How often do u feed your lung fish?
- Thread starter Gggold
- Start date
When I had lungfishes (2x WAL and 1x SAL), I fed them every other day.
They received algae wafers, Hikari sinking carnivore pellets, shrimp pellets, fish fillets, and thawed shrimp. I alternated between algae wafers & pellets in one feeding and algae wafers & fish/shrimp in the next feeding. The algae wafers and/or other plant matter (yes, I know that algae is not a plant) are crucial to keeping any lungfish healthy, so be sure to add them to your lungfish's diet.
They received algae wafers, Hikari sinking carnivore pellets, shrimp pellets, fish fillets, and thawed shrimp. I alternated between algae wafers & pellets in one feeding and algae wafers & fish/shrimp in the next feeding. The algae wafers and/or other plant matter (yes, I know that algae is not a plant) are crucial to keeping any lungfish healthy, so be sure to add them to your lungfish's diet.
I feed my MAL everyday 1-2 times whole market shrimp. He use to eat only pellets but now he eats 3-6 whole market shrimps daily.
He's over 20". I usually just give him 3 at one feeding and maybe 3 more in the evening. He can eat more then 6 if I gave it to him.
i currently have 3 specimens from 3 genera (SAL, AUL, MAL)...all of them are several years old minimum (max 7 years), and they are fed just 1-2x per week, frozen whole fish, sometimes mixed with pellets.
from our work with gars and several other fishes we find major fatty deposits in captive fishes that we don't find in wild fish...seems pretty obvious that predatory fishes in captivity don't need to be fed quite as much/often (in many cases) as they do in the wild. ...to each their own though, as there are many variables in captivity that play a role (tankmates, aggression control, etc).
all my lungfishes are healthy and doing well, so hopefully that info helps in your feeding schedule plans--
--solomon
from our work with gars and several other fishes we find major fatty deposits in captive fishes that we don't find in wild fish...seems pretty obvious that predatory fishes in captivity don't need to be fed quite as much/often (in many cases) as they do in the wild. ...to each their own though, as there are many variables in captivity that play a role (tankmates, aggression control, etc).
all my lungfishes are healthy and doing well, so hopefully that info helps in your feeding schedule plans--
--solomon
I have to agree with Eamericanus, less is better.
My WAL is 4 years old and just under 30" and is fed Massivore pellets, algae wafers and Talapia strips.
I feed mine in fits and starts, 3 days on, 4 days off, 2 days on, 1 day off...ETC. I used to feed on specific days of the week, even placing its food in a ceramic dish in the tank. I found with this regimen it became lethargic and just waited for food.
With the fits and starts method, I see a lot more activity, gravel digging and foraging type behavior, which I believe is better for the fish and certainly more fun for me!
My WAL is 4 years old and just under 30" and is fed Massivore pellets, algae wafers and Talapia strips.
I feed mine in fits and starts, 3 days on, 4 days off, 2 days on, 1 day off...ETC. I used to feed on specific days of the week, even placing its food in a ceramic dish in the tank. I found with this regimen it became lethargic and just waited for food.
With the fits and starts method, I see a lot more activity, gravel digging and foraging type behavior, which I believe is better for the fish and certainly more fun for me!
Gggold;5093363; said:
I also notice an overall increase in activity when i keep the water level higher.
I think these fish are built to survive extremes that would kill most others and part of their strategy, it would seem, is lethargy. If they don't have to do it, they won't do it.
When mine gets fed in the same spot and has a low water level, it barley moves at all between feedings, pretty much seems like its sleeping.
I'm gonna try floating pellets; any brand you prefer?