feeding fish question

ms_cori

ms_cori

AC Members
Apr 29, 2006
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i have 2 swordtails and 5 platys. the problem i have is feeding. i've read so many different things about it. i was feeding them several small amounts a day. then i read that i was probably overfeeding them. so now i'm trying to feed them only once or twice a day. now the problem, they're all in the corner where i feed them, looking for food. when they see me start walking, or they see me where i'm sitting, they line up and look at me. it breaks my heart. i don't want to overfeed them, but, i don't want them starving either. when i was feeding them several times a day, they weren't looking for food like they are now. is it just out of habit, being used to eating several times a day or are they actually hungry? any opinions would be appreciated.
 
Fish will always beg for food even when not hungry. I'd advise a maximum of 1 feeding per day.
 
thank you. that's exactly what i was wondering about. i'll feed them once a day no matter how much they beg. it won't be easy though. :)
 
I have platies and it doesn't matter what corner of the tank you go to, they will follow b/c you are the "feeder" and the "care giver". My platies are very social w/ me, and when I turn the lights on they automatically know that it is feeding time. When I turn the filters off to do a good cleaning, the know it too, and when I have my hand or arm in the tank, they weave around my fingers or nip at my arms.

I usually feed them once a day, and that is in the evenings. I don't believe you are starving them, they are just beggers!

Hope this helps you out!
 
thank you. it does help alot. evening feedings sound good to me. and i should feed them as much as they will eat in 5 minutes?
 
30s should be the max, 1min is a little exessive, personally I feed about a pinch of food wich is eaten within 5-10s in the majority of my tanks.

also, you should feeed any veggies/fruit/marine seafood your fish will eat atleast once a week, this gives them a WAY better and varied diet.
 
I agree, I only feed what they will eat w/ in 30 seconds, sometimes I do give slightly larger amounts of time due to the fry coming up out of the decor (not used to the schedule yet).

Dorkfish is right, I sometimes give them zucchini (spelling?), espcially when I had my bristlenose algae eater. I don't do much else other than that.
 
30 seconds to 1 minute? i guess that probably is about right. thinking to when i feed them, they do gobble the food down pretty quick. i'll pay alot closer attention to the time factor. maybe i wasn't only feeding them too often, but too much. that would explain having to change my filter so often. thanks for the info.
 
While the amounts they are telling you is correct - I disagree with the number of feedings a day. Those fish should be feed no less than 3 times a day. 4 is even better. Fish use the energy from the food up in a surpriseing short period of time.
 
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