How much should I feed my Fish?

[goldhopper]

Hi Everyone, I am a greenhorn newbie to this hobby. I have a 220 gallon tank with a 90 gallon sump which does . My Nitrites are 0, Nitrates 0, Amonia .25 and Phosphates 0. The tank is 6 months old. I have 6 tangs that are 4.5 inches long and two Blue Throat Triggers with one of them that is 4.5 inches and the other is 2.5 inches ling. I also have a big goby which keeps the sand clean and three clowns that are three inches each. I have been feeding them Reef Frenzy (1 inch square) twice a day and 1/2 shrimp in small pieces. I give them 1 1/2 sheets of Nori each day. I feed the corals and aneomes reef roids once a week. The fish act like they are starving and always want more. The Big Triggers are very aggressive during the feeding time. I have been getting carrot sponges in the sump. Am I over feeding or not feeding enough? Thanks

 

[carrots]

If I had to guess you are not feeding enough. Zero nitrates, Zero Phos. you can feed more. You have to look at your fish and see if they are full bodied healthy fish or a skinny under nourished fish.

 

[goldhopper]

They are actually really healthy looking and full bodied and they have all doubled in size over the last four months. I have an extremely large refugium so that is probably why 0 phosphates. The carrot sponges make me think that I am overfeeding. Also, the aggressiveness is a concern when feeding which makes it seem like they are starving.

 

[Valentini89]

Tangs will poop just so they can eat more. I have 3 in my 150 and I only feed what the whole tank's inhabitants (14 fish now) can eat in 5 min. Usually that's 2 cubes + flake pinch each feeding, twice daily. Also, I will add, you started off with a big tank as a newbie.. good for you and better choice than a smaller tank.

 

[AlSimmons]

A hungry fish is a happy fish IME. When there bouncing off the glass when you walk by is a good thing.

 

[goldhopper]

Sounds like I can feed a little more and not to worry about the carrot sponges although I will clean some out of the sump. Probably would not hurt to get the nitrates up a little for the corals.

 

[goldhopper]

oops I mean pineapple sponges

 

[Salty Waffles]

I googled carrot sponges. Lot of pics of carrot cake. Now I'm hungry. lol

 

[ajoe]

oops I mean pineapple sponges

A sign of good tank progression. Excitable fish are healthy fish. Keep doing what your doing.

 

[Dmorty217]

Rule of thumb is as much food as the fish can consume in 3 mins or so. I feed my fish a ton of food, several times a day. Everyone is fat and happy. If water quality suffers then you need to feed less or do more frequent water changes