where's the food?

[parrotchute]

So I'm conducting my 2nd feeding of my first fish (2 very very brave gregory damsels) with pellet food for omnivores...
I just put some food in (very concerned about the grave dangers of overfeeding that I've heard), a few pinches I guess, but no matter what I do, they don't seem to ever see the food. Now it's sort of swirling around at the bottom...
Think they'll see it? If not, I don't want them to go hungry, but I don't want to add more decomposing food either...

CONFUSED!!!! :shock:

Thanks for more help!!!
Alex

 

[defcon235]

i never had good luck with pellet food personally, try some flake food and see how that works for you. As far as them going hungry, trust me, if they are hungry enough, they will eat. And to address the uneaten food, that little bit wont cause chaos, it will just be a treat for your CUC. Or start a cycle if they dont get to it fast enough.

 

[daugherty]

stay away from flake a pellet food they will lead to high nitrates and phosphates use only frozen mysis or some other frozen that is for saltwater fish

 

[defcon235]

I've been feeding flake food (not exclusively) since the beginning, and ive never had a nitrate or phosphate problem.

 

[daugherty]

flake and pellet have ash in them they are not recommended just as brine shrimp is not a good food for salt fish. frozen mysis has omega 3 fatty acids that salt animals have to have to live a long and healthy life.

 

[defcon235]

very true, i feed mysis far more than flakes, but IMO some veggies cant hurt either, and ive yet to see any negative consequences.

 

[daugherty]

as long as you use it sparingly you more than likely will not see any bad effect.

 

[defcon235]

the best way to go i suppose would be algae sheets, but i never think about it at the LFS

 

[Bifferwine]

Try frozen foods. Fish prefer the taste of frozen food over flakes and pellets by far. And it's much healthier. Like others have said, the preservatives in flakes and pellets usually end up leading to algae problems. You can get frozen foods at Petco, Petsmart or your LFS. Just thaw a bit in some tank water, then toss it in the tank.

 

[Altohombre]

if the pellets are staying at the surface water you should kind of dunk them under the water so they fall straight down when they absorb the water.