessing at a teaspoon I think when I feed tonight I'm going to measure just to see how much.

 

[KryptiCouple]

We have 21 Mbuna ranging from 1"-3" and our biggest girl is about 4". We usually drop in 2 algae wafers and a large pinch of bottom feeder pellets as staple diet. It is usually gone within 5 minutes until all are said and done. (Our yellow tail Acei like to move all the food to one corner of the tank, so until they are done, everyone has to wait to eat). Peas and blood worms are scarfed up within moments, though.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Ok I measured I put in 2 teaspoons and spreaded it out in the tank. Then I droped like 8 algae waffers in but I have a turtle that eats them if I didn't have him I would only do 1 or 2. I used the smallest size of nls and it was gone in less then 1 minute but it seemed like a lot.

 

[Labenator65000]

A teaspoon too much? If i put a teaspoon of food in my 180 maybe 5 fish would get fed. It really depends on the size and how many fish.

he said he had a 95

 

[CathyH]

Thank you! This was very helpful!