Fish feeding

[seaheard]

IMO, 3 to 4 times daily. The majority of all reef fish spend the majority of daylight hours grazing, sifting or hunting for food. Some at night.

Humans like your fish could survive eating only 3 times a week as well, but like your fish we would not be getting the proper nourishment.

Fat fish = healthy fish

[IReef]

Originally Posted by seaheard

IMO, 3 to 4 times daily. The majority of all reef fish spend the majority of daylight hours grazing, sifting or hunting for food. Some at night.

Humans like your fish could survive eating only 3 times a week as well, but like your fish we would not be getting the proper nourishment.

Fat fish = healthy fish

Oh, this is a good thread... and one I've considered posting, I "hear you" seaheard(lol-seaheard) but to equate free living fish on natural reefs to our little eco-systems doesn't work. The energy expanded grazing all day, fighting the currents and survival isn't like our contained oceans... there-fore, comparing natural feeding amounts to artificial doesn't stack up. Sure, some of our inhabitants are so challenged to survive in our tanks that intensive feeding is the only chance of survival... but in general their needs are greatly reduced by the differences in environments and nutritiousness of prepared foods. I humbly beg to differ on the blanket statement Fat fish = healthy fish.

[Wildcatt]

the 14 gallon in the bed room 2 times a day ..sometimes once because the cardinal only seem to want to eat frozen pods or cyclopees ..and I dont want another hair algae out break ..the main tank ...they will get frozen a few times a week but I flake em every once in a while ...I walk by the tank and Munchie will be like Hey !!!! I am starving in here ...or the star fish will be waving at me ...how can I turn em down ...I am Greek ...its in my blood to feed stuff ... there is no science to it ..the fish tell me they are hungry and I feed em

[hypnoj]

i think the discussion so far has been very constructive. I completely agree that feeding will vary depending on what's in the tank. If you have an herbivore, then more than likely they are accustomed to grazing daily in the wild (still expending massive amounts of energy to do so however). As far as predators go though, I know of no (or very little) predators that eat daily in the wild; including fish. They also are expending massive amounts of energy to obtain their meal. Not even our cats and dogs previous to domestication ate 2 meals a day. I think it's only been the "American Way" to fatten up our pets the way we do ( i do feed my dog and cat low calorie foods twice a day to keep them out of my garbage can, lol). I honestly mean this with no offense, but Fat Fish = Fat Fish. I think a healthy fish (or a healthy aquarium for that matter) is one that gets it's energy needs met with very little excess.

[JoeCreature]

Tank of anthias needs much more food regularly and comparatively than a tank full of blennies, gobies, or bottom dwellers. Its one of those variably conditional things that pretty much every system will have unique needs.

[hypnoj]

i agree Joe. Competition/aggressiveness in a tank must be addressed, if feeding more often does the trick then it will definitely be the answer.

[FishFinder]

I feed my tangs and other fish 2 times a day (morning and night) and leave a clip of seaweed for them to nibble on throughout the day, although it typically only lasts until little after 3pm.