I have heard it said that a fishes stomach is only as big as its eye. Does this hold true across the board, or only for smaller fishes? I ask because my bullhead can devour a dozen feeder fish in a sitting. I'm not feeding him goldfish anymore, and I'm trying other things. I bought some of the large uncooked shrimp from the seafood counter at safeway as well as a pound of baby octopuss (EWWWWW..... :thud: ) Anyhow, tonight he has downed one of the two prawns I put in there within 30 seconds of me plunking them into the tank, and he's eyeing the second one now... am I feeding him too much? His eye is like the size of the tail I removed from the shrimp.(I de-shelled them for him... figured it was better for him that way...???)
Stomach size...
- Thread starter xytrix01
- Start date
Just because they will eat themselves sick is no reason you should allow it.
Is that one of the Bullheads that gets up to two and a half feet?
How long is he?
Is that one of the Bullheads that gets up to two and a half feet?
How long is he?
Many predators can eat much more food at one time than they need to survive. So, while they can eat more than their eye size, they don't need it, and giving them lots more can cause serious problems. Predators that eat lots of large meals often will become bloated--the food isn't digested and compacts in their gut. It starts to decay, filling them with gas--and can kill them.
I'd reduce the amount you're feeding, and give him a day or two of fasting every week. Fish do not have the same internal process to identify 'I'm full", so will eat way more than is good for them, given the chance.
I'd reduce the amount you're feeding, and give him a day or two of fasting every week. Fish do not have the same internal process to identify 'I'm full", so will eat way more than is good for them, given the chance.
Never heard that eye-stomach thing before. Sounds like BS. I cleaned enough fish in my youth to have seen plenty of stomachs with contents much bigger than the former owners' eyes.
Yeah, i took the second shrimp away from him last night because he didn't eat it within like 5 mins. his stomach looked nice and full, so I think that one is more than enough. He goes 2-3 days inbetween feedings.
And no, I have id'd him as a brown bullhead, and from what I have read they only reach like 14" in the aquarium. He's about 8" now, so as he grows i will either get a larger tank ( I hope) or he's headed for the girlfriends pond...
And no, I have id'd him as a brown bullhead, and from what I have read they only reach like 14" in the aquarium. He's about 8" now, so as he grows i will either get a larger tank ( I hope) or he's headed for the girlfriends pond...