Feeding Habits

[Christian3886]

Hello all. New tank owner here. I have a question about feeding. I have a 36 gallon bow front with an air pump and hang on filter.

I have added 5 tetras and 3 mollies. I have only had the fish for a couple of days.

When I feed the fish they do not come to the top, I actually have to leave the filter on so that the flakes and pellets will start to be pushed down into the water.

Is that normal? Ideally I would like to feed them and they realize I am there to feed them. It would give me more control over knowing how much they are eating vs. how much I put in. Plus I feel confident that this is just going to make a mess out of my tank from all of the missed food they didn't get.

Also, the mollies seem to have a much harder time getting to the food because the Tetra's grab it up. So I find that the mollies tend to grab food from the bottom. Is that normal as well?

Thanks for any input!

 

[gilpi]

You will figure it out. With time the fish will eventually relate you coming near the tank with feeding... at least some fish do. What ever you do if there is food that is not being eaten, you are over feeding, small pinch at the time till all gone once or twice a day, again, the thing is too make sure you don't over feed cause that creates a problem.

 

[Christian3886]

Thanks. Yes I know how important that is for the eco-system of the tank. I just struggle with making some judgement calls like what I mentioned above. I put a freeze dried shrimp block in the water yesterday and didn't turn the filter off. Massive lesson learned as that thing went everywhere.

I'm definitely going to enjoy some shrimp or cory's! lol

 

[gilpi]

It's never good practice to turn your filter off, though turning it off for a few minutes won't hurt... as long as you don't forget to turn it back on. You just need to put enough food where they'll eat all of it right away, once they stop eating and there's food left over, you're overfeeding. Perhaps one of those blocks is too much for the fish? Cut it in half, see what happens.

 

[HopeGR]

Thanks. Yes I know how important that is for the eco-system of the tank. I just struggle with making some judgement calls like what I mentioned above. I put a freeze dried shrimp block in the water yesterday and didn't turn the filter off. Massive lesson learned as that thing went everywhere.

I'm definitely going to enjoy some shrimp or cory's! lol

I have mollys as well and I love them. I have a 20 gallon and the fish since November. All the fish come to me when I approach the tank and they stampede over each other which is the funniest thing. As soon as I raise my hand they all go up too! I think the more they see you then the more they will be excited with feeding time. Mine eat initially from the top and then go after what sinks to the bottom. Mine go crazy for shrimp brine and every now and then I even feed them cichlid pellets which is hilarious how they go after that!