How often to feed fish?

thousandth

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
Western PA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey all,

I have a question that I have found a very wide variation of recommendations on in the books and online references. I wanted to know how often to feed my fish, I have 2 clowns, 3 pajama cardinals, a 6 line wrasse and a tang. I have found references that state anywhere from 3-4 times a day to 5 times a week. What do you all think the best approach is?

Thanks
 

beaslbob

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 11, 2009
Messages
4,086
Reaction score
961
Location
huntsville, al
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey all,

I have a question that I have found a very wide variation of recommendations on in the books and online references. I wanted to know how often to feed my fish, I have 2 clowns, 3 pajama cardinals, a 6 line wrasse and a tang. I have found references that state anywhere from 3-4 times a day to 5 times a week. What do you all think the best approach is?

Thanks

1) stop feeding if you register any nitrItes

I usually feed once per day.

During vacations I have left the tank alone with no feeding for up to two weeks.

I also have an in tank refugium with macro algaes and pods which help provide some food regardless of what food I add.

my .02
 

jam3s

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
471
Reaction score
47
Rating - 50%
1   1   0
I'll tag along with this topic. Been thinking about feeding every other day to lower nitrates, but not sure if that will impact the health of my fishes.
 

FishLipz

Cheap and Easy Reefer
View Badges
Joined
Feb 20, 2010
Messages
2,168
Reaction score
360
Location
B-more, MD
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Twice a day here. Once with a good pellet food (New Life Spectrum) and once with a good frozen food (Rod's or Mysis)
 

Viva'sReef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
1,776
Reaction score
841
Location
Brighton, Mi
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
I am random...When my Sprectrum pellet feeder is hooked up and full, 2 times per day usually. Afternoon and evening. While my feeder is not hooked up, usually when the hopper runs out of food(3 weeks) I hand feed every other day, or every 2 days. I have stopped frozen foods altoghether and that seemed to really help my nitrates
 

edwing206

Visca el Barça!
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
942
Reaction score
7
Location
Shoreline, Washington
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I feed pellets twice a day. (different ones) and frozen at night. I eat three times a day so why not my fish too.
I don't get the people that feed once a day or less.
 

Azurel

Morpharian Maffia Hitman
View Badges
Joined
May 13, 2006
Messages
7,482
Reaction score
40
Location
Kalamazoo Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I try and feed 2-3 times a day.....Frozen mysis, life Spectrum pellets, Daphna, Cyclop-eeze. I don't feed these at the smae time but one or the other at each time.....Not to mention the corals love each of them as well, they also seem to like my Fauna Marin LPS pellets food.
 

AZDesertRat

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
5,090
Reaction score
1,324
Location
Phoenix AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Every other day or at least skip a day now and then for the last 30+ years and it seems to work well, I have had many many fish live past 13 years and my sebae anemone is alost 21 years old now. No reason to feed any more than that, its a closed system and you are just adding to the bioload with more food.
 

Bugzme

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 23, 2010
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Location
ut
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I feed my fish twice a day and all corals 3 times a week.
 

Neon Reef

unregistered
View Badges
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
571
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Couple things that haven't been touched upon..

1) Tangs in the wild graze all day. So some sprungs seaweed on a clip on a daily basis should work for the tang and maybe once or twice a day for the rest of the fish.

2) Also, something that is often overlooked when feeding but yet very important is to turn OFF all pumps and/or powerheads. This allows for food particles to be suspended and gives fish enough time to eat all food instead of having a lot of it going into the overflow and causing nitrates to spike.
 

Fishman

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 19, 2007
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
2-3 times a week .When they are picking at the rocks and stuff they are eating .
 

Neon Reef

unregistered
View Badges
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
571
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
2-3 times a week .When they are picking at the rocks and stuff they are eating .


Only the tang and wrasse pick at rocks...the clowns and cardinals don't...so 2-3 times a week might not be enough for those smaller fish.
 

soccerbag

Chalices did this to me!!
View Badges
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
3,848
Reaction score
133
Location
Richmond, VA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I feed Rod's Complete Reef or PE Mysis once per day (alternate) and then give my tangs two sheets of nori a day (I have 4 tangs though). There are times where I will skip a day, but I am usually constant with that. If you decide to keep anthias, you need to feed those guys a lot (2-3 times per day) to keep them healthy.
 

Troylee

all about the diy!!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
Messages
18,960
Reaction score
15,979
Location
Vegas baby!!!!
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Pellets once a day every other day... 4 feedings a week of pellets...
5 tangs couple clowns and some chromis....nori once a week of I remember lol...
 

Rale2001

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
57
Reaction score
0
Location
Memphis, TN
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i do live brine shimp for my scooter blenny once a day and the clown and firefish seem to like brine better then the flakes and the frozen mysis
 

How much do you care about having a display FREE of wires, pumps and equipment?

  • Want it squeaky clean! Wires be danged!

    Votes: 143 40.5%
  • A few things are ok with me!

    Votes: 178 50.4%
  • No care at all! Bring it on!

    Votes: 32 9.1%
Back
Top