Did not know that thanks for the info
How many times do I need to feed my fish a week
- Thread starter JT90
- Start date
Is there any way I can keep feeding them live foods but still be healthy I love to watch the blow ups
Hello; Having the feeders in a separate tank is a start toward a quarantine, but it is the time they are in the tank that determines a quarantine. The longer the better so any disease or parasite can have plenty of time to show up. My guess is two weeks is a start with more time being better. Likely not practical with feeders.
On feeding. I use to feed too much. Did it for 20-30 years and had some of the typical associated problems. I slowly went to lighter feedings and began to have two or three fasting days a couple of decades ago. First as a trial in a few tanks and now as a regular thing. (Note- this is not something I do with fry.)
I first began to notice how much better my tanks looked after I got back from a two to four day weekend when there had been no feeding at all. Knowing, or at least suspecting, that fish in the wild do not get regular feedings I began to use some fasting days. The practice has worked well so far.
Have you ever tryed putting a minnow trap out and catching your own bait would that be healthier then the feeders at the store
Do all those fish have similar feeding needs? I know I've run into issues with this, with a mix in the same tank. They may all get along fine, but there feeding needs created a hassle if some of them should have specific stuff. Some other fish would get at it first most of the time.
I too prefer a quality pellet food. Like said, more nutrition, less water pollution. Read the ingredients. If the first 3-4 are wheat, corn, or grain products, keep looking until you find a food with good stuff in the first 3-4 ingredients.
In all my tanks with adult fish, I don't feed any more than 5 days per week. If I'm not home, I've had them go a week without food. No issues what so ever.
I too prefer a quality pellet food. Like said, more nutrition, less water pollution. Read the ingredients. If the first 3-4 are wheat, corn, or grain products, keep looking until you find a food with good stuff in the first 3-4 ingredients.
In all my tanks with adult fish, I don't feed any more than 5 days per week. If I'm not home, I've had them go a week without food. No issues what so ever.
Hello; back in the late 1950's and early 1960's I used feeders I caught myself and bait minnows I could get from lakeside shops.
You appear to make the assumption wild caught bait from creeks or streams are more healthy. I am afraid I do not follow this thinking.
A possible flaw is sorta like why it is said "do not drink the water" when traveling to some places. People native to an area have over time developed along with stuff in the water. Folks from somewhere else have little or no defenses and can get very sick.
Fish in a local stream may have antibodies or other such coping mechanisms that allow them to do ok with a local pathogen or parasite. Our tank fish that are not also native are by definition "exotic" and may not be able to deal with these local pathogens and such.
This is also one reason why we should not release non native fish when we no longer want them. Not only might they become established but they may carry something our native species cannot cope with.
My take is wild caught feeders pose a substantial risk to you fish.
I think they all have the same feeding need all of them are carnivore all of them love eating minnows
Feed quarantined fish and live insects,the following feeders can be bred relatively easily (I recommend feeding a variety of foods for a balanced diet,in Clyde feeders and prepared foods): earthworms,crickets,grasshoppers,jewel cichlids,convict cichlids,triops,cherry red shrimp,mosquito fish.
