My damsels are fat

[Mad Mantis]

I admit I overfed them at first because I didn't realize how little they needed.

Now they pick at everything including my arm when I do stuff in the tank. They are quite bold! The pick at my baby hermits, my snails, heater/pump wires, rocks, chaeto algae I have in the tank, everything!

I know I was overfeeding them because my nitrates skyrocketed. It was just so interesting to watch them feed (and the wife loved watching it!). I know everyone here hates them, but they are really an amazing fish. I was feeding them sometimes twice a day.

They have grown at least twice in size each, which I hear is crazy for blue damsels. They have big bellies and look "fat" but still constantly attack anything I put i the tank, EVEN MY ARM! It probably tastes good though I can't blame them. I am tasty! I just hope I didn't do it too much.

Now I feed them a half a flake of New Era every other day (sometimes every three days) and on Sundays I feed them a tiny slice of frozen shrimp. (I was feeding them a tiny slice of frozen shrimp daily). I have 3 red hermits and 2 snails as well.

Am I overfeeding still?

My parameters are good, but nitrates have gone up and down. (Big water changes) I got some Cheato algae which I zip tied to a piece of rock so hopefully that helps and started running a carbon slide filter on my HOB penguin biowheel.

Any advice is appreciated!

(29g QT right now, moving to 58 or 65 as soon as I can find one!)

[Sk8r]

Go for that 65! Your damsels will thank you. You're doing all right if you've managed to have them all healthy in a 29. You'll see their personalities blossom in a larger tank, they'll stop picking at things, but develop patrol routines, and you could manage some additionals that get along with them---gobies,blennies, gramma, etc.