help dialing in feeding!! could be underfeeding?

[spencerkilgore]

Hey everyone,
I’m losing my mind a little trying to figure out feeding in my new setup.

I just moved my two clownfish from my 20g to my 75g. (the 20 is struggling with a biofilm takeover, i wanted to blast it with flow, didn’t want my clowns to struggle with the flow so i moved them over).

back to the 75…
Water parameters have been solid for a while so I added the easiest beginner corals (6 Zoa frags & 2 small GSP frags) but now feeding feels impossible.

Even with the pumps off, my 6-10 mini pellets I feed just float all over the surface before slowly sinking in random spots, before my clowns can even find them. even with the tank upgrade my clowns still like to stay in their little corner. I ordered a feeding ring that’s supposed to arrive today, and my LFS recommended trying liquid fish food too.

I’m stuck between being scared I’m starving them and scared I’m overfeeding and allowing food to settle in random spots, i which in turn will mess up my tanks perfect stability record for my corals.

so far my fish have been acting fine.

How do you actually know if you’re feeding too little or too much, especially with just a couple fish in a big tank? (plan to get more fish soon, just not sure what i want yet)

note:
- my CUC consists of 5 snails & 4 hermits (again, i didn’t want to get too many due to possible underfeeding.)
- i introduced 6 jars of algae barn Mixed cope pods when the tank initially completed its cycle, forever ago. I continue to add 1 jar every other week & feed with phyto.

Any advice would seriously help.

 

[TX_REEF]

liquid fish food? don't do that. Maybe they meant frozen?

I'd recommend flakes, they spend more time floating around before settling than pellets. This is what I feed for flakes: https://amzn.to/4jU0cwX

Don't worry too much, if your clowns are hungry they will actively seek food when you add it. You'll also want more than just 2 clowns in a 75G, corals benefit from a healthy fish load.

 

[spencerkilgore]

liquid fish food? don't do that. Maybe they meant frozen?

I'd recommend flakes, they spend more time floating around before settling than pellets. This is what I feed for flakes: https://amzn.to/4jU0cwX

Don't worry too much, if your clowns are hungry they will actively seek food when you add it. You'll also want more than just 2 clowns in a 75G, corals benefit from a healthy fish load.

planning to add more fish soon! I had a lawnmower Gobi, but he since passed due to the lack of algae growth I assume. The amount of coat pods I’ve introduced have taken care of a lot of the algae.

 

[Lavey29]

Frozen food is best for not just feeling the fish but feeding the reef. Pellets or flakes should be a snack.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IMO pellets are hard to feed, they either float or sink. As mentioned flake is easier it stays in the water column longer, so does frozen food, try some frozen mysis or reef frenzy if you can find it, that stuff is the best. I feed my fish 3-4 times a day.

 

[spencerkilgore]

update:

after doing more research on the liquid food my LFS recommended that I buy (Reef Nutrition ROE), I am glad I bought it. Very high in protein & fatty acids.

I am feeding ROE in the mornings via pipette (only what my fish will eat, which is super fun because they already seem to be trained on seeing the pipette and thinking breakfast!! I love interacting with my fish).

going very light on pellets in the evening. because I am slowly adding fish to this tank, I figured this will be enough for now.

might sub one or the other for frozen mysis, a couple times a week.

what do you think about a diverse diet like this? It sounds like a lot of work to some, but personally I struggle with leaving my tank alone so I figure this will be enough interaction for me!