Correct feeding amounts.

[Sammydog]

Quick question, and I am sure this is different in every tank, but how much do you guys feed your fish.

I have been giving mine (1 Mandarin, 4 black clown and a bi-color blenny) a half cube of frozen brine (or sometimes mysis) each night.

According to the packet, each cube is about 3grams, probably less after I rinse the half a cube I give them.

I'm wondering if this is actually enough food as after I target feed the mandarin, there often doesn't appear to be a lot left for the others. The fish all look health, the blenny looks fat but that is probably due to an over supply of algae for him,

So what, and how much, do you guys feed your fish.

 

[parrotchute]

4 black clowns might eventually lead to some fighting as they mature.

It depends on several things. If you have a lot of filtering capacity (lots of live rock, a good skimmer, etc), you can afford to feed a little more without worrying about water quality.

The older the tank, the longer it's had to build up some biodiversity, which serves as additional food for the fish. Do you have a refugium? That will lessen the need to feed.

All that being said, as long the as fish aren't getting that pinched look in their stomach, they are probably eating enough. I'd suggest varying the diet a little more and purchasing some different frozen foods to give them a balanced diet. I cycle between mysis, brine, blood worms, cyclopeeze, and veggie flakes.

 

[OhNoNemo]

Whenever this comes up everyone will have a different answer...I feed my tank 3x a day,everyday....I don't use any flake,mysis or brine, or BW's You really do need a wide variety too

 

[Sammydog]

No refugium at the moment but I am looking at how to make a small one.

The blenny is fat and the clown look well fed. The mandarin has looked a little pinched behind the gills (he fills out toward the tail) since we were given him late last year. He appears to eat well on the frozen food and can be seen picking at the rocks all day but he won't fill out.

 

[OhNoNemo]

from what i understand about mandarins is they are in constant eating mode..most go thru hundreds of pods a day..i never had one but this is just stuff i read.

 

[Sammydog]

He definitely grazes all day. You can see him constantly picking at the rock and back wall of the tank.

I think maybe I just need to do some more research into building a small refugium to breed pods in.

 

[OhNoNemo]

Sounds like a plan,i don't think they are overly complicated,and once those pods start,they really multiply...i think.All i know is i have alot....i have often thought about a mandarin,just not sure how they fit in an aggressive setting?

 

[yote]

When I do actually feed,I'll just throw in a pinch of the of whatever I happen to out of the freezer first.
I probably dont use a whole cube in 2 months.

 

[OhNoNemo]

Thats amazing that your tank has that much to offer...:bowdown:
Do you have any voracious carnivores though? I can't imagine not feeding my triggs for a day ,let alone a month:lol:

 

[yote]

Thats amazing that your tank has that much to offer...:bowdown:
Do you have any voracious carnivores though? I can't imagine not feeding my triggs for a day ,let alone a month:lol:

Just the Mandrine and anthias.:D
I stocked my tank with being able to severely cut feedings in mind.Thats why I have the 2 tangs and blenny.They keep any algae that pops up under control.
But all I have in my 125 are the Mandrine,one Bartletts anthias,my Starry Blenny,the Tomini Tang,and the Atlantic Blue Tang.

 

[OhNoNemo]

I see,i never knew what you really had in your tank..thanks for the breakdown:Cheers:

 

[Bifferwine]

I feed very heavily because I am more focused on coral growth than anything else. 8 cubes every other day. If my nitrates were creeping up, or if I was starting to see algae, I'd have to cut back.

 

[PRC]

I feed twice per day. I feed enough that they can eat within 2 minutes.

Morning- Mysis

Evening- Algae Sheet , Emerald Entree mixed with Mysis or Rod's Food.

Every other day I'll throw in some krill for my trigger

 

[Melosu58]

I feed my tank every other day. On the off days I put a sheet of dried seaweed in the tank for my tangs. Been doing this for 12 yrs now. The fish in my tank have been there between 8-12 yrs now. Variety is always a key.

 

[reeffreak]

Sometimes I feed twice daily but thrice daily is more the norm.My anthias need meat on their bones.

Frozen cyclops and mysis three times a day.Rod's Food original and veggie blend once a day.Algae sheet green or brown 3 to 4 times weekly.Twice a week I feed the corals depending on species.Plates,brains,frogspawns,torchs,hammer either mini mysis or PE mysis.Gonis Reef Roid,cyclops and mini mysis.Sometimes I even give food to the cleaner shrimp,fire shrimp and emeralds.

I feed alot.

 

[parrotchute]

Mandarins don't tend to do well in aggressive tanks, Nemo - they're somewhat like sea horses in that regard, in which they can lose the opportunity to feed if pushed out by more aggressive species.

That being said, they tend to occupy different levels/environments of the tank, so it might not be too big of an issue.

 

[Sammydog]

I'm going to try turning off the powerheads for the feed tonight. Hopefully then I can get food to stay on the bottom for the mandarin and keep the blenny and clowns around the top.

Might up to a full cube of food and keep a real close eye on the water.