How and what do you feed "several times per day"?

[jonnybravo22]

For those with delicate eaters and fish that need to be fed 3 or 4 times per day, how do you accomplish this. Seems frozen would not work, is it all flakes and pellets?

I have an eheim autofeeder (that I only use when I go on vacation) but until now have only had clownfish that eat Rods food when I get home. I'm adding a few new fish so wanted to see how others are doing this. Thanks.


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[wrott]

Most fish that have been acclimated to your tank for a few months really don't need the 4-5x/day feeding, IMO. When acclimating my Anthias, and any fish for that matter, it's best to feed several times a day for 2-3 weeks. I chopped raw scallops, lobster and shrimp 5x/day to get my Ignitus to eat and get fat. Now all my fish eat anything. I think it's a matter of new fish learning from old fish, and shear hungar! When they are very health, it seems like they will eat anything anytime. Even if I go 1 or 2 days w/out food is OK.
But to answer your question, you feed them anything they will eat every 1-2 hrs, in very small portions. And of course you have to have the biological capacity to do this--or massive WCs 2x/day.

 

[jonnybravo22]

Re: How and what do you feed "several times per day"?

Thanks for the reply.

I guess what I really wanted to know is how you deliver it. I could have added "and work full time" to the end of the title.

For those first few weeks how do you feed 2-3 times daily? Autofeeder? I'd guess scallops would spoil quickly if I tried putting pieces in my autofeeder.

Thanks.


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[ShrimpChipGal]

I use prawn eggs/cyclopes in auto feeder.

Here is a thread with information for you. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1614055&highlight=tuka+auto+feeder

 

[wrott]

Yeah, that is the real problem for me too, jobs suck!
For new fish that will not eat frozen brine/mysis, I buy fresh seafood and freeze it, then shave off pieces of each, then chop them finely, add auqarium water, swirl it around, and feed over 3-5 minute period.
And I have have my lights set to turn ON 2hrs before I get home from work, so yeah my social life is put on hold until I'm sure that my fish are well.
What kind of fish do you want to buy?

 

[roktsintst]

I feed NLS pellet A+ every time I walk by the tank! A.K.A all day!!!

 

[HomeSlizzice]

I feed NLS (New Life Spectrum) pellets, they are great and completely nutritious. They IMO saved my Coral Beauty Angel's life, and now he is extremely healthy and has amazing color. Also because its in a pellet form, you can put them in your autofeeder.

 

[jonnybravo22]

Re: How and what do you feed "several times per day"?

Burgess butterfly and venustus angel at the moment.

Interesting thread(s). Don't think I'll be building such a contraption any time soon but very interesting nonetheless.

Light timing is a good point also. I have them running most of the day while I'm not there. The twilight to daylight rampup is delayed a few hours so it's not really daylight til 10am and I push it a few hours on the rail end too so eventually I sleep without the lights on full blast but I do have some room to play there.




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[jonnybravo22]

Re: How and what do you feed "several times per day"?

I have nls pellets in the rotation as well, I'll start using the feeder to drop nls and flakes while I'm away. I find that my clowns are so enamored with the anemone they won't even leave it to eat even though they have the whole tank to themselves and have never had tankmates other than the anemone.


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[Jacob D]

I feed enriched mysis and live blackworms pretty much daily. Autofeeders provide Formula 1 & 2 flake a couple times a day. I have never had any luck with fish taking pellet (even NLS)... maybe I haven't been persistent enough.

 

[The Reef Expert]

If your looking to feeding more when your away freeze dried is good.

Fosterandsmithaquatics has many marine freezedried foods. wardley protein flakes, ocean nutrition A+B, Krill, brine, mysis (all freezedried) Just browse the fish food section for marine foods and you could end up with many different combos of flake pellet and freezedried foods. Sera also has some good foods.