Overfeeding? How to avoid?

[Masha]

I've seen different advice on how to avoid over-feeding.

"All food should be eaten within 5 minutes"
But that could be a huge amount of food? And what about pellets - don't they typically take longer?

"Food should not have time to drift to the bottom"
What about bottom feeders? And that seems to apply only to flake food.

I skip a day a week, and try to feed as little as possible as I know the fish need a lot less than I think they do. But -- it's such a temptation to feed. I mean it's pretty much the only interaction one has with the fish.

 

[bshenanagins]

I've seen different advice on how to avoid over-feeding.

"All food should be eaten within 5 minutes"
But that could be a huge amount of food? And what about pellets - don't they typically take longer?

"Food should not have time to drift to the bottom"
What about bottom feeders? And that seems to apply only to flake food.

I skip a day a week, and try to feed as little as possible as I know the fish need a lot less than I think they do. But -- it's such a temptation to feed. I mean it's pretty much the only interaction one has with the fish.

Don't look into it that much. Unless your having water quality issues don't worry. Fish actually do fill up and will stop eating contrary to popular belief. Plus any extras your bottom feeders will eat. Yeah the 5 min rule does not apply cuz that is a TON of food lol. Generalities never help in this hobby.

 

[Masha]

Generalities never help in this hobby.

That's certainly true!

 

[Mebbid]

Generalities never help in this hobby.

Well... in general all feeding has to be done in a very precise controlled manner or else the tank will fail entirely

But really, while fish don't need much food but you do have to toss enough in the tank so everyone gets some. I usually bust up 2 algae wafers every other day to feed my pleco and shrimp armies and toss them in right after I add the flake food. The mid level swimming fish are preoccupied by the flakes so they leave the wafers alone for the most part. It may be a lot to feed a sizable pinch of flake food along with wafers but I don't have any issues with water quality from it.

As for exactly how much to feed, just put enough so that you see all the fish getting some. I wouldn't worry about overfeeding much.

 

[Masha]

Thanks! I've done the same with distracting the top feeders with flakes while the corys get a tablet.

Sometimes one of my black widow tetras gets hold of a tablet anyway, and carries it round the tank like a trophy. Far too big to fit in his mouth but he's not put off by that!

 

[Mebbid]

Try breaking up the tablets into pieces so that one fish can't hog it all

 

[Masha]

Try breaking up the tablets into pieces so that one fish can't hog it all

Yep, that's what I'm doing now.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Masha...

Most fish keepers believe their fish have to eat everyday. The same fish in their natural living areas are fortunate to find food once a week. So, we should feed the same as nature does it.

Aquarium fish can easily go a couple of weeks without eating. I keep heavily planted tanks with a lot floating plants like Anacharis and Pennywort. Algae, a favorite of most aquarium fish, grows on these and most other plants and is a healthy part of a fish's diet.

I feed a variety of mostly frozen, a little freeze dried and very, very little flaked and I feed a little twice a week. If you have growing fry, then add one more feeding a week.

My fish are constantly moving around the tank looking for a tiny leftover. They stay nice and healthy and their water stays nice and clean.

Pretty simple, really.

B

 

[Masha]

Sound good, BBradbury!
Better quality, less frequently.

I don't have a freezer at the moment so cant keep frozen food, but all I need to do to get mosquito larvae is put a cup of water outside...

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

I only feed once every three days, but one algae wafer everyday. When I feed them, they get frozen freshwater food. They seem to like it