how often do I need to feed my tank inhabitants

[New&no clue]

I feed my tank 2x a day with pellets, 1-2x a day with frozen, 1-2 sheets of nori in the morning.

 

[surfNsand]

I myself would love to see someone swim all day then only get fed twice or even three times a day. I myself can’t do it. Yes, there is some type of possible food in our aquariums… however, they don’t get to go open a refrigerator full of food like we do and snack or eat a full meal. Feed em like you love em. Bet you don’t give your kid a meal once or twice a day… cranky anyone?

 

[CanuckReefer]

I myself would love to see someone swim all day then only get fed twice or even three times a day. I myself can’t do it. Yes, there is some type of possible food in our aquariums… however, they don’t get to go open a refrigerator full of food like we do and snack or eat a full meal. Feed em like you love em. Bet you don’t give your kid a meal once or twice a day… cranky anyone?

Many fish on the reef eat all day from the rocks, depending on species....it goes same in reef tanks if you have good seasoned live rock. It's nature... Should we be installing refrigerators on the reef now?

 

[Rtaylor]

I am impressed that you have live rock from the Gulf of Mexico. I have lived in Texas all my life and our beaches aren’t the greatest. I was wondering how the rock looks and how you obtained it from the gulf

There are companies that have permits to dump a bunch of rock in the ocean, let it sit for years, and then harvest it for sale. Lookup aquacultured Florida live rock and you’ll find several vendors offering it. It’s awesome stuff.

 

[surfNsand]

Many fish on the reef eat all day from the rocks, depending on species....it goes same in reef tanks if you have good seasoned live rock. It's nature... Should we be installing refrigerators on the reef now?

at least I see you get my jest. However, what we have in our aquariums doesn’t even come close to a real reef.
that’s like stocking your refrigerator, bar or pantry with only a few things of what you live on.
all I’m saying.. feed em like you love em..

 

[CanuckReefer]

at least I see you get my jest. However, what we have in our aquariums doesn’t even come close to a real reef.
that’s like stocking your refrigerator, bar or pantry with only a few things of what you live on.
all I’m saying.. feed em like you love em..

Understood...he gets fed ONCE a day a homemade frozen mix with great variety, along with a bit of supplemental Dulse or Nori if he feels like eating it, rest of time , picks at the rock, 18 years old , same protocol, does he look decrepit? Yes, fed like he is loved! ....The Eibli pretty much grazes rock all day long, interested in feeding time but not voracious....

 

[rusty hannon]

If folks want gulf rock, and some that's 20 + years old there is Tampa bay live rock, Richard sold it but hear its still open, and Richard is the guy who took 5 barges of volcanic rock out 52 miles and dumped for selling lr. Also there is Live Rock n Reef out of Florida, Bill is this guy n he's the one I purchased my 23 year old rock from. Kind a funny, rock having a pedigree but license n rules as you guys put, so if interested there r two I know of and have purchased from. Just b ready to clean it daily( taking out dead or dieing) and I always wear rubber gloves to handle my rock, it will come w all sorts of cool and not so cool critters.

 

[rusty hannon]

Understood...he gets fed ONCE a day a homemade frozen mix with great variety, along with a bit of supplemental Dulse or Nori if he feels like eating it, rest of time , picks at the rock, 18 years old , same protocol, does he look decrepit? Yes, fed like he is loved! ....The Eibli pretty much grazes rock all day long, interested in feeding time but not voracious....

Beautiful and happy , kinda looks like the yellow gyt could use a machine for weight control. Lol

 

[Joe462]

How often do I need to feed my tank inhabitants?
My tank is 4 month old with 34lbs of gulf live rock that grew in the Gulf of Mexico for years.
The inhabitants in my 32 gallon tank are 2 small clowns, 1 cleaner shrimp, 10 snails, 9 hermit crabs (blue leg and cortaz), 1 Long tentacle nem, 1 bubble tip nem.
I have been feeding the clowns every 3 days and the LTA when it looks hungry.

I feed my fish every other day, and randomly put an algae sheet in there for the tangs. I don't feed my bubble tips. This has worked out well for me for several years.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Usually once a day. I'm convinced that in a mature tank, there's other food sources available.

 

[Frostynipps]

I am impressed that you have live rock from the Gulf of Mexico. I have lived in Texas all my life and our beaches aren’t the greatest. I was wondering how the rock looks and how you obtained it from the gulf

the rocks look great after a couple of weeks the Caroline algae comes back I ordered form gulfliverock.com they work with the us government.
I ordered 2 17lbs nano packs but they have large ones base rock live sand as well there are all sorts of cup corals, feather dusters, nems clams sponges and I also got an urchin.
I had to go all blues and dose H202 over cryno and most of the Coraline algae has degraded a bit but looks good and no fire nems aspia of whatever that stuff is that spreads like fire.

 

[Frostynipps]

I feed my tank like 3x a day. If I don't, my nutrients will eventually bottom out, which is bad.

I would be comfortable saying that most people here feed their systems at least twice a day. Test your water, I bet you can afford to feed more frequently, water chemistry speaking- unless you're battling algae or cyano.

I have switched to RODI now but had used tap(I didn't know any better) and had crazy algae and cryno problems at 3 months in LFS guy I trust said to because of the tap. I also feed live baby brine shrimp daily

 

[Frostynipps]

Every 3 days? Do you find the food expensive or what is the goal ? Trying to keep nitrates and detritus to a minimum? No coral in the tank? Just wondering.
I have 2 clowns a firefish a possum wrasse and a fire shrimp and I feed frozen every day. I feed the shrimp a nice chunk of reef frenzy directly.

after the deep clean ive been feeding frozen brine shrimp and live baby brine shrimp daily. I was told by the fish store to feed every 3 days because of the tap water

 

[Frostynipps]

One of my pet peeves in the hobby is the philosophy of restricting feeding to the fish to control PO4 and NO3. Feed your animals appropriately, and fix your filtration to control NO3 and PO4 if it's insufficient. If you aren't going to feed right, you probably should find another hobby. Out on a reef, fish have opportunities for a meal all day long.

I value my fish more then my corvette, its sitting on flats. I I just bought a kessil set up for my reef so my light eaters was getting a proper food source I could have bought a set of name brand tires with a spare with the money. I was misinformed by the LPS employ I take better care of my fish then myself I have had fresh water tanks(I love goldfish!!) for 15+ years before I started reefing. I'm even going to school for a fish keeping related career. This is my passion. I feed frozen brine shrimp daily now and forgot to mention I feed live baby brine shrimp daily. they don't rot just live as long as you dose a little phytoplankton. I also have a copod infestation that the clowns feed on time to time as well.

 

[xtravism]

I only feed once a day and if I’m not working I might do 2 times. Feel like any more then 3 times is definitely too much. And never less then every 2 days cause that’s messed up unless you have a well established tank.

 

[homer1475]

Just a little FYI.....

Brine shrimp, unless gut loaded are pretty useless as food as they contain almost 0 nutrients. Mysis are a much better food source. Even pellets, or flake is a better food source.

It's kind of like us eating iceburg lettuce. Sure it's food, but has 0 nutrient content.