Why Fish Feeding at 6-7 o'clock ??????? Any idea's????

[DobsFidge68]

Hi,

I am a newbie (after a lapse of 20 years) and have regularly noticed, ok my darling wife has, that the fish we have every couple of days get very excited and feed at the top 2-4 inches (50-100mm for the metrics) of the tank and she asks me why.

I have't a clue so I thought I would ask around.

Details of the system.

Tank/Sump 9 months old. 50 Gall/ 18 Gall (200l/68l)

Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5, Phos below 0.03, Alkalinity 9, Cal 430, Mag 1560 (early days so this is a bit up and down as no SPS). Sal 35ppt, Temp 24.8.

Sump has a refuge with Calerp growing well and reg harvested, various critters, small brittle stars, pods (new added every month), shrimps and small snails.

I feed the sump 2 ml of Concentrated Phyto a day and general TMC frozen food in small quantities to the main display tank 3/4 times a day to help the Anthia's out mainly.

We have 3 Evansi Anthia's, 2 Silver Belly Wrasse, 1 Tailspot Blenny and 2 Common Clowns plus various corals (softies and LPS so far) and inverts. No SPS as scared .

Every now and again (around 6-7 O'clock in the evening) the 2 Silver Belly Wrasse start the process of by circular swimming about two inches from the surface, mid tank. The Anthia's swim underneath expectantly. The wrasse will break the surface and disturb it and then it's a feeding frenzy by all. All we have done is sit on the sofa.

Any idea's much appreciated so I can give my darling wife an educated answer.

Very nervous as this is my first post.

Thanks

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hi. Welcome to the forum!
I'm confused by your question... Where is the food coming from? Is it just floating on the surface all day?

 

[afrokobe]

where is the food coming from if you guys aren't feeding?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Welcome to the forum!
If that is when and where you feed the tank, they have become accustomed to food coming there. They have learned to expect food at a specific time and location.
I know my puffers practically learned to only want food at 6-7 (when I feed).

 

[Rtaylor]

Welcome! If you always feed around that time, they have learned and are expecting food. If not, you probably need to feed more in general, likely they are just hungry.

 

[blaxsun]

My fish get really excited whenever they see me enter the room with the small container with their meal.

 

[DobsFidge68]

Thanks for the reply.

It could be, perhaps a build up of organisms from the refuge.

It is great to watch as we are just sat here. it's definitely the Wrasse that start it off by disturbing the water surface. Perhaps a build up of pods are trapped in the surface tension. I honestly haven't got a clue. That's why I asked the forum. The timing is the weird thing. We can't see anything as it's too small for human eyes but the Anthia's go ballistic after the Wrasse have flicked the surface.

 

[Billldg]

Fish are a creature of habit. It is usually a conditioned response. I get home around 5 or so every day from work and feed my fish. So, when I walk up to the tank at that time, they normally rise to the surface saying FEED ME!!!

 

[DobsFidge68]

Welcome! If you always feed around that time, they have learned and are expecting food. If not, you probably need to feed more in general, likely they are just hungry.

No we haven't fed for at least 4 hours by this point.

 

[DobsFidge68]

Fish are a creature of habit. It is usually a conditioned response. I get home around 5 or so every day from work and feed my fish. So, when I walk up to the tank at that time, they normally rise to the surface saying FEED ME!!!

Thanks Billdg,

Thats the thing, it's nothing to do with us. We are just sat on the sofa. Perhaps, as you say, they have learned that a build up of edible stuff has congregated on the surface by that time of the day.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Thanks for the reply.

It could be, perhaps a build up of organisms from the refuge.

It is great to watch as we are just sat here. it's definitely the Wrasse that start it off by disturbing the water surface. Perhaps a build up of pods are trapped in the surface tension. I honestly haven't got a clue. That's why I asked the forum. The timing is the weird thing. We can't see anything as it's too small for human eyes but the Anthia's go ballistic after the Wrasse have flicked the surface.

I get the impression from your comments that the water surface is very calm? If I understand correctly thats not a good thing. Nothing should be 'building' up on the water surface, this will impede the oxygen transfer. It could be they are swimming at the top because there is more oxygen up top. They might not be eating stuff, but poking through to get a breath of fresh air.

 

[DobsFidge68]

I get the impression from your comments that the water surface is very calm? If I understand correctly thats not a good thing. Nothing should be 'building' up on the water surface, this will impede the oxygen transfer. It could be they are swimming at the top because there is more oxygen up top. They might not be eating stuff, but poking through to get a breath of fresh air.

Wavemaker's ok and the skimmer with Co2 Scrubber is ok. I used to have a 6x2x3 linked to a 4ft refuge linked to a 4ft frag tank 20 years ago. The kit available today is amazing.

 

[DobsFidge68]

Hi all who replied, I took a video to my LFS the other day and was informed that the Wrasse were spawning. Sorry for my inadequate explanations but good to know all is well. All the best and thanks for all your replies.