How do you feed anthias without over feeding the whole tank?

[Carmen]

I have a 75 gallon reef aquarium with two anthias plus an assortment of other fish. Anthias are supposed to be fed at least 2-3 times a day. Right now I'm feeding once a day, due to an algae outbreak. How do I do feed the anthias without overfeeding the whole tank. Hoping to hear from others on how you accomplish this, and what foods of course.

 

[Eric B]

I feed frozen but I only do a small amount at a time. If the fish can't eat it before it sinks to the bottom then you are feeding too much at one time. You can always feed a small amount over the course of a few minutes it doesn't have to be all at once. I have heard that some people rinse the frozen a few times with RODI and pour off the excess because some frozen food has extra phosphates which is probably leading to your algae outbreak. I feed usually with Larry's Reef Frenzy or any of the LRS frozen foods and my fish love it.

 

[-Logzor]

Once the anthias are trained to eat a lot at once, you only need to feed once per day.

 

[Carmen]

Thanks guys!

 

[TankedNTn]

I only feed mine once a day. I'm not at home due to work so they don't get fed until I get home after 6 most of the time. The biggest thing I've noticed is that they eat a lot faster now since my Melanurus and Kole Tang are pigs.

 

[nphsmith]

I have an autofeeder with a selection of various powdered coral foods and cyclopeeze. This feeds 4 times/day, and the Anthias love it. Little and often is certainly best for Anthias.

 

[Carmen]

David D. I have a Melanurus, Two spot bristletooth, Coris wrasse, and another fish I can't remember the name of. And I have two anthias. All these guys go after the food like rockets--not really but, you know. After I posted this question, I watched a video on feeding fish. The suggestion was to not dump the food in all at once--which I was doing, but to feed them slowly with a turkey baster. I think this is working out well. Now I feel confident that everyone is getting a good amount of food. I also have a Lawnmower blenny, a pink spot blenny, and a Randall's goby. I'm "hand" feeding these guys with the turkey baster, or they'd never eat. They stay in their little cave, I put the baster down by their head and gently squeeze the food out and they get the idea pretty quickly and will start sucking up the food as it comes out. The blennies and goby are so cute!

 

[SeattleReef]

I have a Sunburst Anthias , feed it once a day. It only eats brine shrimp.

 

[Carmen]

I have a Sunburst Anthias , feed it once a day. It only eats brine shrimp.[/QUOTE

My anthias are lyre tail anthias. They eat any frozen food I've given them, Mysis, brine shrimp, Cyclopes and blood worms. I wish they would eat pellet food. The others do. I could set up an automatic feeder when I go somewhere. Still trying to convince them it's good stuff.

 

[60squared]

Every other day and my box anthias is fat and happy

 

[saltyfish]

My Bartlett Anthias only eat once per day and I've had them for about a year now. I actually had one in my overflow for 6 months and didn't know it and was successfully acclimated back to the display and is still alive to this day. Some types can be more difficult though. I would just feed as many small meals as you can. I have been debating on using an auto feeder since all my fish eat pellets and flakes in addition to frozen.

 

[Carmen]

I'm just so surprised so many are feeding once a day. At the lfs I was told numerous times they HAD to be fed 2-3-4 times a day. I feel better knowing this, and I will continue to feed slowly with the baster, and make sure the little guys at the bottom get to eat, too. I would use an automatic feeder, but they won't eat dry yet. The others eat anything.