My fish are happy and fat?

[atoll]

I hear that phrase or similar regular. I don't recall seeing fat fish on the reef however. As an example I often see algae blennies in people's tank with large bellies. I have 3 algae blennies which I have had for around 4 years maybe more , none of which are fat. In fact none of my fish are fat. I feed 3 times a day but no dry foods. What am I missing to make my fish fat?

 

[Rocks reef]

I hear that phrase or similar regular. I don't recall seeing fat fish on the reef however. As an example I often see algae blennies in people's tank with large bellies. I have 3 algae blennies which I have had for around 4 years maybe more , none of which are fat. In fact none of my fish are fat. I feed 3 times a day but no dry foods. What am I missing to make my fish fat?

I think people take pics after their fish have eaten and it shows them with a full belly.

 

[atoll]

I think people take pics after their fish have eaten and it shows them with a full belly.

That made me laugh thank you.

 

[W31Olds]

If you have 3 Algae Blennies that are 4 plus years old, why do you care if they are fat? In my opinion, that is a huge success as they often don't do well short or long term. I've had mine for a year, and he only gets a little pot belly, but I wouldn't say he's fat. My Foxface and Hippo Tang on the other hand are Blimps. I think a better overall measure of health beyond a generally filled out body, is if your fish are growing.

 

[Tonycass12]

I think people take pics after their fish have eaten and it shows them with a full belly.

I dont know ive got a bristletooth tang that looks like a chunky torpedo. Even has nice fat cheeks. He's the dominant fish in my 120 and eats all he wants.

 

[atoll]

If you have 3 Algae Blennies that are 4 plus years old, why do you care if they are fat? In my opinion, that is a huge success as they often don't do well short or long term. I've had mine for a year, and he only gets a little pot belly, but I wouldn't say he's fat. My Foxface and Hippo Tang on the other hand are Blimps. I think a better overall measure of health beyond a generally filled out body, is if your fish are growing.

Well for one. I don't see fat fish on the reef. To me fat fish that aren't found fat in nature are not as healthy as they should be just like fat people aren't.If your algae blenny isn't fat then that's good.

Herbivoires eat algae as we know and little else and you don't see them fat in nature. If an algae blenny is fat to me it suggests its being fed too much of the wrong foods. Same with any captive fish that isn't naturally fat.

People certainly grow who are unhealthy. What fish don't grow that arent healthy, only dead ones. Most my fish are 4 to 6 years old none are fat. That includes my mimic tang, black leopard wrasse, copperband, damsels or any other. My female damsels get a little pot belly when full of eggs but that it.

 

[atoll]

I dont know ive got a bristletooth tang that looks like a chunky torpedo. Even has nice fat cheeks. He's the dominant fish in my 120 and eats all he wants.

He will do and eat just about anything you feed it no matter if the food is good for them or not.

 

[atoll]

Quote "fat aquarium fish are more likely to be unhealthy as excessive weight from overfeeding leads to issues like fatty liver disease, organ damage, constipation, and a compromised immune system, causing lethargy and a reduced lifespan,"

 

[afboundguy]

I consider normal looking fish to be "fat" and healthy. Best example I can give is mandarins. While I have a breeding pair in my tank I am always looking when I visit my LFS and might put one in one in my 8 gallon display fuge (used to have one before he jumped).

"Fat" mandarins with normal bodies are healthy and I see far too many skinny mandarins in LFSs slowly starving to death.

Last week I was visiting up in the area my parents live to get them a gift certificate to their LFS and I wanted to check out their store since they just moved to a larger store across town and I saw a male and female spotted Mandarin that were extremely "fat" and I really really wanted to purchase the pair but that would have been too much.

Made me wish I had my dream 200+ gallon tank so I could have a pair of both kinds!

 

[afboundguy]

I also consider fish "fat" and happy when they are spawning/breeding. A fish that spawns/breeds means they are healthy and feel the food supply is constant enough for their offspring to survive.

I find that a much better gauge of healthy fish IMO/IME...

 

[atoll]

I consider normal looking fish to be "fat" and healthy. Best example I can give is mandarins. While I have a breeding pair in my tank I am always looking when I visit my LFS and might put one in one in my 8 gallon display fuge (used to have one before he jumped).

"Fat" mandarins with normal bodies are healthy and I see far too many skinny mandarins in LFSs slowly starving to death.

Last week I was visiting up in the area my parents live to get them a gift certificate to their LFS and I wanted to check out their store since they just moved to a larger store across town and I saw a male and female spotted Mandarin that were extremely "fat" and I really really wanted to purchase the pair but that would have been too much.

Made me wish I had my dream 200+ gallon tank so I could have a pair of both kinds!

There is always the odd exception and a difference between being skinny and overweight.

 

[afboundguy]

There is always the odd exception and a difference between being skinny and overweight.

We need a fish BMI table!

 

[BoaConservationist]

i love my lil dottyback, she loves picking the rockwork for any food leftover and roams around eating with the starfish, admittedly , shes just slightly plump and I can tell (can see her belly increase after a feed) - , but I also observe my fish probably a bit too much , honestly it is a kind of thing where as long as you can tell its not hindering the fish in a negative way then its probably good or even healthy, still an area of study for me- we plan our weighing our anemone hatchlings and attemping to calculate the metabolic rates etc, ill be sure to share what results we gather --- very curious to see others approaches/methods to growth rate/metabolism

 

[AydenLincoln]

Try telling that to Hewbie after he eats lol!

 

[afboundguy]

i love my lil dottyback, she loves picking the rockwork for any food leftover and roams around eating with the starfish, admittedly , shes just slightly plump and I can tell (can see her belly increase after a feed) - , but I also observe my fish probably a bit too much , honestly it is a kind of thing where as long as you can tell its not hindering the fish in a negative way then its probably good or even healthy, still an area of study for me- we plan our weighing our anemone hatchlings and attemping to calculate the metabolic rates etc, ill be sure to share what results we gather --- very curious to see others approaches/methods to growth rate/metabolism

I have a mated pair with a male indigo and a female orchid dottyback and I see her get super fat and bloated when she's full of eggs. The male indigo starts acting all crazy and then within 1-2 days the female orchid goes back to normal size and I don't see the male indigo for a few days while he tends to the eggs in the cave he created and it's pretty cool. One day I'd love to try and raise the eggs!

 

[The Ugly Phase]

obv never seen @OrionN fish his PBT even fatter give him a pm he will probs tell you