Am I underfeeding?

acabgd · 05/04/2012, 01:58 AM

Hello,

My 7g nano has been set up for three months. I don't have any water quality or other issues, my only concern is that I'm underfeeding my stock.

I have 5 small SPS frags, 1 Acan Monti, 1 Blasto, 1 small Zoa colony and 1 small Green Toad. A smallish clean-up crew with 2 hermits, a few snails (Turbo+Nassarius) and 2 common Clowns.

I feed a pinch of flakes every two days and every other day I add another pinch of other fish food. Once a week I ad Cyclopeeze or Mysis. I target feed the Acan every 2-3 days and every 3-4 days I add 1/3 spoon of Ocean Nutrition Nano Food (the spoon included is minute).

I have a fear I am underfeeding my fish and CUC... How can I be sure?

thegrun · 05/04/2012, 07:05 AM

While many only feed their fish once every other day, I would recommend daily (or even twice a day in smaller amounts). In the wild fish eat small amounts of food all day as it comes available. The things to watch for as far as long term under-feeding in the fish are shrunken stomachs and the area just behind the head in front of the dorsal fin which should be nice and rounded when viewed from the front of the fish as opposed to concave.

ek9vboi · 05/04/2012, 09:00 AM

If you think your under feeding, I must be over feeding then. I feed mine twice a day and it's a mix of flakes, cyclopeez, mysis and brine. Every other day I put in some Rogger's fish food.

I would feed once more, a day and night routine. Also, cyclopeez one day and mysis the next. Alternate it so they don't get use eating the same thing everyday.

Ron Reefman · 05/04/2012, 09:20 AM

You really only have 2 clowns and 2 hermits to feed. Is all the food gone after a few minutes? If any food is still in the tank after 5 minutes, they have had more than enough. I agree that in a small tank and with small fish, feeding less food and doing it twice a day is probably the optimum plan.

acabgd · 05/04/2012, 01:30 PM

Thanks for all the replies. Most food is quickly gone. Some flakes escape the fish and some Acan food escape the Acan, but it's as soon eaten by bristle worms, brittle stars, hermits and other creatures in the tank. I don't see any food floating around for long. My concern is with "smaller" food, this nano food I'm using or cyclopeeze where I can't really see leftovers.

bnumair · 05/04/2012, 01:49 PM

general rule if enough food that livestock can eat in 3 min.

FirstContact · 05/04/2012, 04:13 PM

I wish I had the luxury of time to feed smaller amounts twice daily. I feed every other day and switch between all the frozen cubes, silver sides, nutra mar prawn roe, cyclopz-eeze, and pellets. I don't feed flake because I read somewhere that most of the nutrients dissapate after the flake hits the water. +1 one on the three minute rule. I heard it was two.

acabgd · 05/05/2012, 01:49 AM

Is this really true about flakes?

acabgd · 05/07/2012, 03:34 AM

Bump. Anyone?

05/04/2012, 01:58 AM	#1
acabgd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belgrade Posts: 1,086	Am I underfeeding? Hello, My 7g nano has been set up for three months. I don't have any water quality or other issues, my only concern is that I'm underfeeding my stock. I have 5 small SPS frags, 1 Acan Monti, 1 Blasto, 1 small Zoa colony and 1 small Green Toad. A smallish clean-up crew with 2 hermits, a few snails (Turbo+Nassarius) and 2 common Clowns. I feed a pinch of flakes every two days and every other day I add another pinch of other fish food. Once a week I ad Cyclopeeze or Mysis. I target feed the Acan every 2-3 days and every 3-4 days I add 1/3 spoon of Ocean Nutrition Nano Food (the spoon included is minute). I have a fear I am underfeeding my fish and CUC... How can I be sure?

05/04/2012, 09:20 AM	#4
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	You really only have 2 clowns and 2 hermits to feed. Is all the food gone after a few minutes? If any food is still in the tank after 5 minutes, they have had more than enough. I agree that in a small tank and with small fish, feeding less food and doing it twice a day is probably the optimum plan. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

05/04/2012, 01:49 PM	#6
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	general rule if enough food that livestock can eat in 3 min. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

05/04/2012, 04:13 PM	#7
FirstContact Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Glenn Dale, MD Posts: 1,613	I wish I had the luxury of time to feed smaller amounts twice daily. I feed every other day and switch between all the frozen cubes, silver sides, nutra mar prawn roe, cyclopz-eeze, and pellets. I don't feed flake because I read somewhere that most of the nutrients dissapate after the flake hits the water. +1 one on the three minute rule. I heard it was two. __________________ No man is an island entire of itself; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne Current Tank Info: 120g Reef 100g Rubbermaid Sump, 20g Refugium; previous tank: 46g Drilled; Self Plumbed, Birds Nest, Anchor, Xenia, Zoas, Yuma Yuma Ricordea, Chalice, Mushrooms, Brain, Acan, Anenome Plate; Clams, Other Inverts, Fish, Live Rock

05/04/2012, 07:05 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	While many only feed their fish once every other day, I would recommend daily (or even twice a day in smaller amounts). In the wild fish eat small amounts of food all day as it comes available. The things to watch for as far as long term under-feeding in the fish are shrunken stomachs and the area just behind the head in front of the dorsal fin which should be nice and rounded when viewed from the front of the fish as opposed to concave.

05/04/2012, 09:00 AM	#3
ek9vboi Registered Member. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 3,027	If you think your under feeding, I must be over feeding then. I feed mine twice a day and it's a mix of flakes, cyclopeez, mysis and brine. Every other day I put in some Rogger's fish food. I would feed once more, a day and night routine. Also, cyclopeez one day and mysis the next. Alternate it so they don't get use eating the same thing everyday.

05/04/2012, 01:30 PM	#5
acabgd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belgrade Posts: 1,086	Thanks for all the replies. Most food is quickly gone. Some flakes escape the fish and some Acan food escape the Acan, but it's as soon eaten by bristle worms, brittle stars, hermits and other creatures in the tank. I don't see any food floating around for long. My concern is with "smaller" food, this nano food I'm using or cyclopeeze where I can't really see leftovers.

05/05/2012, 01:49 AM	#8
acabgd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belgrade Posts: 1,086	Is this really true about flakes?

05/07/2012, 03:34 AM	#9
acabgd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belgrade Posts: 1,086	Bump. Anyone?