Hand Feeding?

[Instant Tang]

I've got a mixed bunch of fishes, Green Chromis, Yellow Tang, 6Line Wrasse, Diamond Goby, Purple Firefish, Royal Gramma...and a cleaner shrimp and two peppermints...and the usual assortment of hermits and snails.

I want to hand feed them. I've tried it with flake, and the chromis approach and so does the Goby..even pecked at some at times. I'd like to train them to readily accept food from me, it's fun. (Keep in mind I like hand feeding wild birds too!)

Is this bad for the fish or tank in any way? I keep my fingers clean. Is there some kind of meatier food that won't dissintegrate as quickly as flake does?

Any chance of ever getting the Tang to accept food this way?

 

[seakwon]

I dont know if it is bad but i do it too. Clowns will always do that, but my yellow tang doesnt. my longnose hawkfish does, and alsothe sixline wrasse. it is fun i know. i feed the coral banded shrimp with a eyedropper also he goes crazy.

 

[EdKruzel]

It's not a recommended practice, but if you do ensure to wash your hands just prior to feeding; besides contaminants the natural oils and bacteria can be obtrusive to life in the tank and the equipment used.

It is never recommended to feed larger marine animals such as eels or sharks for safety reasons.
Many saltwater fish are venomous or can pass serious bacterial infection if inflicted.

The fish you have listed are pretty much harmless.

Ed

 

[rustybucket145]

my yellow tang will eat out of your hand and it is pretty funny. He trained himself!! I have a seaweed clip that i put a sheet of nori on each day. One day he just swam up and started eating it as i was putting it in the clip. So now i have a tang that nips at my hands everytime i put them in the tank!! Kinda annoying when I am trying to do something very Important (like flip over a stranded stail) but it definately added to his personality. Now he has to be involved in evertying that I do in the tank. It is like having a supervisor critiqing everything I do. I often ask him if he likes the new placement of a rock If he doesn't he makes me move it.

But back to the subject. The sheet seaweed is really easy to hang on to and they can't swallow the whole piece at one time so they take quite a few nibbles. Great conversation piece and a great way to get kids interested in the tank (by letting them feed the tang, he loves the attention)