My neons are pigs. They eat so much that they look they're pregnant x2! Every time I put an algae wafer in for my otos and shrimp, they end up eating that as well as the food I put in for my other fish (which is their food too). They wouldn't be so fat if it wasn't for the wafers. Will my neons get sick from eating so much?
Overly stuffed neons
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Andos99
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Overfeeding is a bad thing and yes they can get sick. That is really strange that your neons go for the algae wafers....I have never seen mine do that. If your neons are partial to the wafers in addition to their regular diet, I would cut back your feedings to once a day, or feed them half as much as usual.
Andos99 said:
There are 6 black phantom tetras that are much bigger then the neons and 14 hatchets in my tank. Do you think my hatchets and black phantoms will get hungry if I put in less food for them? I have been feeding my fish once a day with crushed flake food and I put an algae wafer in every 3-4 days. Also not all my neons eat the algae wafer, just 5 like to eat the stuff.
tbonem91
Aquarium Advice FINatic
add the wafers at night after the lights go out - the otos and shrimp should have a better chance at getting em.
And yes, overfeeding will kill the fish - I would scale back the amount you feed per day so that they dont look engorged
And yes, overfeeding will kill the fish - I would scale back the amount you feed per day so that they dont look engorged
shawmutt
Aquarium Advice Addict
You can easily overfeed, but it's very hard to underfeed. You may even want to go as far as skipping a day or two a week until your fish start to look normal again.
shawmutt said:
I have not been over feeding at all and I do skip one or two days of the week. It's just that my neons eat a lot of the algae wafer which is for my otos and shrimp. They only look extremely fat for a day and then poop it all out. I think I’m going to go with tbonem91’s advice and put the algae wafers in at night when all the lights are off. Hopefully they won’t want to eat at night.
tbonem91
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Friendly said:
in my planted 20, if I add wafers during the daylight, my guppys go after them like crazy - so I locate my plecos after lights out with a gree penlight and then drop a wafer or 2 by each guy - seems to work really well.
Kilgore
Aquarium Advice Activist
I have the exact same problem with my neons. They are in the same family as Piranha - go figure. Sometimes they go at that food like they are piranha. 
I've found that the problem is worse with flake foods and bloodworms. They just completely gorge themselves. This can lead to health problems, especially with flakes, since they expand in the gut, so I started feeding way less than I though they needed. The flakes literally last about 30 seconds. They all seems fine so far and no one looks malnourished. I figure there will always be a runt, no matter what you do. I also have hatchets and while I worry they get less, they seem quite able to compete.
You should try feeding frozen daphnia, which will provide some variety in their diet and also helps to get things moving, so to speak. Good for their digestion.
I've found that the problem is worse with flake foods and bloodworms. They just completely gorge themselves. This can lead to health problems, especially with flakes, since they expand in the gut, so I started feeding way less than I though they needed. The flakes literally last about 30 seconds. They all seems fine so far and no one looks malnourished. I figure there will always be a runt, no matter what you do. I also have hatchets and while I worry they get less, they seem quite able to compete.
You should try feeding frozen daphnia, which will provide some variety in their diet and also helps to get things moving, so to speak. Good for their digestion.
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