how to stop overfeeding tetras?

[Navfish]

I have an issue when I feed my guppies and tetras tropical fish flakes, the tetras eat the whole thing and they get so bloated that they cant swim properly for the next hour...
It goes back to normal in a couple of hours but regardless, I try to break the pieces up but then the guppies don't eat it.

So I need to feed various sizes for the fishes but make sure the tetra's don't eat the bigger ones. how do I do that?

 

[DragonScales+Doubletails]

try feeding in different places in the tank. that's assuming you have a spacious tank
how much do you feed if they bloat like that??

 

[Navfish]

try feeding in different places in the tank. that's assuming you have a spacious tank
how much do you feed if they bloat like that??

Just a little pinch I swear! I have a 10 gallon.

I’ll try that tmrw, thanks

 

[Sgooosh]

maybe soak the food so it does not expand in their stomachs

 

[DoubleDutch]

maybe soak the food so it does not expand in their stomachs

Or simply feed less.

 

[Rocky998]

The answer is in the question. Just feed less

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Try varying their food as well. Small frozen food - I get variety packs meant for small fish, so has blocks of daphnia, cyclops, moina, brine shrimp, small bloodworms - all fine foods for guppies and tetra. I rarely ever feed flakes either, Bug Bites is a great healthy food made of insects, and comes in different sizes/formulas, and sinks at different rates so fish at every level of the tank can eat.

Plus definitely feed less if they're bloating! That's a bit alarming. Feed a tiny amount, watch, feed a tiny bit more if they eat that quickly, etc. No more than what they can eat within three minutes of you doing this.

 

[Navfish]

Try varying their food as well. Small frozen food - I get variety packs meant for small fish, so has blocks of daphnia, cyclops, moina, brine shrimp, small bloodworms - all fine foods for guppies and tetra. I rarely ever feed flakes either, Bug Bites is a great healthy food made of insects, and comes in different sizes/formulas, and sinks at different rates so fish at every level of the tank can eat.

Plus definitely feed less if they're bloating! That's a bit alarming. Feed a tiny amount, watch, feed a tiny bit more if they eat that quickly, etc. No more than what they can eat within three minutes of you doing this.

got it! thanks. Will try all your advice.

Oops, forgot to mention, my LFS sold me baby tetras, so they are half the size of the full size tetras...and i have 3 tiny ones and 4 biggish ones (which don't get bloated).

I have frozen bloodworms and dried daphnia/bloodworms/mysis but I only feed them that once a week! I will buy some more varied types of food for them when I have the chance.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

got it! thanks. Will try all your advice.

Oops, forgot to mention, my LFS sold me baby tetras, so they are half the size of the full size tetras...and i have 3 tiny ones and 4 biggish ones (which don't get bloated).

I have frozen bloodworms and dried daphnia/bloodworms/mysis but I only feed them that once a week! I will buy some more varied types of food for them when I have the chance.

No worries! Happy if it helps
Bloodworms and mysis will be too large for tiny fry, but daphnia, cyclops, moina, the Bug Bites microgranules (light blue label) and stuff like Hikari First Bites and baby brine shrimp will be small enough for them. Do you know what species of tetra you have?

 

[Navfish]

No worries! Happy if it helps
Bloodworms and mysis will be too large for tiny fry, but daphnia, cyclops, moina, the Bug Bites microgranules (light blue label) and stuff like Hikari First Bites and baby brine shrimp will be small enough for them. Do you know what species of tetra you have?

I have neon tetras! those all seem like good options, I'll have to buy them!

 

[DoubleDutch]

Mind that tetras are in fact midwater feeders. Their mouths are less adapted too feed from the surface taking in air as well.
Granules are a good alternative as other small kinds that don't float. Soaking flakes or release them in the water will solve this too.