Large adult predators (no longer have many of these...) got fed every 3 or 4 days; whole frozen minnows/smelt, whole earthworms, whole cocktail shrimp, Massivore. If a particular fish absolutely requires live feeders...which is an exceedingly rare situation...I use Rosy Reds that have been bred by me for numerous generations. I have never had a predatory fish that couldn't be switched to carefully presented dead food within a few days or couple weeks of very sparing use of live feeders. If my friends want to witness aquarium carnage...there is no shortage of it available on the internet; I don't do that.
Most smaller fish, including cichlids...that depends. If I am home they will get 3, 4 or more small feedings daily, skipping the occasional day. I have probably 2 dozen assorted foods on hand at any given time...flakes, pellets, wafers, frozen, freeze-dried, DIY gelatin food...and never use the same stuff twice in a row. Vegetarians get lots of gelatin food and lots of duck weed; very rarely do I use terrestrial plant material. Algae consumers get long photo periods to encourage the green stuff to grow...I nurture hair algae like a first-born child.
If I am away at work (couple or three weeks at a time) I leave pre-measured portions in little snap-top plastic Dollar Store canisters for my wife to feed; once per day.
Fry get multiple small feedings per day, regardless of whether or not fed by me or my wife.
I don't let my fish get fat, and I don't "powerfeed" in an attempt to obtain maximum size in minimum time. I also don't allow uneaten food to sit around; unlike many bits of aquarium "common wisdom" that are total BS (such as inch-of-fish-per-gallon), I really do believe in feeding no more than will be completely consumed in just a couple minutes. When I hear about water changes being done to siphon out uneaten food...my skin crawls.
Most smaller fish, including cichlids...that depends. If I am home they will get 3, 4 or more small feedings daily, skipping the occasional day. I have probably 2 dozen assorted foods on hand at any given time...flakes, pellets, wafers, frozen, freeze-dried, DIY gelatin food...and never use the same stuff twice in a row. Vegetarians get lots of gelatin food and lots of duck weed; very rarely do I use terrestrial plant material. Algae consumers get long photo periods to encourage the green stuff to grow...I nurture hair algae like a first-born child.
If I am away at work (couple or three weeks at a time) I leave pre-measured portions in little snap-top plastic Dollar Store canisters for my wife to feed; once per day.
Fry get multiple small feedings per day, regardless of whether or not fed by me or my wife.
I don't let my fish get fat, and I don't "powerfeed" in an attempt to obtain maximum size in minimum time. I also don't allow uneaten food to sit around; unlike many bits of aquarium "common wisdom" that are total BS (such as inch-of-fish-per-gallon), I really do believe in feeding no more than will be completely consumed in just a couple minutes. When I hear about water changes being done to siphon out uneaten food...my skin crawls.
