help - How much to feed?

[viedwards]

Hi all! We recently upgraded from a 90 to a 150. Below is our current LS:
5 blue-green chromis (3 of them are fairly large)
2 true percs
2 firefish
Coral Beauty
Mandarin
2 cleaner shrimp, numerous hermits and snails.

I am currently alternating pellets, flake, mysis (and cyclopeeze once in a while for coral)


So here's my question. I feel once/day in the mornings. A cube of mysis is devoured in about 5 seconds, and the fish (especially the chromis, they're piggies!) appear hungry allllll day. They all flock to the glass when I approach, seemingly wanting food. Am I feeding them enough??? I'm thinking not!

 

[reeffirstaid]

I like the idea of more feedings per day, with smaller amounts of food at each feeding. This replicates, (especially for species like anthias) a more natural feeding regimen. Try a light feeding first thing in the morning - another light feeding 20-30 min later. Then a light feeding early evening, a light feeding again before the lights are out, and a final light feeding before your lights kick off.

 

[ReefMadScientist]

My schedule is once per day, at night. My fish know when it is time and they hover around the top of the tank. I target feed my mandarins frozen Brine and feed my fish PE Mysis, Brine, Greens, etc. I do not overfeed. When I do my feedings I turn off my return, and fans. This allows the food to be eaten and not thrown into a rock crevasse. I typically will feed for about 1-2 minutes but not too much or you will increase your phosphates or nitrates.

Oh, and I mix Garlic, Selcon, and Polyp food with it.

 

[mike007]

Fish are pigs and they are always hungry. Feeding light several times a day may be okay as long as you keep a eye on your parameters. IF you start having nitrate or algae Issues you need to cut back. My regiment Is to feed once a day and I have some fish that are over 10 years old.