Am I over feeding my fish?

[das75]

Have Purple and Regal Tang plus a Foxface all around 5", 2 Damsels, 2 Clowns and a 6 Line Wrasse.

Each day feed 2 pieces of Nori each 2x3", about 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) of flake package really loose and every couple of days about a 1/8 tsp (0.63ml) of small pellets or frozen mysis. Tank has a mixed of corals but not feeding, only for the fish.

What has my wondering is having a little outbreak of bubble algae and hydroids. Fish always appear hungry but look good (wrasse is having a little pot belly though which I'm wondering why the wife hasn't gotten on him).

 

[demonsp]

If you over feed the tangs and foxface then the chance of them picking at algea in your tank lessons. Better to under feed then over feed.
Never feed anymore then they can eat in 3 or 4 min. Mixing it up is great idea. I feed a little flake / pellet alternating days in the morning but not the 3 or 4 min rule just mb a 1 min rule if not less and skipping a day or 2 weekly. Then frozen at night from brine to marine cusine
ect.. A fish will just keeping eating and this can cause harm in the long run.

The nori mb 2 or 3 times a week and not to much
Also the coral would like some marine snow or some type of micro plankton added in the tank , the amount depends on the coral and amount of coral. Be sure to turn skimmer off a few hours after feeding micro plankton.

Do you have a water test kit. testing can also let you know if your over feeding.

 

[das75]

Hardly any algae in the tank for the Tangs and Foxface (except for the bubble and a little bit of Halimeda) so really not much for them other than what I feed.

NO3 tests at zero. PO4 is also zero though always wondered about the accuracy for testing phosphate. Have cheato in the sump so that also might been slewing the readings.

Guess maybe cut back to one patch of Nori a day (don't want the Foxface to start eyeing up the LPS and clam)?

 

[deansreef]

does your tank have a lot of algea growth

 

[das75]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10982618#post10982618 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by deansreef
does your tank have a lot of algea growth

Not really.

For nuisance algae I've got the bubble going but not a whole lot, there's a small patch of hair (probably less than 2in²) that the fish keep to a fuzz that hasn't increased in size in months. I used to trim the Halimeda due growth but don't need to anymore and amount is decreasing believe from the Foxface. No cyano, get a slight dusting of something on the on the glass that I'll wipe every few days. Coraline is growing and haven't really taken note of it but the cheato in the sump might double in a month.

Hydroids, see a definite increase with them.

 

[saltwater4life1]

I put a pinch of flakes or small pieces of frozen food in there until they stop the feeding frenzy. That's how i've always done it.