How to feed without over feeding.

[rdefino]

How do I know if I'm over feeding, other than dead fat fish. Is there a process to follow? Do I feed twice a day or one? Feed at tnight or moring? How are you guys doing corretly?

Thanks

[luntiz]

As long as you don't see any peices of food fall to the bottom, then you should be okay. The general rule is to feed as much as your fish will eat within 2-3 minutes (I tend to follow this and also make sure none of it falls to the bottom). I feed usually 2-3 times a day.

[Sam]

Most of us tend to overfeed. Couple of variables to consider here. some fish have a bigger appetite than others. Generally though, most folks feed either once or twice a day. Depending on what you are feeding (flakes, Frozen, pellets etc), you will have to adjust the quantity. Generally in the first minute if after the livestock has attacked the food and after they have stopped, there is still food floating around, then you are overfeeding. If they are still chasing pieces then you are good. Trick is to determine the quantity so that when they are done, there is none or mimimal food left floating around. Better to underfeed a little than over and if you feed twice a day, definitely underfeed. HTH 8)

[lando]

I agree that most people over-feed. I only feed once every other day. I do hang seaweed salad almost every day for the tangs and I have a good amount of LR for grazing so the fish do just fine. It helps keep water parameters good...Lando

[CBRGuy]

I agree. I was once guilty of over feeding. Now I feed every other day. and I only feed what can be eaten with in a minute or two. Say away from the flake food if you can too. Most Flake food has PO4.

[luntiz]

After close observation of my fishs, I have determined that damsels/chromis/clowns can probably be healthy and happy only eating once every other day. My tang on the other hand requires food everyday or else his stomach will pinch inwards. As noted above, adjust according and use your best judgement. Overfeeding = Nastier water.

[klam]

IMO I don't feel feeding once every other day is great. I'm sure you can be fed once every other day and still live, but will you be healthy, thrive, and be happy?
In the ocean these fish must eat more than once a day. These creatures are in our care and depend on us with their lives.

Feeding twice a day for me is not over feeding. In the mornings I feed my fish a light meal of frozen Cyclop-eeze and maybe a few flakes of spirulina. I add a little at a time and I take a look at their stomach to gauge how much they had to eat, if they seem plump but not bloated I stop adding food. At dinner time they get mysis, prepared sea food, or pellets.

I try to keep my fish healthy by giving them a good diet. It's a real pain in the morning because I have to get up an extra 15min for feedings, but to me it's worth it to have happy healthy fish. I also have a smaller tank so I don't get all the pods and critters that people with larger tanks have so I must feed more often.

Whatever you choose, your fishs are counting on you.