feeding fish questions

0000 · 03/03/2011, 06:36 PM

I have 8 pretty small fish in my 36 gallon.

I am really confused on when and how much to feed them.

i've read the whole "no more than the fish can consume in 2 minutes"

but when I have 8 fish to feed it is really confusing to keep track on the amount of food I put in the tank.

I do have small problems with nitrates, I have to do constant water changes every week, plus im running canister filter.

my current feeding schedule is

flake or pellets every day, and once a week frozen mysis/brine worms

should i cut down on feeding? im constantly worrying my fish will starve.

saltymight · 03/03/2011, 06:51 PM

Your nitrates are probably high because of the canister. your feeding sounds good to me. what I do is take my time with the flaked when i feed. put in about 4-6 pellets at a time so none gets to the bottom. than after a bit stop feeding. you can also do a couple of times a day in small increments

Toddrtrex · 03/03/2011, 07:08 PM

What fish?

greech · 03/03/2011, 07:31 PM

Unless those fish are clown gobies or equivalent size, 8 fish in a 36 is a lot. Even if you had a good skimmer instead of the canister I think you would still need weekly water changes.

Would like to know more about your tank but the way I see it is...high fish load + daily feedings + canister = nitrates.

If you're not already, try turning off all of your pumps before you feed and use a (new) medicine dropper or turkey baster to target feed. The fish will get used to the dropper and they will likely all come to it.

saltymight · 03/03/2011, 08:05 PM

ha true that greech I tease my fish with the dropper and put in the water and they nip at it until I let the food out.

duncantse · 03/03/2011, 08:14 PM

For me, I grab a pinch full of sinking pellets and then dump it into tank. My pair of clowns and a 6line wrasse would gobble the pellets before it even touches the rocks/sand bed. That's like 10 seconds. Not sure if that's enough food.

0000 · 03/04/2011, 07:26 AM

The fish I have are

1 small yellow tail damsel

3 chromis

Mated Pair of Clowns

1 Cardinal bengjai

1 Purple Firefish

plus I have two shrimps, couple hermits and 6 snails

I know it is fully stocked, and eventually when the fish get bigger I will be overstocked.

But I really dont want to get rid of any of them.

I will be purchasing a 220 gallon, but It will most likely be an aggresive fish setup

I alternate with pellets and flake food.

lisafoster · 03/04/2011, 07:45 AM

Those are all small fish. I would bet the canister is the culprit you should really look into using a skimmer instead. Also what is your nitrates exactly?

03/03/2011, 06:36 PM	#1
0000 Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cleveland Posts: 203	feeding fish questions I have 8 pretty small fish in my 36 gallon. I am really confused on when and how much to feed them. i've read the whole "no more than the fish can consume in 2 minutes" but when I have 8 fish to feed it is really confusing to keep track on the amount of food I put in the tank. I do have small problems with nitrates, I have to do constant water changes every week, plus im running canister filter. my current feeding schedule is flake or pellets every day, and once a week frozen mysis/brine worms should i cut down on feeding? im constantly worrying my fish will starve.

03/03/2011, 07:08 PM	#3
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	What fish? __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

03/03/2011, 07:31 PM	#4
greech Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 3,133	Unless those fish are clown gobies or equivalent size, 8 fish in a 36 is a lot. Even if you had a good skimmer instead of the canister I think you would still need weekly water changes. Would like to know more about your tank but the way I see it is...high fish load + daily feedings + canister = nitrates. If you're not already, try turning off all of your pumps before you feed and use a (new) medicine dropper or turkey baster to target feed. The fish will get used to the dropper and they will likely all come to it. __________________ ~Graham Current Tank Info: Tank: 40 breeder; 20H sump w/SWC 120; Sicce 3.0 return; Vortech MP-10; Sundial T5, DIY Actinic LED (3W Cree). Livestock: Pair of Black & Whites; Midas Blenny; Firefish; Yasha/pistol; Black Leopard Wrasse; LPS and SPS

03/04/2011, 07:45 AM	#8
lisafoster so much to learn Join Date: May 2010 Location: massachusetts Posts: 621	Those are all small fish. I would bet the canister is the culprit you should really look into using a skimmer instead. Also what is your nitrates exactly? __________________ 125 mixed reef/ semi aggressive 15 gallon angler nano reef tank 40 breeder reef Current Tank Info: 125 gallon evolving reef/ 15gallon angler nano reef, 40 gallon breeder reef

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03/03/2011, 06:51 PM	#2
saltymight Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Clay, Ny Posts: 860	Your nitrates are probably high because of the canister. your feeding sounds good to me. what I do is take my time with the flaked when i feed. put in about 4-6 pellets at a time so none gets to the bottom. than after a bit stop feeding. you can also do a couple of times a day in small increments

03/03/2011, 08:05 PM	#5
saltymight Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Clay, Ny Posts: 860	ha true that greech I tease my fish with the dropper and put in the water and they nip at it until I let the food out.

03/03/2011, 08:14 PM	#6
duncantse Fish Advisor Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,604	For me, I grab a pinch full of sinking pellets and then dump it into tank. My pair of clowns and a 6line wrasse would gobble the pellets before it even touches the rocks/sand bed. That's like 10 seconds. Not sure if that's enough food.

03/04/2011, 07:26 AM	#7
0000 Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cleveland Posts: 203	The fish I have are 1 small yellow tail damsel 3 chromis Mated Pair of Clowns 1 Cardinal bengjai 1 Purple Firefish plus I have two shrimps, couple hermits and 6 snails I know it is fully stocked, and eventually when the fish get bigger I will be overstocked. But I really dont want to get rid of any of them. I will be purchasing a 220 gallon, but It will most likely be an aggresive fish setup I alternate with pellets and flake food.