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fatrip
05/08/2007, 09:26 PM
just wondering what types of food you feed your fish???and how many times a day?

i usually feed them 4 times a day with a mixture of brine and mysis shrimp, and omega one flakes...

frankandmaura
05/09/2007, 04:47 AM
I actually feed my fish:
2 Clarkii's
2 False Perc's
1 LMB
1 Hippo Tang
1 Green Chromis

Once every 2 days...and I mix it up. I usually throw some Nori in there for the Tang and then I mix in some Brine, some Omega One Flake, some Emerald Entree, some Cyclopeese (sp), or some plankton stuff (orange). The tank seems to stay relatively free of algae this way.

jacksonpt
05/09/2007, 06:34 AM
Mostly flake, but also frozen brine and mysis, about 2x per week.

Szwalla
05/09/2007, 06:52 AM
I might have to put my fish on a diet.
I feed 2X a day. Garlic flakes and brine/mysis.

I have a 6" Tang
Fairy wrasse
Canary blenny
Black perc
Copper B butterfly
3 Homies (chromis)

fatrip
05/09/2007, 06:59 AM
why would you need to put them on a diet??? no offence to any one who posted...but you figure on the reef, the fish are always hunting for food, constantly...that is why i feed them 3 to 5 times a day...they arent big feedings or anything, but the fish seem to eat it all up...the fish arn't obease in any way....idk just what i figure would be normal or semi close to it out on the reef..

frankandmaura
05/09/2007, 07:21 AM
I think it is whatever works for you...if your reef is working the way it should the fish should be hunting all day, nipping at rocks and algae, and the foods we feed are their main feedings a few times a week...but agian to each his own.

I have had issues with Cyano Bacteria in the past and the only thing that helped me was to reduce the feedings and remove the excess nutrients from the tank. I figured I was overfeeding and there was lots of leftovers in the tank. My guys are happy with every other day and the Cyano is gonzo! :)

Piazzon12
05/09/2007, 07:31 AM
As long as you aren't having any algae problems, you should be fine. I only feed one large feeding a day, twice on weekends. I'd like to feed twice a day regularly but work doesn't allow, and it's still dark when I leave. I usually alternate between flake and fozen brine, and throw in mysis every once in a while. I also feed pellets every once in a while, but only the bottom feeders (shrimp) seem to eat it. I also spot feed my gonipora baby (frozen) brine twice a week (which in turns also feeds everything else). Also, underfeeding can also cause problems as some fish might resort to eating your snails/shrimp or corals.

Szwalla
05/09/2007, 07:35 AM
I was not serious. I feed twice a day. Plus every other day...I leave some algae out for the tang/blenny.

fatrip
05/09/2007, 08:16 AM
does any one shut off there flow when feeding??

fatrip
05/09/2007, 08:28 AM
frank i am sorry for offening you.... i was just stating why i feed the way i do...and i wanted to know the reasoning behind the way everyone else feeds there fish...i am not saying any way is wrong or my way is better...i just like to see why people are feeding the way they do becasue if there is a better way and some one gives a grea explaination for it i would consider changing... i understand the cyano problem i would probibly slow nutrients going into the tank as well...sorry if you thought i was targeting you because you feed differently...

jacksonpt
05/09/2007, 09:08 AM
I feed so little because I have a 12g tank with no skimmer, so bioload is a concern for me.

fatrip
05/09/2007, 09:12 AM
i could see over feeding being a problem with 12g..lol...what do you have in there if you dont mind me asking???

frankandmaura
05/09/2007, 09:40 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9907110#post9907110 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fatrip
frank i am sorry for offening you.... i was just stating why i feed the way i do...and i wanted to know the reasoning behind the way everyone else feeds there fish...i am not saying any way is wrong or my way is better...i just like to see why people are feeding the way they do becasue if there is a better way and some one gives a grea explaination for it i would consider changing... i understand the cyano problem i would probibly slow nutrients going into the tank as well...sorry if you thought i was targeting you because you feed differently...

Vince, no offense take...don't worry...everyone has their own way of doing things

Sometimes there is a good reason, sometimes it is pure preference...

Again...no offense taken... :)

nwrogers
05/09/2007, 10:13 AM
I usually feed 2 to 3 times a day, a little bit at a time for around 2 to 3 min. I want to make sure every one gets fed and I don't over feed. It is better to feed smaller amounts more often than to do one big feeding IMO. Just to give you an idea I have about 23 fish and I give them one two pinches of formula two flakes for two of the feedings and 1.5 frozen cubes for the third feeding. I do have some algae problems so I am adding a second skimmer in hopes that it will help. The key is you need to balance your feeding with your nutrient export like jacksonpt is doing. If you have a big skimmer feed lots! If you have a little skimmer feed less. If you are good about water changes you can feed more if not than…

You get the idea :D

Blugobi
05/09/2007, 10:17 AM
Well...I'm gonna jump in here...woohoo I feed 3 times a day, but only after I get home from work...I use flake, brine shrimp, mysis, (DT's phyto...only because I got it for free) :) ocean plankton and Nori....not in any specific order and I feed them enough to keep them busy for 10 min or so. I shut of my main flow for about 20 min, keep my all other intank flow going. I also feed my corals at night right before I go to bed after all the lights are off...reef chili or this new coral food I got in Rochester...can't remember the name brand but it frozen cubes. I feed heavy, but skimmer also runs hard...my fish are healthy and fat, more corals are doing well. I do have alittle cyno in my sump, but not much, my sump dwellers and all my pods eat well too as I'm sure some food gets to them via the overflow. I do give my fish one day off a week and do not feed at all...why...could not tell ya, just they way I have done it for years....seems to work. My tank has

1 Kole Tang
1 firefish
1 algea blenny
1 bullseye manderine
1 dragon scooter
1 pair of Carpenter Wrasses
1,000,000,000 pods...estimate of course...they don't stay still long.


geo :)

jacksonpt
05/09/2007, 10:19 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9907400#post9907400 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fatrip
i could see over feeding being a problem with 12g..lol...what do you have in there if you dont mind me asking???
a small maroon clown and a pink bar goby. I have a little algae, but I wouldn't call it an algae "problem"

http://www.cycle-cny.com/phpbb/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10002/FTS.jpg

fatrip
05/09/2007, 11:22 AM
very nice...the clown almost looks photo shoped in..lol...very beautiful tank...

Dave VG
05/09/2007, 12:07 PM
Wow 12 gal tank. looks huge. Very nice

Dave

nwrogers
05/09/2007, 02:31 PM
That tank looks great! Having a little bit of algae in a reef tank to me isn’t a sign of anything wrong but actually of something right. In the natural reefs we try to mimic there are algae. The key is moderation, if algae starts taking over you are either feeding too much or not exporting enough nutrients. If you have no algae at all you may not be feeding enough and possibly starving your fish and corals. The best case scenario is to feed lots and to export lots, that is the most like the ocean IMO. The ocean is not nutrient starved like many aquariums void of algae. It is actually nutrient rich and extremely efficient of keeping things in balance.

drbronx
05/09/2007, 08:51 PM
How, what and when to feed depends on many factors unique to each tank: Total water volume, number and type of inhabitants, nutrient export factors (type and size of skimmer, refugium, water change schedule), flow (ability to keep nutrients suspended in the water column) etc. etc. In my 125, I feed 4-5 small feedings per day to keep the Powder Blue and angels happy. Angels are more likely to leave corals alone if their bellies are full. Tangs are less prone to disease if fed regularly since they are voracious and constant feeders on the reef. I feed a "stew" of brine enriched brine, mysis, Emerald entree or marine Cuisine, as well as several types of veggie flakes (on an alternating basis). I add some Selcon (for fatty acids) and either Reef Plus or Vita Chem. I add some warm water and let sit for 15-20 min. for the vitamins to penetreate the food. I make enough to last the day and divide it across several feedings. But as others have noted, there is no definitive right way. This is a matter of some experimentation and knowledge of your systems requirements and capabilities.

drbronx
05/09/2007, 09:10 PM
By the way, beautiful tank Jackson! Gives me the idea to run a thread to see some beautiful So. Tier tanks.