How Much Food Per Feeding

[Dr Colliebreath]

How much food to you feed each time you feed? Do you feed until it seem that the fish are getting full and not pursuing the food as much, or do you just give them a predetermined amount even though they would continue eating if you put more food in?

Say I feed each 3" fish 10 small LFS pellets at a feeding, which seems like a reasonable amount given the likely size of their stomachs. Each fish will keep eating another 10 or more pellets if I continue dropping food in.

 

[flameangel88]

Predetermined amount

Predetermined amount

At night I feed mostly frozen (flat packs) and homemade (flat packs) so it would be hard to be consistent every time breaking pieces off but usually enough to pick for about 2 minutes. If I feel it wasn't enough I would add some flakes and pellets at the end. In the morning I feed 2 teaspoonful of flakes and pellets plus large pellets for the larger fishes.

They will probably eat more if I drop more but this is about what my skimmer can handle without overflowing. As long as the fish looks nice and fat then you know you fed enough. I think if you feed enough during feeding time the fishes wouldn't have to fight for their share. lol If there's such thing.

I consider my fishes are pretty calm during feeding time where you don't see mad dashes and chasing other fishes to grab food. The video is 1 min 30 sec and by the end the flakes and pellets are pretty much all gone.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Your fish are pretty calm when eating (nice fish in there). I fear I am spoiling my fish in quarantine as I drop in a few pellets on top of the fish, they eat, then I drop some more, they eat, then I add some more. They hardly have to pick up leftovers from the bottom let along scrounge for food. It seems that I can keep on feeding for quite a while before they seem full whether I feed 2 or 3 times per day. I don't want to underfeed them and leave them hungary, but I also don't want to overfeed.

 

[flameangel88]

While in QT you're conditioning your fish for their new journey ahead so I wouldn't worry about overfeeding but rather monitor the water paras. More frequent WCs.

Multiple feedings are good and the more the better in small amounts. I tend to overfeed regardless in QT or DT but just have to perform more WCs and skim wet.

 

[graciesdad]

I would definitely feed a predetermined amount. Overfeeding can cause a lot of problems. But you shouldn't starve your fish either. I like to feed small quantities 3 times per day. I like to rotate foods to ensure that they all get diversity in their diet.

 

[duncantse]

I have 5 fish around 2"-5" and I feed them 1 pinch full of pellets once per day. They usually gobble all that up in around 45-60 secs. As long as your fish are fat and healthy, then that is usually the right amount.

 

[dixiedog]

I would say the less the better. Fish are nonstop grazers. If you could feed thhem one small bite every five minutes that would probably be great the way I see it.