do fishes feed better with the lights on or off

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T

titustitus

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 8, 2011
443
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Singapore
Hi guys,

So im a keeper of bichirs, rayd and aros and wonder if they feed better with the lights on or off. I notice that one of my rays feed better without lights while the rest doesnt care and just chomp down whatever that is regardless of lightin. Do the fishes mentioned above have any preference when it comes to lighting and feeding? Thanks in advance!
 
If I feed my fish during daylight hours, my two albino Pacu (about 12"ish) eat anything that goes in. If they miss something the albino tinfoil group of 11 finishes it off. the giant gouramy is greedy too so what I do to get food to my Bichirs' and Achara catfish is simply feed when its dark and all the other fish are asleep. That way the super greedy daytime fish only get fed what I want them to get, and same for the predators.

So the bichirs will devour anything you put in at lights out, and cause the aro will be asleep so it won't eat whatever hits the surface
just my experience :)
 
I think most fish enjoy an area of the tank that is dark. Spot lighting works best in my humble opinion, since in nature, light penetrates water only so far, and there is typically stained water or plenty of cover.
 
LelaRose said:
It depends on the fish because fresh water fish likes to be in sun light and sea ones will like dark.
Click to expand...

This is incorrect. You're on the right track though.

Generally, all fish will feed throughout the day and night if conditioned to do so. However, some prefer to feed in either or. For example, most cichlids will hunker down when the lights go off. They will prob take a pellet here or there if they see it. Not like they would in the day. On the other hand, some catfish species will reluctantly feed during the day, but feed like mad at night.

If you have a mixed community of diurnal and nocturnal fish, you should feed proportionately during the day (lights on) and at night (lights off).
 
I found with regular photoperiods.. ie a timer ect.. for day/night cycles the fish adapt to your feeding schedule once they are use to a regular routine.. most my fish are nocturnal in nature but some aren't.. and I'm not nocturnal.. It can take days, weeks, or even years for some species to adapt to a regular feeding schedule but they will if encouraged. I found the best time to feed is early morning or later afternoon... both types are up and about to a certain degree and if you make it routine.. they easily adjust. Just like we adjust to either getting up at 5am or going to bed at 2am if we do it consistently.
 
My marbled knife only eats when the lights are off and my silver dollar colony really only eats with the lights on. I agree with above that morning before the lights come on for night feeders, like my knife and most of my cats, and evening for the others, my Oscar and silver dollars.

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