ONE heavy feeding or multiple light feedings for fish? WHY?

How much do you feed your fish daily?

  • One heavy feeding

    Votes: 196 27.3%
  • One light feeding

    Votes: 83 11.5%
  • Multiple heavy feedings

    Votes: 69 9.6%
  • Multiple light feedings

    Votes: 371 51.6%

  • Total voters
    719

revhtree

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Let's talk about a topic we've never ever ever discussed before, fish feeding! NOT! It's been discussed many times I know but humor me a little and maybe teach some new people something new!

When feeding your fish do you choose ONE heavy feeding or multiple light feedings and why? Maybe you feed multiple heavy feedings! Tell us why?

In 2016 I asked @Brad Syphus to share a quick little video of him feeding just to give us an idea of how it's done and how much it takes! I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Brad feeds his 32 fish (2) quarter sized chunks of LRS Food (frozen food) and a (1) quarter sized chunk of Hikari mysis (frozen) twice daily!


image via @Brad Syphus
1111.jpg
 

Steve Elb

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Let's talk about a topic we've never ever ever discussed before, fish feeding! NOT! It's been discussed many times I know but humor me a little and maybe teach some new people something new!

When feeding your fish do you choose ONE heavy feeding or multiple light feedings and why? Maybe you feed multiple heavy feedings! Tell us why?

In 2016 I asked @Brad Syphus to share a quick little video of him feeding just to give us an idea of how it's done and how much it takes! I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Brad feeds his 32 fish (2) quarter sized chunks of LRS Food (frozen food) and a (1) quarter sized chunk of Hikari mysis (frozen) twice daily!


image via @Brad Syphus
1111.jpg

Let's talk about a topic we've never ever ever discussed before, fish feeding! NOT! It's been discussed many times I know but humor me a little and maybe teach some new people something new!

When feeding your fish do you choose ONE heavy feeding or multiple light feedings and why? Maybe you feed multiple heavy feedings! Tell us why?

In 2016 I asked @Brad Syphus to share a quick little video of him feeding just to give us an idea of how it's done and how much it takes! I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Brad feeds his 32 fish (2) quarter sized chunks of LRS Food (frozen food) and a (1) quarter sized chunk of Hikari mysis (frozen) twice daily!


image via @Brad Syphus
1111.jpg

I feed my fish 4 times a day. I have Anthias and some other small fish that do better with the multiple feedings. Am I guilty of overfeeding....yes but my tank is happy and flourishing.
 

Alchameth

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I have changed from 2 feedings to 3-4 feedings. Fish seem to be happier, more active, and better mannered this way. Also, a few of my picky eaters have started eating pellets and flakes. Usually do frozen to start and end the day with pellets and/or flakes or freeze dried for middle day feedings. Helps making sure everything gets eaten too.

I don't eat once a day, why should they.
 

ReefHomieJon

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I do one heavy LRS Feeding in the evening only because my work schedule doesn’t allow me to do 2. LRS is pretty clean and elevated NO3 and PO4 is never a problem. Sometimes I set up my Eheim autofeeder to feed NLS an hr or so after the lights cut on but that usually what starts to raise my “nutrient” levels so then I stop and just keep the one heavy feeding. My tank stays In Good shape it when I do it like this so im not really sweatin 2 feedings. Maybe if I get some Anthias I will throw on that auto feeder again and just add a little more GFO. Currently I only use half of the recommended dose of GFO because my refugium is pretty big
 

ReefHomieJon

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I have changed from 2 feedings to 3-4 feedings. Fish seem to be happier, more active, and better mannered this way. Also, a few of my picky eaters have started eating pellets and flakes. Usually do frozen to start and end the day with pellets and/or flakes or freeze dried for middle day feedings. Helps making sure everything gets eaten too.

I don't eat once a day, why should they.
Well you might FEED once a day but I feel like the rest of the time they can scavenge the tank for left over food and algae keep it clean better this way.
 

WVNed

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I get the food ready and then add it several times until it is gone. Sometimes I do it early in the morning and other times at noon.
Out of the freezer.
LRS, 2 kinds of Mid Jersey, shrimp, squid and silversides
i-Fpftm9M-L.jpg

I add Selcon and defrost it in tank water. The chunky stuff is for the eels. If they dont eat it somebody else will.
i-RqSTknX-M.jpg

They know it is up there
i-wPSKRhS-M.jpg

I have also added 3 sheets of nori, fed some white worms to the CBB and gave some guppies to the lions.
 

ReefHomieJon

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I get the food ready and then add it several times until it is gone. Sometimes I do it early in the morning and other times at noon.
Out of the freezer.
LRS, 2 kinds of Mid Jersey, shrimp, squid and silversides
i-Fpftm9M-L.jpg

I add Selcon and defrost it in tank water. The chunky stuff is for the eels. If they dont eat it somebody else will.
i-RqSTknX-M.jpg

They know it is up there
i-wPSKRhS-M.jpg

I have also added 3 sheets of nori, fed some white worms to the CBB and gave some guppies to the lions.
Tell your clowns that that’s not a nem lol
 

725196

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Multiple light feedings. I want the fish to eat periodically and not fight over food. Heavy one time feedings lead to uneaten food, competition and in a few hrs, hungry fish.

Now me on the other hand, multiple heavy feedings, lots of pizza!
 
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Dbichler

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I only have time for one feeding a day during the week and Friday thru Sunday multiple feedings. My fish seem to prefer the one large. They graze all day long though.
 

Ippyroy

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I feed 2 times one day and 3 times the next, all at the same times. My fish seem to know when I am about to feed, they all gather in the front right where I pour in the food. My NO3 and PO4 are very stable.
 

vetteguy53081

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I have apex auto feeder. I have 4 daily cycles of pelkers and flakes at 9a-12p -3p and 6 p
About 7p i feed the frozen menu and 10p one by hand and coral food at 10:30p
 

Jman76

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I go light frequent for the fish with frozen mysis or LRS nano. Then once a week I do a heavy feed for corals with Rods, Reef Roids, and Red Sea energy
 

terraincognita

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Currently doing 1-2 heavier, but it’s only because I’m waiting to get Auto dosing and other things set up.

I think it’s a matter of preference of workload. Or equipment.
 

Patientman

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Usually 2 light feedings on weekdays … 3 on weekends and holidays! :) This might be another poll topic … but I throw Vortechs into feed mode and the fish all get into position for the feeding … I'm wondering how many bother to "reduce" pumps for feeding or just pour the goodies in at regular flow?
 

Mr_Knightley

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I usually mix it up pretty heavily. Some weeks I'll only feed 2 or 3 times total, other weeks I'll feed twice or more daily. It all depends on the current appearance of my CUC and corals. The fish, I think, could care less.
 

design.maddie

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Light or Heavy? I feed twice a day, Medium feedings. I have ReefRoids, and a mix of frozen baby brine and brine shrimp. I was adding SelCon but I ran out today and ordered AcroPower. Mix it up in a cup for the next few days. I feed 1 Teaspoon at lights on and 1 Teaspoon at lights off. It is enough food to not be eaten in 5 minutes but not enough to even know they were fed 15 minutes prior.

200litre system
 

piranhaman00

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I mean the correct answer is multiple light feedings but thats not always possible. I feed at 4pm when I get home and again around 7pm.
 

ca1ore

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Hmmn, how does one define a light versus heavy feeding? Other than nori, I feed 2-3 times per day; enough each time that the less aggressive feeders get to eat. Trouble with 'light' feeding, or metered dispensing, is that the piggies dominate and the shy ones get nothing. Pouring food into a powerhead helps as it disperses rapidly around the tank.
 

4tanks

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I do 2 medium feeds a day not light nor heavy and when I add a new fish I feed like crazy for a week just out of paranior more than anything to keep them fat and happy to help with stress of new fish
 

When to mix up fish meal: When was the last time you tried a different brand of food for your reef?

  • I regularly change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 22 29.7%
  • I occasionally change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 27 36.5%
  • I rarely change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 19 25.7%
  • I never change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 5 6.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 1.4%

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