Food

[shaz-killie]

Ok as above, when you are feeding your fish pellets or frozen do you prepare it first, ie soak it to let it expand or let it deforst before feeding?

 

[Aquatic_Az]

I havent fed pellets yet but when I feed my fish frozen food, I scoop some tankwater into a egg cup, put in the frozen food and poke it around with a chop stick till its all de-frosted then chuck it into the tank

 

[mwood2]

when I feed frozen I put it in a small bowl, toss some hot water in, mix it around till its thawed and then add small bit of de chlorinatior and then use eye dropper to feed. As for pellets, I just toss them in and they go for them. now if you have a picky eater i may soak a bit first.

 

[shelaghfishface]

if im feeding frozen i use hot water to defrost ( from the kettle) i dont declorinate it.. never have, but all mine eat pellets and no i dont soak then first,but then they are oscars and not tetras so maybe softening for smaller fish would be a good idea

what fish do u have Shaz?

 

[shaz-killie]

a mixture really as I have a few tanks, discus, angel, betas, gourami, silver dollars, silver sharks, bristlenose, tetra and kribs. don't think i've forgot anyone.

main reason I ask is alot of people seem to defrost there food but i've always just thrown the cube in the tank and let them destroy it which they seem to enjoy. also with the floating food I noticed that after some time it had swollen to nearly double the size which I can't imagine being good for the fish's stomach (also after just throwing the floating stuff in, the next day one of the discus had a very swollen stomach which i thought was the food at fault)

 

[shelaghfishface]

personaly i wouldnt let my fish eaten frozen, no theory to back it up i just wuldnt fancy it myself

as for the expanding floating food. im interested to hear what some of the more knowledgable fishkeepers think,as it never really occured to me, but the fact that the discus had a swollen belly is quite worrying

shelagh xxx

 

[shaz-killie]

yeah he was the only one who stuffed his face with the stuff and only one who had this result. he's ok now swimming around. it just makes me question if it was the food however if this was common surely prior soaking should be on the directions.

 

[Truck]

the only food i prepare are catfish pellets, i put them in my disused measuring cap with some tank water and wait till they sink then i pour them in

 

[ryan200L]

when i feed mine frozen, i let it thaw out for a couple of hours!

 

[Hawkins]

I guess with the pellets most of the goodness leaches out of them if you leave them to soak..

 

[Truck]

I guess with the pellets most of the goodness leaches out of them if you leave them to soak..

why should that happen? it only gives them enough time to sink, and when there in the water anyway if you hypothesis is correct then it wouldnt matter would it?

 

[england]

a mixture really as I have a few tanks, discus, angel, betas, gourami, silver dollars, silver sharks, bristlenose, tetra and kribs. don't think i've forgot anyone.

main reason I ask is alot of people seem to defrost there food but i've always just thrown the cube in the tank and let them destroy it which they seem to enjoy. also with the floating food I noticed that after some time it had swollen to nearly double the size which I can't imagine being good for the fish's stomach (also after just throwing the floating stuff in, the next day one of the discus had a very swollen stomach which i thought was the food at fault)

I do the same as shela just toss in the pellets and boil a kettle put hot water in a bowl with a plate on top and place the small tub of frozen on top til it defrosts and toss it in.....
Yes i notice the pellets grow once they are soften up in the water as i imagine each pellet is tightly compressed now its expanding,,,Sounds like your discus just over eats, you want to see what my oscars are like, they cram there mouth full of pellets and an hour later there still munching away, my snakeheads eat eat eat and get some major fat belly's...and all they do is eat meal worms

 

[shaz-killie]

yeah he is a greedy sod, anything that goes in the tank is food to him including my hand

 

[Darkerwhite2]

I thaw my frozen blood worms and brine shrimp before pouring it into tank, as said by so many above. As for the pellets a just throw a couple in after the worms or the flakes so they can sink to the bottom and feed the clown loach. same as algae wafers for the pleco.