cost will average from person to person as some people can get shrimps etc.... real cheap... I buy shrimp in 4-6 pound bags ranging from 20-35 bucks... smelts 3-4 bucks a pound silversides are a lil pricey but worth it... worms can be purchased online for good deals... it can get expensive just gotta shop arround I'm paying now about 80 bucks a month to feed my rays gars aro and dats that's only one tank I have more rays coming within a month... just gotta shop arround for the best deals