Glenner’sreef
2500 Club Member
I’ve been in our hobby for over half a century. As many of you can relate, I have a sense about the health and well-being of my tank and its inhabitants. How do they look? How are they acting? It may very well be deceiving as we view these beautiful, colorful saltwater ocean creatures swimming in a well thought out and designed aquarium that we not even consider that they may not be getting enough food. How could that be? Everything looks fine. Looks in this hobby can be deceiving. We had friends come to dinner one night and of course stopping in front of my tank was a unique pleasure for our guests. They pointed out these beautiful small anemones. Small and delicate. They were sincerely impressed. I told them that these few little anemones were Aptasia anemones and I left it at that. Little did they know but my opinion of these little creatures was not a good one. Once a few Aptasias became 10 or 12, I purchased a Copper Banded Butterfly and soon the group of pests were gone.
This was the second CBB I had purchased. The first, years before just up and died. No apparent reason. I would soon begin to realize how important multiple feeding, daily were. I recently purchased four Sunburst Anthias. Anthias also need more food often than your common Damsel or Angel.
So then I had 3 fish that really needed special care. My other fish were fine with just a morning feeding. But now I felt compelled to feed both morning and evening.
I was initially concerned about higher nitrates being an issue. Extra nutrients feeding unwanted algae and more detritus. But again my better senses kicked in and knew that if I could mirror the balance of a coral reef in nature, I would not have this problem and be able to feed just the right amount without any adverse effects.
There is definitely a right amount to feed your fish. There is also too much food you can feed your fish and too little food you can feed your fish. Finding that happy spot is something every saltwater reef enthusiast must search for and find.
And here’s my conclusion: Look at feeding your tank as a science experiment. Start feeding more and watch carefully what happens. Test your water frequently. If things start to climb off the charts, back off. Test and observe. You know by now that everyones tank is different. From lighting to salt choices to number of fish and how often you do water changes, if you do them at all etc. etc. find that feeding “happy place” and stick to it. If you purchase 2 more fish consider increasing your feeding.
Common sense will tell you that reefers have lost fish because of over feeding and under feeding. My personal feeding schedule: 4 cubes in the morning, 4 cubes in the evening. 13 fish.
This was the second CBB I had purchased. The first, years before just up and died. No apparent reason. I would soon begin to realize how important multiple feeding, daily were. I recently purchased four Sunburst Anthias. Anthias also need more food often than your common Damsel or Angel.
So then I had 3 fish that really needed special care. My other fish were fine with just a morning feeding. But now I felt compelled to feed both morning and evening.
I was initially concerned about higher nitrates being an issue. Extra nutrients feeding unwanted algae and more detritus. But again my better senses kicked in and knew that if I could mirror the balance of a coral reef in nature, I would not have this problem and be able to feed just the right amount without any adverse effects.
There is definitely a right amount to feed your fish. There is also too much food you can feed your fish and too little food you can feed your fish. Finding that happy spot is something every saltwater reef enthusiast must search for and find.
And here’s my conclusion: Look at feeding your tank as a science experiment. Start feeding more and watch carefully what happens. Test your water frequently. If things start to climb off the charts, back off. Test and observe. You know by now that everyones tank is different. From lighting to salt choices to number of fish and how often you do water changes, if you do them at all etc. etc. find that feeding “happy place” and stick to it. If you purchase 2 more fish consider increasing your feeding.
Common sense will tell you that reefers have lost fish because of over feeding and under feeding. My personal feeding schedule: 4 cubes in the morning, 4 cubes in the evening. 13 fish.
