How much to feed?

[CodeBlueMedic]

Hey Everyone,

I've got a Byno Goby sitting in QT right now and I'm wondering how much I should be feeding him? I tried some hikari carnivore sinking pellets, but he wasn't interested, so I switched to Rod's Original and he eats that like it's going out of style. It's a 10 gallon QT, so I'm concerned about over feeding. It's my first fish, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Newsmyrna80]

I would feed once a day. Is the QT cycled? If not keep an eye out for ammonia and be ready to dose Prime or do water changes. Do you have a bowl of sand in the QT for him?

[Dmorty217]

Get a ammonia badge, it will be your first indication your over feeding

[CodeBlueMedic]

It is a cycled QT. No, I don't have a bowl of sand...Is it totally necessary? If so, suggestions on type?

Since he is my first fish, my plan is to only keep him in QT for roughly a week..I figure, if I notice ich over the coming weeks, I can always put him back in QT and treat him there and my DT should clear out by the time I add him back.

[Xavibear]

One week is not enough time for qt. You should keep your new fish in for at least 4 weeks.

[ca1ore]

To me, over feeding is when uneaten food sits on the bottom of the tank and rots. It is not giving your fish multiple feedings per day that are completely consumed. If you have a properly cycled QT, it is an environment perfectly suited for getting your new fish nice a plump (and thus better able to survive their first few weeks in the display). I feed fish in my QT multiple times per day.

Agree that one week is essentially pointless. It should be 6 weeks at a minimum, with even longer preferred.

[Newsmyrna80]

^agree I applaud your efforts to quarantine but six weeks minimum in QT. I'm sure you've read some of the stickies in the Disease Forum. If you were to introduce ich to your main you have to leave it fallow for 72 days.
While sand is not a requirement for the goby it will make it feel more at ease thereby reducing stress and therefore a happier and healthier animal. I personally use the shallow plastic containers you get with Chinese food. Some will say not to put sand in a QT but if a fish shows signs of disease I just take the sand out and toss it.

[tmz]

One week is not enough. That fish is a sand sifter . I'd try adding a bowl of fine grained argonite, oolictic type or a shallow bed of sand an inch or so on the bottom and bury some small amounts of meaty foods in it. It will be a little messy as the fish will spead it around.