Who else feeds 3 times a week?
- Thread starter DDK
- Start date
Feed every day, wed and sunday are fasting days. I was thinking about feeding every other day which would be 4 feeding days. But not sure of the downside besides slower growth
Hello; I have progressed from overfeeding every day, thru feeding every day, thru skipping a day once a week to skipping two or three days each week. It took a few decades for me to catch on to what I now think is the better feeding plan.
Feeding each day tends toward overfeeding for me. I have top, middle and bottom feeders in one tank. I would tend to feed too much in order to get some food down to the bottom feeders. By skipping feeding days I can put enough in at one time to ensure everyone gets a shot at the food. Then the fasting days allow for the fish and snails to search out any excess food bits.
Fish are cold blooded and my understanding has been their metabolism does not require the same level of food intake as we warm bloods do. I understand that the fish go into their "beg for food " routine most any time I am near the tank. They will also eat prety much any time no matter how often you feed them. I have seen them eat till they upchuck and then start eating again, so we should not go by their food begging activity.
The skipping feed days also tends to make for a tank with better water quality over time. For those with snail aversion it also keeps down the snail population. I may have to step up my feeding a bit as my MTS population has been way down of late. I even have had to pick up a few from a local shop to get a few.
I began to see the benefits of skipping feeding days after comming home from weekend trips. My tanks would look better when I was away for a few days and there was no feeding.
Feeding each day tends toward overfeeding for me. I have top, middle and bottom feeders in one tank. I would tend to feed too much in order to get some food down to the bottom feeders. By skipping feeding days I can put enough in at one time to ensure everyone gets a shot at the food. Then the fasting days allow for the fish and snails to search out any excess food bits.
Fish are cold blooded and my understanding has been their metabolism does not require the same level of food intake as we warm bloods do. I understand that the fish go into their "beg for food " routine most any time I am near the tank. They will also eat prety much any time no matter how often you feed them. I have seen them eat till they upchuck and then start eating again, so we should not go by their food begging activity.
The skipping feed days also tends to make for a tank with better water quality over time. For those with snail aversion it also keeps down the snail population. I may have to step up my feeding a bit as my MTS population has been way down of late. I even have had to pick up a few from a local shop to get a few.
I began to see the benefits of skipping feeding days after comming home from weekend trips. My tanks would look better when I was away for a few days and there was no feeding.
Hello; It may be that the potential for somewhat better water quality from not having decay products from excess food bits could off set the fasting days. I do feed newly hatched fry quite often, a few times each day, for a while.
I suppose that if a goal is to have the biggest fish in a shorter time, the fasting might be a negative. I am not convinced of this as several of my fish have become good mature specimens with the lighter feeding scaedule over the last decade or so.
Cool thread...looks like this one should produce some good info.
My main concern is over all health of the fish, water quality (im slightly over stocked in one tank) and longevity of the fish. My fish are mostly juvies mixed sizes but are between 4 to 7ish inches (birchir, plecos,pearsei and heterospilus)
I notice that they are more active when fasted.
My other tanks get fed multiple times a day trying to put size on these guys and are housed as single fish water quaility isnt a concern
My main concern is over all health of the fish, water quality (im slightly over stocked in one tank) and longevity of the fish. My fish are mostly juvies mixed sizes but are between 4 to 7ish inches (birchir, plecos,pearsei and heterospilus)
I notice that they are more active when fasted.
My other tanks get fed multiple times a day trying to put size on these guys and are housed as single fish water quaility isnt a concern
Well here are some reasons why i feed 3 times a week to my larger fish. As Skjl47 has mentioned, you do get better water quality and I like to think of how adult wild fish eat. I'm sure larger fish go weeks without a meal swimming in a vast amount of water spending more energy than regular aquarium fish. I think stating that full grown wild fish eat everyday isn't logical.
I used to feed everyday but the amount I feed will devestate my water quality if fed every day. For an example I feed my 22 inch Jardini around 7 prawns or about third of a market filet. I just can't feed pellets to my larger fish, they eat too much or they make a huge mess lol
I used to feed everyday but the amount I feed will devestate my water quality if fed every day. For an example I feed my 22 inch Jardini around 7 prawns or about third of a market filet. I just can't feed pellets to my larger fish, they eat too much or they make a huge mess lol
Once daily, skip a day, usually coincides with water change day. Some of my juveniles I try to feed 2x daily
for my big boys monday, wednesday, and friday are feeding days.
i find that works best for me, sometimes they wont even eat wednesday after ive stuffed them on monday
i find that works best for me, sometimes they wont even eat wednesday after ive stuffed them on monday