How much to feed fish

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Everyone feeds their fish way too much, so if you use my equation it means by the time, they double it and feed that amount it will be about right. If you tell the populous the correct amount they will double it and then it will be too much.

Aaaaah...so the secret's out!
You mean to feed twice the amount that would fit on the fishy pupil!

The obvious issue of too much over-feeding aside, my sucker-mouth fish will easily eat way more than that, as they work their ways around the tank. Ditto the Pygmy Corydoras, who would easily eat more than one daphnia, at least a whole half of a bloodworm and at least a whole tubifex.

 

[itiwhetu]

Aaaaah...so the secret's out!
You mean to feed twice the amount that would fit on the fishy pupil!

The obvious issue of too much over-feeding aside, my sucker-mouth fish will easily eat way more than that, as they work their ways around the tank. Ditto the Pygmy Corydoras, who would easily eat more than one daphnia, at least a whole half of a bloodworm and at least a whole tubifex.

Really, I'm trying to give some sort of guide, the extra food will fall off your neon tetra therefore the sucker mouth will get its fill.

 

[fishyfun&fans]

Platies, 1 guppy and danios.

How many platies?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I’ve heard that countless times, Bruce. HERE

...And who says it and where did it originate from?

 

[Lamie]

How many platies?

Maybe 15 at a guess. I started with 3. There has been 4 generations of babies with maybe 3 or 4 surviving from each batch in the last month. Not sure what to do with them. Maybe surrender them to lfs

 

[Essjay]

...And who says it and where did it originate from?

It is often quoted as "......because a fish's stomach is roughly the same size as it's eye". I have no idea whether that's true as I have not dissected a fish (not even whole fish from the fishmonger, I get them to fillet it). And I have no idea who first said it.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

It is often quoted as "......because a fish's stomach is roughly the same size as it's eye". I have no idea whether that's true as I have not dissected a fish (not even whole fish from the fishmonger, I get them to fillet it). And I have no idea who first said it.

A simple Google Image search of 'Fish Anatomy' should dispel that myth then...and yet it is still quoted as Gospel.

 

[Lamie]

The danios eat the big bits and the platies and

A simple Google Image search of 'Fish Anatomy' should dispel that myth then...and yet it is still quoted as Gospel.

 

[otterblue]

It is often quoted as "......because a fish's stomach is roughly the same size as it's eye". I have no idea whether that's true as I have not dissected a fish (not even whole fish from the fishmonger, I get them to fillet it). And I have no idea who first said it.

On a different site a guy actually DID dissect a deceased aquarium fish and easily disproved that saying.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

There's also the seemingly obvious point that whilst fish eyes tend to be of a similar size, (gross generalisation, I know), stomachs most certainly ain't, depending upon diet, etc..

Fish are as varied as mammals, birds, etc..

 

[Lamie]

The man at Lfs told me that to feed until I see the fish spitting the food out. But it was taking quite a lot of food do get to that point. And to feed the fish twice a day. It was actually quite hard

 

[Lamie]

The man at Lfs told me that to feed until I see the fish spitting the food out. But it was taking quite a lot of food do get to that point. And to feed the fish twice a day. It was actually quite hard

Now I'll just feed once or twice the smallest bit of food.

 

[otterblue]

The man at Lfs told me that to feed until I see the fish spitting the food out. But it was taking quite a lot of food do get to that point. And to feed the fish twice a day. It was actually quite hard

That's how many of my fellow Americans eat.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

The man at Lfs told me that to feed until I see the fish spitting the food out. But it was taking quite a lot of food do get to that point. And to feed the fish twice a day. It was actually quite hard

Getting it right is tricky and usually takes some practice.
As @itiwhetu said, overfeeding is a serious and common problem, creating all sorts of serious and avoidable issues.

The man at your LFS is mistaken...many fish will take a bit of food in and chew it, reducing the size of the piece, before spitting it back out. They'll then take it back in and repeat the process. Follow your man's advice, many fish simply wouldn't get fed.

 

[fishyfun&fans]

Well here’s my input

You need to feed small amounts 2-3 times a day enough to be consumed in less than 5 minutes

Also variety in there diet is important for good health and good colour

bug bites one feed and frozen brine another or bug bites 1 feed algae wafers on the 2nd feed