When is Enough, Enough?

[Zack K]

So, like most of my stories start, I was sitting here in my recliner worth more than my car, pondering about life while watching the fish swim about. And this time, It was feeding time. Like always I go and thaw out my mix of food,
1 Cube Baby Brine shrimp
1 cube Cyclopeze
1 chunk of Rod’s Original Blend
1 chunk of LRS Reef Frenzy
1/2 teespoon of Microvert

And bring it back to the tank. As I am awaiting the thawing to start happening, I got to think about how others feed their reef. Not_what_ they feed, but _how_ they feed.

Now that I got you thinking, I started to read a few posts about food here on R2R. Most led to the what they feed vs how they feed, as expected. I then watched a short documentary. I can’t recall what it was specifically on but it demonstrated how I thought a reef was fed. Over the course of a period of time, not all at once. I feed over a period of about 45 minutes to 1 hour. That way no food gets left laying on the bottom, and it’s more of a constant flow of food for the fish similar to the way masses of phytoplankton Float throughout the natural reef.

After I was done feeding 45ish minutes later, I really thought about something I had just brushed of before. All of my fish, after the feeding, had a big belly! That’s how I determine when Enough, really is enough! Everyone from my little Skunk Clowns, to my Target Mandarin, everyone has a belly. As they digest it it will go away and they will be just as hungry as ever come morning.

This was just 1 of many thoughts that role through my head as I sit here before my reef. So what are your stories? When do you turkey know when Enough food, is enough to fill the fishes?

*Sidenote Ignore the dirty Glass and all pictures were taken on an IPhone 8 with minimal Enhancements to make them match the naked eye*

 

[Idoc]

Hmmm... does make you think, lol.

 

[wattson]

mutliple small feedings is better than 1 heavy feeding..what ever you feed them is far more than what they were getting in the ocean..
fish will always beg for food no matter how much you feed them,,if they are healthy

 

[Flippers4pups]

Feeding is anecdotal. Each system is different and it's capacity for solid foods is different.

I have always approached feeding my reef on feeding fish. What they eat and don't eat dictates how much I feed. Particles of small to micro size that they don't eat, feeds the reef. Much like the food chain on the reef in the ocean.

If they are healthy and fat, the reef will be as well. Knowing that most coral will receive enough food through photosynthesis and liquid nutrients, micro sized solids are just "icing on the cake".

 

[Zack K]

Feeding is anecdotal. Each system is different and it's capacity for solid foods is different.

I have always approached feeding my reef on feeding fish. What they eat and don't eat dictates how much I feed. Particles of small to micro size that they don't eat, feeds the reef. Much like the food chain on the reef in the ocean.

If they are healthy and fat, the reef will be as well. Knowing that most coral will receive enough food through photosynthesis and liquid nutrients, micro sized solids are just "icing on the cake".

Very well said.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Nice post!

 

[rock_lobster]

I just feed them a little here and there and make sure they arent emaciated. Dont care if food gets to the bottom because that is good for the cleanup crew and pods. I usually just drop in a cube of mysis or some cut up pieces of whole shrimp and chaeto for my tangs. I keep a large ball of chaeto for the tangs to work on all day.

 

[HB AL]

I like big bellies on fish after the have eaten.

 

[Zack K]

I just feed them a little here and there and make sure they arent emaciated. Dont care if food gets to the bottom because that is good for the cleanup crew and pods. I usually just drop in a cube of mysis or some cut up pieces of whole shrimp and chaeto for my tangs. I keep a large ball of chaeto for the tangs to work on all day.

I’m not to concerned with food laying on the bottom due to driving up nutrients as I have a very nutrients rich tank already, I just don’t want to let 50% or so of the food feed my cuc and the fish not be full. Personally feeding this way has made my little fishy friends more active through the tank

-Zack

 

[chefjpaul]

Enough is when inhabitants arw happy full, too much is when export can't handle the load or lack of.

 

[rock_lobster]

I’m not to concerned with food laying on the bottom due to driving up nutrients as I have a very nutrients rich tank already, I just don’t want to let 50% or so of the food feed my cuc and the fish not be full. Personally feeding this way has made my little fishy friends more active through the tank

-Zack

Guess also depends on the type of fish lol. Mine have no problem going down to the bottom of the tank and picking all the food off. But some fish like cardinals only feed in the column.

 

[stevieduk]

I have all my fish on flake, so just feed a good pinch in the morning and again about 6pm and miss every third day. fish do not eat all the time everyday in the wild

 

[Zack K]

I have all my fish on flake, so just feed a good pinch in the morning and again about 6pm and miss every third day. fish do not eat all the time everyday in the wild

If you don’t mind me asking, why did you choose Flake? IME fish not only look healthier, but are more active when feeding Live or frozen foods. So what made you wean them in to flake?

 

[Roggio]

If you don’t mind me asking, why did you choose Flake? IME fish not only look healthier, but are more active when feeding Live or frozen foods. So what made you wean them in to flake?

I feed flake and frozen. I’ve noticed every fish in my tank loves the New Life Spectrum flake food. My corals even catch it and slowly eat it. It will even end up getting chopped into smaller pieces in my Vortechs and further feed every inhabitant.

It’s cheap, easy, and the first ingredient is shrimp.

 

[stevieduk]

I got them on flake because i work away a lot so i can put a automatic feeder on ate tank which feeds them twice a day, Cant do that with fresh food.
as for fish looking better I have not noticed any difference when i have used both in the past. My fish are happy and healthy, my youngest fish in the tank ive had around 3 years and ive had my yellow tang 7 years from when i bought it, so i dont think they are unhealthy.
If you use a good quality flake food it has everything in it that gives a fish a good balanced diet

 

[Katrina71]

Ok this made me want to experiment a little. Both how and what I feed. I usually mix a few things when I feed. I think I'll try doing a longer slower feeding instead. Divide up the feeding into courses. Hmm. Cool thought Zack.

 

[srad750c]

One big dump, everyone gets some, swirled around by powerheads. Fish, corals, clean up crew. I use frozen, flake and granules. I mix it up.

 

[Brynn]

mutliple small feedings is better than 1 heavy feeding..what ever you feed them is far more than what they were getting in the ocean..
fish will always beg for food no matter how much you feed them,,if they are healthy

Agree. Some fish like bettas will eat until they kill themselves, literally. Lol, a guybat a fush store told me they encouage new hobbiest always to feed less then reccommended.