Im new here and had a question concerning feeding fish. I was told at a pet store that you should feed fish once per 2 days. I have been feeding them 2X per day and think this may be causing a high amonia level. Please let me know and thanks in advance.
Feeding Fish
- Thread starter pezant
- Start date
The-Wolf
Ex-LFS manager/ keeper of over 30 danio species
tropical and sub-tropical fish
once a day with as much as they can eat in 2-3 mins
a good pratice is to feed 6 days and give a days rest.
coldwater fish
once every other day with as much as they can eat in 3-3 mins
once a day with as much as they can eat in 2-3 mins
a good pratice is to feed 6 days and give a days rest.
coldwater fish
once every other day with as much as they can eat in 3-3 mins
fishboy619
Fish Addict
i feed most of mine 2 times a day, once in morning and once at late after noon
some fish, such as fry, get fed littler amounts more often
some fish, such as fry, get fed littler amounts more often
its more the quality of the food, they need a good balanced diet of frozen or live foods and veg.
http
/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/viruses.shtml
Look under feeding.
http
/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/viruses.shtmlLook under feeding.
maybe the amount of food may be causing the high ammonia levels.
I'm not saying you in particular but from my experience helping new people starting out in the hobby, I tell them to feed twice a day but sparingly. Almost to a "T", they feed about 4 times too much each time.
What I did was tell them to grab what they would feed and put it on a plate. Then I tell them to take half away, then I tell them to take half of that away and that's about what they should be feeding 2 times a day.
Not saying this is your case but I didn't see anyone else mention that so I figured I'd throw that in.
I'm not saying you in particular but from my experience helping new people starting out in the hobby, I tell them to feed twice a day but sparingly. Almost to a "T", they feed about 4 times too much each time.
What I did was tell them to grab what they would feed and put it on a plate. Then I tell them to take half away, then I tell them to take half of that away and that's about what they should be feeding 2 times a day.
Not saying this is your case but I didn't see anyone else mention that so I figured I'd throw that in.
t1tanrush
Fishaholic
I feed my fish once a day, my frog as much as he can eat in 5 mins around 6 times a day unless live fish are present.
loveyourfish
New Member
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Hi pezant
, I think first of all it is important to know what fish you are keeping? 
Well the basic guideline to feeding fish is to feed them twice a day as much as they can consume in about 4 to 5 minutes.
However as I said, it's important to know what fish you are keeping. Coz different fish have different protein requirement.
Another guideline is to feed your fish frequently say 6 to 7 times a day, but each time you feed, you give them a smaller ammount and shorter feeding period say about a minute or two. This way you will give your fish time to digest their food. And you can also monitor any uneaten food that...you know will decompose and cause the amonia level to increase in your tank. B)
Do remember, your fish is kept in a fish tank and depends on you for food. In the wild, fishes eat continues-ly...whereby they will feed on food that come across their territory. They don't feast on one or two large meals a day.
Try the second guideline, feed frequently but sparingly.
dwarfgourami
Fish Connoisseur
Gatorbait has a very good point, it's not about the number of times, but about how much you feed in total. 1 flake fed twice a day isn't going to cause more of an ammonia problem than 2 flakes fed in one feed- possibly less as there is less risk of food falling to the substrate unnoticed. However, if you are the type of fishkeeper who finds it impossible to feed tiny portions, then one feed a day may be the safe route to go.
nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
I'd elaborate on this point a little further. What matters is not just how much you feed, but how much protein it contains. This is because it is protein that forms the nitrogen-bearing waste producs that tax the filter. Fats, ash, water, and sugars do not have this effect.
If you look at dried food like flake or catfish pellets, you'll see that the protein level per unit weight is typically around 30%. But frozen and fresh foods typically have far, far less. A slice of courgette, for example, that you would feed to a plec contains less than 2% protein. Frozen (not freeze-dried) bloodworms are under 5% protein. Fish actually need tiny amounts of food, and for this reason it is probably best to use frozen, low-protein foods as the staple and relegate flake foods to a supplement. That way, the fish are "filled up" without getting overfed. (Think of it in human terms, we may like the meat, but the vegetables are far more important for health and are the bits that make us feel satisfied.)
Often overlooked is the point that many aquarium fish are omnivores, not carnivores. Many tetras, most catfish, almost all cichlids and barbs, and all the common livebearers feed at least in part on plant material in the wild. Visiting Fishbase and reading over the "diet" section of species entries there is fascinating. Did you know kribs eat algae in the wild? Or that Corydoras eat decaying plant material? Mollies and platies feed almost entirely on algae in the wild. Violet gobies also eat algae despite their huge mouths, and even halfbeaks feed on pollen, in the case of some species more often than they eat insects!
For this reason, I highly recommend using vegetarian rather than regular flake. Because it is made from algae it provides a better staple for many species than carnivore flake, especially if you are keeping things like livebearers. Most fish will eat it readily. Also offer slices of soft vegetables such as cucumber; you'll be surprised how many fish will come along and nibble on it. Cooked peas are another useful food. Even some of my pufferfish like these, and they are excellent source of fibre.
In other words, look at the selection of fish you have, research their habits in the wild, and extend the range of foods you offer them accordingly.
Cheers, Neale
If you look at dried food like flake or catfish pellets, you'll see that the protein level per unit weight is typically around 30%. But frozen and fresh foods typically have far, far less. A slice of courgette, for example, that you would feed to a plec contains less than 2% protein. Frozen (not freeze-dried) bloodworms are under 5% protein. Fish actually need tiny amounts of food, and for this reason it is probably best to use frozen, low-protein foods as the staple and relegate flake foods to a supplement. That way, the fish are "filled up" without getting overfed. (Think of it in human terms, we may like the meat, but the vegetables are far more important for health and are the bits that make us feel satisfied.)
Often overlooked is the point that many aquarium fish are omnivores, not carnivores. Many tetras, most catfish, almost all cichlids and barbs, and all the common livebearers feed at least in part on plant material in the wild. Visiting Fishbase and reading over the "diet" section of species entries there is fascinating. Did you know kribs eat algae in the wild? Or that Corydoras eat decaying plant material? Mollies and platies feed almost entirely on algae in the wild. Violet gobies also eat algae despite their huge mouths, and even halfbeaks feed on pollen, in the case of some species more often than they eat insects!
For this reason, I highly recommend using vegetarian rather than regular flake. Because it is made from algae it provides a better staple for many species than carnivore flake, especially if you are keeping things like livebearers. Most fish will eat it readily. Also offer slices of soft vegetables such as cucumber; you'll be surprised how many fish will come along and nibble on it. Cooked peas are another useful food. Even some of my pufferfish like these, and they are excellent source of fibre.
In other words, look at the selection of fish you have, research their habits in the wild, and extend the range of foods you offer them accordingly.
Cheers, Neale
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