Hand feeding

[rockethippo]

Is it good to hand feed your fish? Like clownfish and damsels? Will they nip you? I thought they don't have teeth? Will it still be painful? Why can't it be like Finding Nemo?

 

[darthgoby]

My mini-puffer takes the food from my hand when I don't hand it out quickly enough for his tastes. I mean he rips the pieces of bloodworms, shrimp, or krill from my hand if I don't put it in quickly enough. Is that hand feeding?

 

[Sevenstar]

My mini-puffer takes the food from my hand when I don't hand it out quickly enough for his tastes. I mean he rips the pieces of bloodworms, shrimp, or krill from my hand if I don't put it in quickly enough. Is that hand feeding?

lol That sounds very similar to my clown. I thought my previous damsel was aggressive with his food but my clown practically jumps out the water for his food. He is a weird fish. I bought him all kinds of goodies, but he prefers flake food :huh:

As for the hand feeding issue, I personally see nothing wrong with it as long as you wash your hands and don't leave them in too long. I avoid placing my hands in the water and just find large pieces of food to place half in/half out of the water. Not sure about biting. My freshwater fish like to nibble on my fingers when it comes to water changes and I feel nothing (except for a tickle). But saltwater fish could be different.

 

[rockethippo]

I guess is he eats it while the food is in your hand.

 

[Reefscape]

i can put a ball of defrosted forzen mixture in the palm of my hand, lower it in the tank and my clowns are very happy just to hover there and eat at will, they love being hand fed..

Niko

 

[rockethippo]

Thanks atnixion

 

[Fishieness]

hand feeding is perfectly fine

NOTE: not all fish are recomended to be hand fed
http://emuse.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/16097

 

[Reefscape]

yeah, i do agree there fishieness...have seen quite a few vids on YouTube wher this has gone wrong...

Niko

 

[Germanman]

hand feeding fish is fine...just dont be stupid about it lol...i used to hand feed my moray.

 

[Catpicklesdog]

I hand feed my Algae blennie although he will just suck on my finger and I've had him 2 yrs so it's not doing him any harm!! Whereas I wouldn't even attempt to hand feed my Maroon Clown as she's turned into an evil ~@*?/ since she adopted my coral!!!!