How much is considered overfeeding?

luconi · 05/31/2010, 03:59 PM

I have in my Biocube 29g tank a clownfish, coral beauty dwarf angel, snails, sally lightfoot, arrow crab, blue tuxedo urchin, featherdusters, and a colony of zoas. I've been feeding mysis shrimp twice a day, and I've heard that this can be overfeeding. I feed a little bit at a time, usually over a period of 10 minutes or so, and a very small amount is not eaten. I want to prevent nitrates as well as possible, and I was wondering if I should reduce amount of feeding times per day or the amount of food. Thanks!

billdogg · 05/31/2010, 04:30 PM

if it is not eaten in a minute or so, IMO, that is too much. I feed my tanks once a day, and skip about 2 days a week as well. Think of it like cereal in a bowl - if it gets soggy and goes to the bottom, the kids don't want to eat it, so it goes to waste. Also - switch it up a little - I feed primarily New Life Spectrum pellets, with frozen mysis or rod's food just occasionally.

dixiedog · 05/31/2010, 05:03 PM

Doesn't matter how many times a day you feed, it's how much you feed. And it sounds like you're feeding a little too much.

Remember "a hungry fish is a healthy fish", and they should still be acting famished when feeding time is over.

(this coming from a chronic over feeder)

nuclear360 · 05/31/2010, 05:04 PM

I hav basically a similiar set up and i feed one cube of MYasis once a day and sometimes skip a day. i had a bad red algea bloom from over feeding last year and was lucky to recover.

mscarpena · 05/31/2010, 06:35 PM

I would even say one cube in a similar set up is too much. I have a 75 gallon reef with 8 fish in it and feed about 3 cubes over the period of a week. I feed my fish 4 days per week and the food is gone in 30 seconds or less. You are definitely over feeding.

luconi · 05/31/2010, 07:49 PM

Thanks everybody! So what I might do gradually (or should I just start immediately?), is feed once per day and for about 1- 1+1/2 minutes. Sound good?

ilovesoda · 05/31/2010, 08:18 PM

i have two clowns, a tailspot blenny and a yellow clown goby. I feed them a pinch of small spectrum pellets every second day. You can feed your fish not very much and they'll still be happy, and poop less!

Feeding mysis twice per day in my opinion is definitely over feeding. The fish don't need that much. Maybe (obviously) your fish are very grateful for the food, but it probably isn't healthy for them and everything else in your tank.

As far as your last question about cutting back on feeding, you could start it immediately. You don't have to cut back slowly, it's not heroine you're giving them

luconi · 06/01/2010, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovesoda

i have two clowns, a tailspot blenny and a yellow clown goby. I feed them a pinch of small spectrum pellets every second day. You can feed your fish not very much and they'll still be happy, and poop less!

Feeding mysis twice per day in my opinion is definitely over feeding. The fish don't need that much. Maybe (obviously) your fish are very grateful for the food, but it probably isn't healthy for them and everything else in your tank.

As far as your last question about cutting back on feeding, you could start it immediately. You don't have to cut back slowly, it's not heroine you're giving them

Lol thank you! Now I shouldn't have to deal with nitrates climbing about a week and 1/2 or so after each water change.

SnapperSlapper · 06/01/2010, 03:35 PM

I've never checked myself, but I have heard more than once that mysis shrimp contain very high phosphate compared to other foods. You probably want to mix up foods, as well as check your phosphates. I try to use mysis sparingly after a chart I seen on RC somewhere showing phosphate levels in different foods.

luconi · 06/02/2010, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnapperSlapper

I've never checked myself, but I have heard more than once that mysis shrimp contain very high phosphate compared to other foods. You probably want to mix up foods, as well as check your phosphates. I try to use mysis sparingly after a chart I seen on RC somewhere showing phosphate levels in different foods.

I rinse my food before I feed them, so would that help reduce phosphate amounts?

05/31/2010, 03:59 PM	#1
luconi Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 273	How much is considered overfeeding? I have in my Biocube 29g tank a clownfish, coral beauty dwarf angel, snails, sally lightfoot, arrow crab, blue tuxedo urchin, featherdusters, and a colony of zoas. I've been feeding mysis shrimp twice a day, and I've heard that this can be overfeeding. I feed a little bit at a time, usually over a period of 10 minutes or so, and a very small amount is not eaten. I want to prevent nitrates as well as possible, and I was wondering if I should reduce amount of feeding times per day or the amount of food. Thanks!

05/31/2010, 04:30 PM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	if it is not eaten in a minute or so, IMO, that is too much. I feed my tanks once a day, and skip about 2 days a week as well. Think of it like cereal in a bowl - if it gets soggy and goes to the bottom, the kids don't want to eat it, so it goes to waste. Also - switch it up a little - I feed primarily New Life Spectrum pellets, with frozen mysis or rod's food just occasionally. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

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05/31/2010, 05:03 PM	#3
dixiedog Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 1,626	Doesn't matter how many times a day you feed, it's how much you feed. And it sounds like you're feeding a little too much. Remember "a hungry fish is a healthy fish", and they should still be acting famished when feeding time is over. (this coming from a chronic over feeder)

05/31/2010, 05:04 PM	#4
nuclear360 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: cleveland Posts: 43	I hav basically a similiar set up and i feed one cube of MYasis once a day and sometimes skip a day. i had a bad red algea bloom from over feeding last year and was lucky to recover.

05/31/2010, 06:35 PM	#5
mscarpena Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Buffalo, New York Posts: 1,924	I would even say one cube in a similar set up is too much. I have a 75 gallon reef with 8 fish in it and feed about 3 cubes over the period of a week. I feed my fish 4 days per week and the food is gone in 30 seconds or less. You are definitely over feeding.

05/31/2010, 07:49 PM	#6
luconi Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 273	Thanks everybody! So what I might do gradually (or should I just start immediately?), is feed once per day and for about 1- 1+1/2 minutes. Sound good?

05/31/2010, 08:18 PM	#7
ilovesoda Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 77	i have two clowns, a tailspot blenny and a yellow clown goby. I feed them a pinch of small spectrum pellets every second day. You can feed your fish not very much and they'll still be happy, and poop less! Feeding mysis twice per day in my opinion is definitely over feeding. The fish don't need that much. Maybe (obviously) your fish are very grateful for the food, but it probably isn't healthy for them and everything else in your tank. As far as your last question about cutting back on feeding, you could start it immediately. You don't have to cut back slowly, it's not heroine you're giving them

06/01/2010, 03:35 PM	#9
SnapperSlapper Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: SRQ FL Posts: 79	I've never checked myself, but I have heard more than once that mysis shrimp contain very high phosphate compared to other foods. You probably want to mix up foods, as well as check your phosphates. I try to use mysis sparingly after a chart I seen on RC somewhere showing phosphate levels in different foods.