Feeding frequency - how often do you feed fish?

[JayFish4004]

I’m in a bit of a conundrum - I started my nano tank roughly 7-8 months ago. Thus far no algae issues, and I had been feeding my 4 small fish (citron goby, neon goby, barnacle blenny, pinkbar goby with pistol shrimp sidekick) once every other day.

Lately my citron has been looking a bit skinny - which has spurred me to start feeding daily about half what I was feeding every other day before.

Anybody have experience with this? My fear is my fish probably are too small to do every other day feedings and still remain healthy, but I also don’t want algae getting out of control.

 

[JayFish4004]

I’m in a bit of a conundrum - I started my nano tank roughly 7-8 months ago. Thus far no algae issues, and I had been feeding my 4 small fish (citron goby, neon goby, barnacle blenny, pinkbar goby with pistol shrimp sidekick) once every other day.

Lately my citron has been looking a bit skinny - which has spurred me to start feeding daily about half what I was feeding every other day before.

Anybody have experience with this? My fear is my fish probably are too small to do every other day feedings and still remain healthy, but I also don’t want algae getting out of control.

Also just for param’s- nitrates hover around 10ppm today and barely detectable phosphates. I do biweekly water changes and ATI test has only come back with Iodine too low in the last few tests.

 

[Azedenkae]

Currently I feed my fish once a day, but in the past always multiple times a day.

 

[Zach B]

I keep a very active tank with anthias and tangs, etc.. I feed 3-4 times daily in small amounts, 2 done by an autofeeder. Variety is key Best of luck

 

[shakacuz]

personally, i feed every M, W, F. in between feedings is where i dose other foods like phyto, AB+, reef roids/reef chilli/benepets (i rotate through these except phyto to control nutrient spikes). when i feed, i feed LRS reef frenzy at about thumbnail sized piece. i have a 40B with 5 fish currently, and a bunch of inverts so this is what works for me to keep nutrients at a tolerable level.

 

[Zach B]

I'm not sure if there is a right or wrong answer to some extent as well. Your fish & tank needs will not match another's

 

[Rtaylor]

I feed at least 3X per day with an auto-feeder. Probably 99% of the time I feed at least 5 times per day. You should fault at over feeding versus under feeding. If you have nutrient problems add nutrient export versus starving your pets.

 

[JayFish4004]

Currently I feed my fish once a day, but in the past always multiple times a day.

What made you switch from multiple times per day?

 

[fish farmer]

I feed once per day. Pair of clowns and a sixline wrasse. Pellets most days, couple times a week frozen food. The clowns spawn monthly.

I did every other day for nutrient management. I noticed the clowns stopped spawning, but still maintained a good body shape.

 

[Azedenkae]

What made you switch from multiple times per day?

The current fish tank is further away from my desk than the previous one, so I am more lazy.

Otherwise I just chuck a bunch of food in any time I feel like. XD

 

[BCSreef]

I have Anthias, so small amounts 8 times a day.

 

[czoolander]

I always have wondered this ........ People that say they feed 3-4 times a day ?

1) why so much ?
2) who has the time for that ? do you not work? haha

I feed every 1-2 days once and on weekend maybe 2 feedings . Fish are all healthy and happy

 

[BCSreef]

Some fish are planktonic feeders and need multiple feedings a day. I use an automatic feeder. Easy!

 

[Hydrored]

4 times a day at a minimum- mix between LRS, Reef nutrition pellets, homemade mix, and a sheet of nori every day. Fish poop is the best coral food, I will use benepets if phosphates creep up a bit past target to reduce them a touch.

 

[Hydrored]

I always have wondered this ........ People that say they feed 3-4 times a day ?

1) why so much ?
2) who has the time for that ? do you not work? haha

I feed every 1-2 days once and on weekend maybe 2 feedings . Fish are all healthy and happy

Why not feed as much as possible?

I feed in the morning and evening and my wife has had a work from home job for the last 8 years so she handles lunch

 

[Billldg]

I feed 1 full sheet of 2 Little Fishes Nori in the morning, and, 4-5 cubes of frozen when I get home in the afternoon. If I am not able to get home in time, I usually feed Hikari Extreme a couple times thru my controller.

I will not starve my fish to keep my N03 and P04 down. I just need to find other ways to keep it down.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I feed the equivalent of about a half a pack of LRS (i make my own food), 2-4 sheets of nori, phyto dosed every hour, pellets on auto feeders, and rotifiers on dosers.

This is between about 750 gallons of tanks, but 500 or so of those gallons are a shared system. I also dose ammonia to all of my tanks and use a massive amount of export methods. 2x skimmers, AWC, fuges, dedicated Macro/Mangrove lagoon.

I agree with @Billldg and @Hydrored in feeding as much as possible, as long as it gets consumed. I also have a ton of NPS items, so have to have ti available for them, but I have to export heavy, so it does not accumulate. Kinda my compromise, I guess lol.

 

[czoolander]

Why not feed as much as possible?

I feed in the morning and evening and my wife has had a work from home job for the last 8 years so she handles lunch

Yeah for sure if it works for your reef that is awesome !

My schedule does not allow it tank is dark when I leave in the morning . 2 hours of light when I get home so they get 1 feeding in afternoon and have all been healthy and happy . Wrasse included which everyone say need feedings of 3-4 times a day . Might be a food company conspiracy lol

I think if I fed my tank 3-4 times a day I would have a tank of algea with fish in it somewhere LOL even with 1 single feeding I am battling GHA for the second time and diatoms . I run lucky I know haha

 

[happyhourhero]

I feed frozen daily with random pellet drops and egg brew squirts throughout the day.

 

[JayFish4004]

Currently I feed my fish once a day, but in the past always multiple times a day.

What made you switch from multiple times per day

I feed 1 full sheet of 2 Little Fishes Nori in the morning, and, 4-5 cubes of frozen when I get home in the afternoon. If I am not able to get home in time, I usually feed Hikari Extreme a couple times thru my controller.

I will not starve my fish to keep my N03 and P04 down. I just need to find other ways to keep it down.

thats a good philosophy - I watched a ton of youtube videos and I believe it was ReefBuilders who were saying they feed “almost an abusive” little amount of food - so I got it into my head to do it that way which was a mistake. He also had clownfish so maybe less of an issue with clowns than gobies.