Fish feeding
- Thread starter Ashfro
- Start date
I usually skip a day feeding once per week, and sometimes feed twice a day, but when I feed twice, its quite small amounts, especially if I happen to mistakenly feed too much at one time, then I don't feed again that day. I find for many cichlids, a day of only algae based food is a good thing.
I believe most fish keepers probably feed too much, if bellies are bloated, I would say that's too much.
Fish don't really have an appetite shut off valve, because in nature its often feast of famine, and most fish don't get to eat every day, so when they do come upon an abundant food source, they gorge.
In the artificial confines of a tank, this constant glut can be counter productive to their healt, and their instinctual feast or famine response does not change just because they are in a tank.
Too much constant food, with not enough fiberous material to push proteins thru the gut, may be one of the reasons we see so many digestive tract infections in the disease section.
I haven't kept fronts in a long time, but recall them to be slow at grabbing food, so I had to choose tank mates carefully to also allow them access to what I did feed
By the way, in reference to what ad88 mentioned, since your tank is only two week in, how did you cycle the tank before adding all those fish?
With household ammonia? or sacrificial fish?
Did you use seasoned filter media? or substrate?
It usually takes 6 to 8 weeks of cycling before you add a sensitive species like fronts.
I believe most fish keepers probably feed too much, if bellies are bloated, I would say that's too much.
Fish don't really have an appetite shut off valve, because in nature its often feast of famine, and most fish don't get to eat every day, so when they do come upon an abundant food source, they gorge.
In the artificial confines of a tank, this constant glut can be counter productive to their healt, and their instinctual feast or famine response does not change just because they are in a tank.
Too much constant food, with not enough fiberous material to push proteins thru the gut, may be one of the reasons we see so many digestive tract infections in the disease section.
I haven't kept fronts in a long time, but recall them to be slow at grabbing food, so I had to choose tank mates carefully to also allow them access to what I did feed
By the way, in reference to what ad88 mentioned, since your tank is only two week in, how did you cycle the tank before adding all those fish?
With household ammonia? or sacrificial fish?
Did you use seasoned filter media? or substrate?
It usually takes 6 to 8 weeks of cycling before you add a sensitive species like fronts.
Last edited:
Unless you used established filtration material, or some other bio material to jump start this tank, your tank is not cycled, hence the reason it is cloudy. See below....
For now, keep feeding at one small meal per day, until your tank is fully cycled, or you will end up killing your fish with kindness. See link below.
I would also recommend getting some of this;
Seachem - Stability
Good luck
I am reading through this thread and i'm extremely worried. It doesn't look like you have done any research whatsoever before getting your 240g tank and filling it with fish. Unless i'm missing something that tank isn't cycled yet, it takes a lot lot longer than 2 weeks to cycle a tank, unless you have seeded media, which again, I don't think you'll have any understanding of. The cloudy water that you have mentioned is a sign of a tank in its very early stages of cycling. You don't have a test kit yet so you are totally oblivious to what your parameters are. I'm taking it you haven't done any water changes yet due to the fact that you're asking how often you should do them. My head hurts just thinking about the potential time bomb you've got there.
Firstly, you must get a test kit asap and test your water. At the minute feeding your fish, how often and how much, is the least of your worries. Follow the test kit instructions to the letter, API liquid kit is best, and post your results as soon as you have them. We can all chip in and advise you further then.
Firstly, you must get a test kit asap and test your water. At the minute feeding your fish, how often and how much, is the least of your worries. Follow the test kit instructions to the letter, API liquid kit is best, and post your results as soon as you have them. We can all chip in and advise you further then.
2 weeks is not enough time to fully cycle a new tank. It could take up to 6 -8 weeks to cycle a tank. You have a lot of good sized fish in there for a new tank. You need to get a good liquid test kit and test your water levels. Ammonia and nitrite are deadly to fish. While the tank is cycling you will probably need to do daily water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite in check. I would feed sparingly while the tank is cycling since that will add to your ammonia levels. Once your ammonia and nitrite levels stay at 0 and you have some reading for nitrates then your tank is cycled and you can switch to weekly water changes. Good luck.
I've just noticed that you've got three threads going all at once all about your 240g tank. "Fish feeding", "cloudy water" and "new set up". Your head's likely to explode with all the info bombarding you. Really you should have aired all your concerns in one concise thread, it makes it easier for responders to answer your questions and help you.
