Feeding Time - How Often?, How Much?

[mitch70]

As the title says what do people do? so many different opinions and ideas I wondered if there was a general consensus? 
 
I know to ignore the manufacturers guidelines as they just want us to buy more!
 
But I sometimes feel I am under feeding - normally give them as much as can be consumed in about 45 seconds (minute at max), normally once a day but I also miss the odd day to stop any waste building up.
 
 
What do others do? and once I have opened the container of food will it be of less nutritional value as time passes?
 
 
Thanks 

 

[ech0o]

Depends on the fish really, we have green spotted puffers that gorge themselves 2-3 times a week, and regular tropical tanks we feed every day.
 
 
On your basic tropical fish tank, the general consensus is daily feeding, and skip one day a week.  Fish don't require daily feeding, so this one day a week helps to kind of break up constant feeding that most fishkeepers LOVE to do.  Who doesn't like to watch their fishies frolic around snatching food from eachother and having a merry old time LOL.
 
The way you are feeding them is perfect for a daily feed schedule, you are even already skipping the day, not much more you can do better.   Flake food will not lose its nutritional value by the time you use a container.  Be sure you are giving them everything they need, flake food doesn't suffice for all fish, and for some fish it should be supplemented with other foods.  I see a redtail shark in your picture, is he in the tank and is any food making it to the bottom for him to feed off of?   45 seconds of feeding is short and most flake won't make it to the bottom in 45 seconds, often sinking wafers are also used in order for the bottom fish to feed as well.
 
You can also give all of your fish a frozen treat of bloodworms from time to time, this pumps them with raw uncooked/unprocessed nutrients and from what i've seen in our tanks, really brings out their color and makes them very healthy.

 

[mitch70]

I do feed sinking pellets 3 or 4 times a week along with algae wafers  and once per week I feed frozen bloodworm - normally on a Sunday , I then normally dont feed on the Monday

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Your regimen sounds fine.

 

[Sophie]

Flake food as far as I've read loses its nutrition value after about 6 months. It's better to buy small and often than lots and waste it.