Why The Enforced Famine ...

[fluvial]

I have seen this practice recommended several times on this board -
but it just does not seem at all logical.
In the wild fish must act as oportunistic scavengers - taking what food
comes their way whenever they get the chance.
In captivity the onus is on the fishkeeper to carefully measure the quantity given,
appropriate for the number and type of fish. I feed once per day, 7 days per week and
they know exactly when feeding time is due.
But why this enforced day of starvation, once per week.
I find it hard to believe that in the wild a fish thinks to itself - b****r, today is Tuesday,
that means I can't eat anything until tomorrow.
It just does not seem a natural way of doing things - or quite what it achieves ?

Any ideas anyone.

 

[bae1994]

thats just it in the wild they scavenge or hunt so unless there very lucky they dont eat every day and its very probable they'll mis a day feeding once or twice a week and so from missing that feed they clear there systems out and avoid constipation and such

 

[arobinson1984]

As bae said,

I personally dont feed on a sunday, it gives your fish time to clear out their system and help avoid constipation etc which a good mixed diet will help with too.

Also 1 less feed a week means 1 less day worth of waste, cleaner tank lol

Everybody has their own way of feeding whether it be once a day of 5 times a day, there is no right and wrong, whatever works for each individual tank/fish is fine.


Andy

 

[Tolak]

Fish in the wild live on the edge of starvation many times. Their system has not yet evolved to what would be equal to a human eating three times daily for their entire life. They come across a meal, eat well, as they may not see any food for a few days, maybe a week. When food is plentiful they will tend to spawn, as they sense there is enough food to give their fry the best chance for survival. The availability of food is often seasonal, while there may be plenty of food available at one time of year, several months later they may be lucky to get a nibble once weekly, for weeks on end.

This is how their system is designed to function, fasting one day weekly is an easier way than imitating the seasonal changes in their natural environment. If you get into breeding this seasonal cycle is something you can follow, and use to your advantage. This is one of the things used to get more difficult to breed species to spawn.

Yes, fish will learn when it is time to eat, and can see out of the tank at the person who mainly does the feeding. Since we the fishkeepers strive to reproduce as natural and healthy an environment as possible this means varying the diet, not just what is fed, but how much and when.

The most natural method is to follow the seasonal cycles that occur where a species originates from, and when that cycle dictates feed once or twice weekly for several weeks, adjusting other environmental factors to duplicate these seasonal changes as closely as possible. The other end of this is duplicating times of plenty, which often means plenty of live food, especially fry size such as bbs, large frequent water changes with cooler water, organic debris in the tank, and many other depending on the species and area of origin.

 

[SlyPolak]

Fish in the wild live on the edge of starvation many times. Their system has not yet evolved to what would be equal to a human eating three times daily for their entire life. They come across a meal, eat well, as they may not see any food for a few days, maybe a week. When food is plentiful they will tend to spawn, as they sense there is enough food to give their fry the best chance for survival. The availability of food is often seasonal, while there may be plenty of food available at one time of year, several months later they may be lucky to get a nibble once weekly, for weeks on end.

This is how their system is designed to function, fasting one day weekly is an easier way than imitating the seasonal changes in their natural environment. If you get into breeding this seasonal cycle is something you can follow, and use to your advantage. This is one of the things used to get more difficult to breed species to spawn.

Yes, fish will learn when it is time to eat, and can see out of the tank at the person who mainly does the feeding. Since we the fishkeepers strive to reproduce as natural and healthy an environment as possible this means varying the diet, not just what is fed, but how much and when.

The most natural method is to follow the seasonal cycles that occur where a species originates from, and when that cycle dictates feed once or twice weekly for several weeks, adjusting other environmental factors to duplicate these seasonal changes as closely as possible. The other end of this is duplicating times of plenty, which often means plenty of live food, especially fry size such as bbs, large frequent water changes with cooler water, organic debris in the tank, and many other depending on the species and area of origin.

+1

 

[fluvial]

Thankyou all for those replies - they were very interesting and informative.
And I would have to admit - what you said did make sense.
I have several times left my fish for several days without food when away - and they
certainly haven't suffered for an enforced fast.

Replicating the natural environment with seasonal changes as suggested is well worth thinking about
and I'll be giving your information here some thought -