When to Feed Coral / Fish

[Calpoly2103]

Hi Everyone,

Had a quick question. When is the best time to feed the fish/coral? I've been feeding fish twice a day, once before work and once after work. However I noticed after lights are out my candycane coral's feeders are out.

When should I feed my fish Coral? Should my lights be down? Just want to make sure i have a good routine.

Thanks!

 

[cracker]

Hello , Calpoly The twice a day is good. Maybe every so often feed the corals after light out . Once a week or so ? Several ways to do this .

 

[4n2xtacy]

I feed my corals 30min before light out but leave the return and pump off for another 30min afterwards or when my Lobo fish eating(cos my Lobo seem to to be the slower eater), whichever comes first. This way, they get food both during lights on and after light out. For the most part though they are always ready to eat. It's best to train them to eat in a time that fits your way of life by spot feeding them. This way when that time draws near, they know to get ready to eat.

 

[fastgoby]

There's no one right/wrong way to feed... Just do what comes natural to your day-to-day schedule, but keep it consistent. You said you noticed some corals not having their feeders out at night; that's a really good observation. You should probably feed before lights out in that case, like others have suggested.

Not all corals feed when there's only light... sometimes I give them a midnight snack by hatching new baby brine shrimp nauplii and dumping them into the tank. Since they're live I don't have to worry about fouling, and the corals can feed on them throughout the night. Yum!!

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Added a poll to the thread. Let's keep this discussion going! What's the "ideal" feeding routine?

 

[MnFish1]

I feed 'about' 2x/day. I do not feed my coral anything else but what I'm feeding my fish. I use flake food one of the times - and LRS the other. I do not turn my pumps off during feeding - because I think it disperses the food a bit better - and the 'predator' response (chasing the food) seems to make them eat better (pure opinion).

 

[WVNed]

I defrost food in the morning and give them some several times a day. I just let it sit in a shot glass on top of the tank.

 

[madweazl]

I feed LRS twice a day and algae sheet occasionally as well (try to every day but that doesnt always happen). I don't feed the corals anything, they get what they get. No feed modes or any other changes.

Edit: feeding time is typically 10:30am and 8:30pm. Lights come on at 10am and off at 10pm. Algae sheets are usually 4-5pm (when I get home from work).

 

[Calpoly2103]

Whoa, thanks for featuring my thread. All the advice is quite helpful !

 

[Bob Weigant]

I generally feed my fish at night and when I get up at midnight for work I'll feed the corals twice a week

 

[Mical]

My fish are fed twice a day by auto feeders (pellets). My nems and corals get fed on the weekend. Pumps off dissolved reef roids for corals fed directly and nems fed clams/shrimp directly.

 

[JeepTj]

depends on the fish my anthias are hyper little suckers.. eat a lot.. my 7 inch sailfin eats a lot.. my yellow tail angel unless hes eating he chasing my coral beauty lol .. then I got my Moorish idol in QT I make sure it atleast has nori available at all times.. when im not home.... keep him eating .. and fatten up that sucker ….

 

[KrisReef]

All my fish sleep after the lights go out, so I feed them once a day when I get home and sometimes twice on the weekend.

Some corals will eat anytime, and others are looking for a meal after lights out. I try to feed them by feeding the fish, but occasionally I toss in some snacks or lights out plankton bloom treat if the lfs has fresh plankton.

If the phosphates get low, everybody gets extra rations until that problem is corrected.

 

[OzinOz]

I feed fish twice a day - between 11:30 am and 1 pm and between 6 and 7 pm. Target feed LPS, softies and now 2 SPS 2 - 3 times a week (Reef Roids and Reef Chili). Started dosing Red Sea Energy A and B about 30 minutes before lights out and really see results with our 17 frags and split anem.

 

[tnyr5]

"There is no bad time to feed the fish!" Say the fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Before mid-day, early afternoon and early evening as fish graze all day in captivity.

 

[alton]

My fish in my office are spoiled, they get to eat multi-times a day, five days a week. On Saturday and Sunday they have to harvest from the tank. My fish at home get fed twice in the evening five days a week with multiple on the weekends.