Clownfish Pellet Feeding | Eat 50% / Fall to bottom 50%

[FrickMasterFlex]

New to the hobby and I just got my first pair of clowns. I'm feeding them Saki-Hikari Marine Carnivore Pellets 2x a day (AM & PM). So far, the clowns do enjoy the pellets, however they're only seeing about 50% of the pellets I put it. The other half is just floating to the bottom to rot, which of course produces ammonia, and as a new reefer that worries me. Any feeding tips for sinking pellets and clownfish? I want to make sure my pair is eating well, but it's hard for them to eat/see every single one I put in there.

 

[Reef.]

New to the hobby and I just got my first pair of clowns. I'm feeding them Saki-Hikari Marine Carnivore Pellets 2x a day (AM & PM). So far, the clowns do enjoy the pellets, however they're only seeing about 50% of the pellets I put it. The other half is just floating to the bottom to rot, which of course produces ammonia, and as a new reefer that worries me. Any feeding tips for sinking pellets and clownfish? I want to make sure my pair is eating well, but it's hard for them to eat/see every single one I put in there.

My tip is swap to frozen food, any that isn’t eaten goes over the overflow, the fish get a better feeding experience and your tank doesn’t get left with pellets on the sand bed.

 

[FrickMasterFlex]

My tip is swap to frozen food, any that isn’t eaten goes over the overflow, the fish get a better feeding experience and your tank doesn’t get left with pellets on the sand bed.

Thanks for the input! Any brand recommendations and feeding size for just 2 clownfish? Also rookie ?, can you explain what you mean by over flow?

 

[LegendaryCG]

Careful with pellets, they really raise your nutrient levels if they go uneaten.

 

[Reef.]

Thanks for the input! Any brand recommendations and feeding size for just 2 clownfish? Also rookie ?, can you explain what you mean by over flow?

the water that goes over the top of your tank into the sump is called the overflow, or back compartments if you have an all-in-one tank (aio)

I’m in the UK so not sure what brands you have there but I use gamma as the main brand, but if you are in the USA you’ll have loads of options, even something like reef frenzy nano, I have about 10 different frozen foods I feed, clowns tend to like the small type foods such as pods, cyclops, lobster eggs, brine shrimp, I also buy fresh sea food from the shop and chop it up, freeze it then when needed grate it into some rodi water then feed that, octopus, squid, scallops and clams.

 

[Reef.]

Oh feeding size, I feed a small amount as many as 5 times a day, the frozen tends to come in cubes, I chop the cubes in 4, take one out defrost in rodi water and suck a little up with a turkey Baster feed that,the rest gets thrown away, I do that 5 times a day, so I guess the 3 fish, 2 clowns and a royal gramma get around half a cube a day? Not too worried as said the waste going over the overflow into the filter wool then gets removed.

 

[FrickMasterFlex]

the water that goes over the top of your tank into the sump is called the overflow, or back compartments if you have an all-in-one tank (aio)

I’m in the UK so not sure what brands you have there but I use gamma as the main brand, but if you are in the USA you’ll have loads of options, even something like reef frenzy nano, I have about 10 different frozen foods I feed, clowns tend to like the small type foods such as pods, cyclops, lobster eggs, brine shrimp, I also buy fresh sea food from the shop and chop it up, freeze it then when needed grate it into some rodi water then feed that, octopus, squid, scallops and clams.

Saw a lot about people making their own food. That maybe a route a try. All of those types of sea food work? Do you grind them up independently or all together? Or a mix? I’ve seen a lot of the pre-packaged frozen cubes which I feel would work as well but pretty sure with 2 small clowns that’s way too much. Maybe if I started that route take like 1/4 of a cube?

 

[Reef.]

Saw a lot about people making their own food. That maybe a route a try. All of those types of sea food work? Do you grind them up independently or all together? Or a mix? I’ve seen a lot of the pre-packaged frozen cubes which I feel would work as well but pretty sure with 2 small clowns that’s way too much. Maybe if I started that route take like 1/4 of a cube?

yeah see my post under that one...if you make your own, not sure I would for a small number of fish as said clowns tend to like small foods, mixing that small is not easy, if you do the best way is to mix in a food processor when the food is still frozen, then mix together and freeze, being careful to make sure it stays frozen throughout the making process so bacteria does start growing.

 

[saltyfins]

My tip is swap to frozen food, any that isn’t eaten goes over the overflow, the fish get a better feeding experience and your tank doesn’t get left with pellets on the sand bed.

excellent advice, possibly a 1/2, since only 2 fish.

 

[FrickMasterFlex]

yeah see my post under that one...if you make your own, not sure I would for a small number of fish as said clowns tend to like small foods, mixing that small is not easy, if you do the best way is to mix in a food processor when the food is still frozen, then mix together and freeze, being careful to make sure it stays frozen throughout the making process so bacteria does start growing.

Our threads crossed! Great insight. Creating my own food when the tank really starts humming is what I want to do. But I think the frozen method via a turkey baster may be best right now because I can insert the food near where they’re swimming so they don’t miss it, and they’ll get used to that and know it’s time to eat. And, like you said, excess gets filtered out. I’m actually about to start another thread regarding filtration either today or tomorrow so if you see it and have insight by all means, help me out! Appreciate it!

 

[Specific Ocean]

Frozen food may work best. Do you have a CUC to take care of the uneaten food?

 

[Reef.]

Our threads crossed! Great insight. Creating my own food when the tank really starts humming is what I want to do. But I think the frozen method via a turkey baster may be best right now because I can insert the food near where they’re swimming so they don’t miss it, and they’ll get used to that and know it’s time to eat. And, like you said, excess gets filtered out. I’m actually about to start another thread regarding filtration either today or tomorrow so if you see it and have insight by all means, help me out! Appreciate it!

I don’t turn any flow off, I don’t aim the food at the fish either, clowns especially like the food to come to them, they don’t tend to swim after the food unless really hungry, with the flow on, the food goes around the tank, the clowns sit and wait, it’s what clowns do!! Crazy things, seems to work for them.
Also with the flow on the left overs don’t have time to settle, it goes over the over flow. Win win.

 

[FrickMasterFlex]

Frozen food may work best. Do you have a CUC to take care of the uneaten food?

The clowns are very new. I was hoping to get some algae established before inserting the CUC. I didn't have my light on throughout the entire duration of the 1-month cycling process. I'm thinking that I may be OK to add members of a CUC that strictly focus on cleaning up uneaten food, not algae. Any reco's? Think I am good to introduce or should I wait a bit with the lights?

 

[cmmatxh]

+1 on frozen

 

[Peace River]

For my clowns, I use a mix of TDO Chroma BOOST pellets from @reefnutrition, frozen foods from LRS, and occasionally ME Coral fish food for picky eaters. Since I keep my clownfish pairs in bare bottom tanks, I use a small hose to siphon any excess food off from the bottom and if I notice a trend of uneaten food then I adjust feedings.

 

[howaboutme]

Feed 50% less.

 

[Rickybobby]

I have the same problem. Whoever it’s good to have a bottom feeder and they will take care of the faling pellets

 

[FrickMasterFlex]

I have the same problem. Whoever it’s good to have a bottom feeder and they will take care of the faling pellets

Any bottom feeder species recommendations? I’ve seen goby’s as good sand sifters, but heard they can wreak havoc, but the sand is spotless.

 

[Rickybobby]

Lol I have an orchid dottyback that gets All the scraps in my evo. And in qt tank right now. My flame angel and blue tang devour anything on the bottom

 

[Billdogg]

I agree that if 50% are falling to the bottom, feed 50% less!

I have been using New Life Spectrum pellets (a mix of .5 and 1mm) for over 25 years. Everything in my tank gobbles them up. As for frozen, I will occasionally use spirolina enriched brine shrimp, and about once a week I'll thaw out a bit of Rod's Original for my rock flower anemone.

IME, one of the biggest mistakes people make - especially when new to the hobby - is overfeeding. It's kinda like kids and cereal - great when you first pour the milk on, not so great once it's gotten soggy. Feed your fish the same way. If they'll eat it in the first couple minutes, great. Anything after that will likely go to waste.

As for fish to help clean up the leftovers - blennies and gobies are great for that. I cannot imagine having a tank without a Yellow Watchman Goby and a blennie of some sort.

Although a clean up crew will help as well, remember that they, too, poop. It all has to end up somewhere. Your job on water change day is to remove the remainders.....