# Feeding Frequency



## Beasts (Apr 14, 2006)

I have seen more than a few postings where members indicated that they fed their fish once a day or even once every other day. I have also noticed how concerned many people are about providing a large enough aquarium for their fish as well as appropriate tank mates, large enough schools for social fish, healthy chemical parameters, good hiding places, etc. With all of this concern for the fish why would anyone feed just every other day? Even once a day is not very often for animals which spend much of their time looking for food. With their relatively small mouths many of the species we keep seem, to me, to be grazers, eating small amounts of food throughout the day. The larger mouthed predators are, of course, exceptions to this rule and can go days between feedings. But wouldn't it make sense to feed smaller amounts more frequently, dispersing the food throughout the tank so that everyone gets to eat? And, if necessary, increase water changes and/or improve filtration in order to compensate for any increased volume of food. 
I feed twice a day on most days with no ill effects. I am writing because I would like to better understand the rationale for this regimen of less frequent feedings. I figure that, whether I agree or disagree, the better I understand alternative approaches the better job I can do in this hobby. 
I look forward to the conversation.
Beasts


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Beasts - Very good question, and I'm wondering the same thing. I feed once a day to my Puffer and endler's. I only feed them once due to i feed frozen blood worms, overfeeding these will cause planeria, and i also sprinkle a little flake food on the top. In my 55 gal, i feed maybe 2 times a day to 6 Harlaquin Rasboras, i sprinkle a little on each side of the support brace in my 55 and watch them eat, making sure to count all six eating. 

But how do people do it with tanks that are filled with fish? I'd love to know as well.


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

I use a feeding ring. Younger fish get 5x a day. Older fish about 3x. When the larger fish are full, then the smaller fish will come up to feed. Takes about 5 minutes. DO NOT allow any food to settle on the gravel (overfeeding). I do 50% water change 2 to 3x per week to maintain high quality water chemistry. 

Have several piggy cardinals. They always eat a bunch of food during feeding time. I always soak flakes about 30 seconds before feeding (2 minutes for pellets). This is to avoid sudden expansion in the fish's stomach.

The Nutrafin Max flakes do not breakup as much as the Tetra Color flakes.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I think one of the biggest reasons that less frequent feedings are often advised is because so many people tend to overfeed, and it can make a mess in a hurry.

I only feed once per day, unless I have fry, and skip a day or two per week with adult fish. When you have a planted tank, the fish are always picking around, so they really aren't going to starve.

Also, if I go on a 3 or 4 day vacation, I have the hubby skip feeding all together, unless there are fry in the tank. They all do just fine, and it's better than trying to take him around the house to all 14 tanks and explain what each one needs. :shock:

That said, as long as you have the correct amount down to a science, smaller, more frequent feedings are better in the long run.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I agree. Smaller but frequent feedings (3-4x a day) are better. However most people can't control themselves and feed too much, or can't find the time to feed that frequently.

I personally fall in both categories. So I feed once per day, ocacasionally skipping a day because I forget. I don't worry, the tank is heavily planted and there are plenty of diatoms, algae, and other goodies in there that the fish can pick on. 

-John N.


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## Beasts (Apr 14, 2006)

I have over 90 fish in my 410, which is heavily planted, and I feed twice a day. I feed flake food once and either frozen brine shrimp or frozen blood worms the other time. I also soak my flake food but for an entirely different reason. If I don't it is removed so quickly by my prefilters that the fish never get a chance! I need to have it sink because the prefilters draw from the surface. There is no way I have to worry about food reaching the bottom as more than thirty of the fish are various bottom feeders and many of the other species have no problem picking off the bottom. Not that they get much of a chance since the 5 Synodontis, 4 striped rafaels and 4 pictus have appetites that won't quit. The 10 Corydoras help but their appetites are insignificant compared to those previously mentioned. 
I agree with the benefit of experience. It is important to develop a feel for what your fish will consume, how much is necessary to make sure that everyone gets enough, even where in the aquarium to feed to maximize everyone's chances. I can easily forget (it was a long time ago) that I have the advantage of having managed or owned at least 5 pet stores and worked in a wholesale fish business and as a marine aquarist in a public aquarium. At the marine aquarium I had the privilege and pleasure of getting paid to spend my entire day, three days a week, feeding the animals and making real sure they did not get overfed. I would have stuck with that job but the pay was so poor that I had to live at my parent's house. They did get fed the other days but it was a much lighter feeding. And these were aquariums that ranged in size from 250 to 10,000 gallons. I hadn't thought about what fun that was for a long time.
A problem arises with fish that won't eat flake food. Frozen food doesn't provide a balanced diet for all of the fish but how long can my black ghost or elephant noses go without food? How many days can I skip frozen food? I don't think I would be treating these "special fish" well if I left them without food every other day.
furballi; With no disrespect intended, there is no way you will find me doing a 50% water change on my 410 two to three times a week! I do a continuous water change which moves approximately 125 gallons per week and my fish are quite healthy. Throughout my experience in this hobby (40 plus years) I have never changed more than 25% every two weeks routinely (until this 410) - but you are hardly in the minority judging from the posts I have read. My aquariums aren't immaculate but they are healthy. The test numbers routinely read good. You are definitely keeping your fish well fed but you are paying for their happiness with your labor. They undoubtedly love that three to five times a day schedule.
Beasts


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## ryzilla (Feb 3, 2007)

John N. said:


> I agree. Smaller but frequent feedings (3-4x a day) are better. However most people can't control themselves and feed too much, or can't find the time to feed that frequently.
> 
> I personally fall in both categories. So I feed once per day, ocacasionally skipping a day because I forget. I don't worry, the tank is heavily planted and there are plenty of diatoms, algae, and other goodies in there that the fish can pick on.
> 
> -John N.


with over 100 endlers in my 30g(most fry) I feed 4x a day. Plus 200+ cherries in the same tank. So I purposleu over feed 4 times a day. I see no problems. Cherries eat and endlers eat, then snails, then worms, then bacteria, then the plants take up all the biproducts especialy the massive uncontrolabel mound of E. Triandra.


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Have a custom water change rig. A few knobs and levers. The old water comes out to the garden. New hot/cold water goes into the tank. 5 min job. No need to water the garden when I change water.


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

Beasts said:


> I figure that, whether I agree or disagree, the better I understand alternative approaches the better job I can do in this hobby.


You may want to get the following book by Stephan Reebs:

http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Behavior-Aquarium-Comstock-Books/dp/0801487722

"Fish Behavior in the Aquarium and in the Wild"

Page 95-98 explains that fish can learn to anticipate meal at certain time(s) during a day.


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## bigtroutz (Nov 17, 2006)

It's important to remember that while *some wild *fish try feed almost constantly, what they usually get is low in quality and quantity.

What we feed is high in quality (presumably) so the fish don't need to eat constantly. This is the same dilemma faced by zookeepers who feed some animals who spend most of their time in the wild consuming low quality hi bulk foods.

All this is moot when feeding predatory fish that only get high quality meals infrequently in the wild. Our once a day or once every other day feeding schedules match that in the wild pretty closely but the aquarium (and zoo) animals do not need to expend anywhere near the effort to obtain the meal.

To be convinced of the lack of problems with once daily or fewer feedings, all you have to experience is what happens when you do an aquarium blackout to control BGA, for instance. After 3 or 4 days without feeding, the fish are typically all fine, even if they then take food with relish !!

I also feed fry more frequently but really that is to get faster growth.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

During the work week I usually give them a small snack of NLS pellets in the early evening and then another "helping" later on at night. A few times a week I'll give them frozen blood worms or frozen mysis shrimp as their second meal. During the weekend, or days I'm off, I'll usually hook them up with three small meals throughout the day. I'm sure I'm like so many others, and watching them eat is most enjoyable.
I change out about half the water every 7-10 days and things have been high quality almost always. 

Good topic Beasts... Any chance of seeing a picture of that 410 gallon tank?


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## pnchowdary (Jul 27, 2006)

I used to feed my fish twice a week initially as I had a lot of fry. Now I feed them once a day and they are doing pretty good. Once in a while, I skip feeding them for a day, when I am out of town. They do fine without food for a day.


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