Feeding Every Other Day An Option?

FirstContact · 07/29/2009, 05:16 PM

My brother-in-law fed my fish every other day while we were on vacation.

Anyone think this is a bad idea to do full time?

Thanks,
FirstContact

billdogg · 07/29/2009, 05:34 PM

I have been doing it that way for about 20 years - so far, no problems. Most people run into issues because of overfeeding, not underfeeding.

KarlBob · 07/29/2009, 05:48 PM

Agreed. Every other day should be fine.

scuba guy ron · 07/29/2009, 06:01 PM

every other day for me too. less waste

KarlBob · 07/29/2009, 06:16 PM

I think every other day is an especially good option when someone else is feeding your tank. It's easy enough for us to overfeed our tanks, and unless we ration out each day's food ahead of time, a stranger is even more likely to overfeed.

Rationing out food, by the way, is exactly what I do when I have a fish-sitter. I cut cubes frozen food to the amounts I want fed daily to each tank, and put them in zip-lock bags labeled Big Tank and Small Tank.

sedor · 07/29/2009, 06:20 PM

Just make sure you are providing your fish that need constant feeding something to graze on when your not feeding the tank. For instance, Anthias should be fed multiple times per day, but at least once, angels prefer to graze as well.

Personally, unless you have specific reasons for not feeding every day, you should and your skimmer should be big enough to handle it. In the ocean fish are constantly feeding and I personally think that feeding scarcely can limit their immune system. Just my .02

iFisch · 07/29/2009, 06:45 PM

It's essentially every other day for me to.

I feed frozen my frozen combo of PE mysis/rods food/blood worms every 3rd day.

So it looks like this:

Day 1 - frozen combo

Day 2 - nothing

Day 3 - Elos Complete pellet

Day 4 - frozen combo.

My fish don't eat a lot of the frozen combo because it is very well concentrated in RODI. One squirt from my turkey baster feeds my 3 fish. Any more than that, they won't eat it.

And by throwing in the day off - they become a little - maybe tiny amount more hungrier, and usually eat better on the feeding days.

tspors · 07/29/2009, 07:50 PM

I am an everyday feeder. I think every other day could be cool. However, I feel Ryan has a 100% valid scenario. I think we reefers forget some simple things at times. Thanks for one of those reminders.

FirstContact · 07/30/2009, 03:50 PM

I feed pellet first and then a little frozen mysis and brine in one go. Everyone seems happy with that: false ocellaris clown, blue devil damsel, black cap basslet, six line wrasse, key hole angel, sand sifting star, FLA crown conch, skunk shrimp, fire shrimp, 3 hermits, a small anchor/hammer coral and a small zoa.

I should probably put grazing food in the tank for the keyhole angel. I'm trying to use Julian Sprung's Sea Veggies. If I put the seaweed on a clip the angel ignores it. If I tuck it into the rock, it picks at it, but not if I put it too low in the tank.

Feeding every other day on a permanent basis seems sooo attractive as a way of limiting nutrients. Less food = less waste = cleaner water and less time cleaning. But I can see how feeding every other day on a permanent basis may compromise the long term health of the inhabitants too.

Right now I am trying every other day and will watch to see if this effects their behavior/health.

tank41 · 07/30/2009, 03:59 PM

Same here. I have also been doing this as well for years with no ill effects.

07/29/2009, 05:16 PM	#1
FirstContact Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Glenn Dale, MD Posts: 1,613	Feeding Every Other Day An Option? My brother-in-law fed my fish every other day while we were on vacation. Anyone think this is a bad idea to do full time? Thanks, FirstContact __________________ No man is an island entire of itself; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne Current Tank Info: 120g Reef 100g Rubbermaid Sump, 20g Refugium; previous tank: 46g Drilled; Self Plumbed, Birds Nest, Anchor, Xenia, Zoas, Yuma Yuma Ricordea, Chalice, Mushrooms, Brain, Acan, Anenome Plate; Clams, Other Inverts, Fish, Live Rock

07/29/2009, 05:34 PM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I have been doing it that way for about 20 years - so far, no problems. Most people run into issues because of overfeeding, not underfeeding. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

07/29/2009, 05:48 PM	#3
KarlBob Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Laveen, AZ Posts: 2,309	Agreed. Every other day should be fine. __________________ Later, KarlBob Current Tank Info: No tanks for now. Starting over in Austin sometime next year.

07/29/2009, 06:01 PM	#4
scuba guy ron Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,455	every other day for me too. less waste __________________ Ron Current Tank Info: 6yr old 37 Gallon Column mixed reef

07/29/2009, 06:16 PM	#5
KarlBob Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Laveen, AZ Posts: 2,309	I think every other day is an especially good option when someone else is feeding your tank. It's easy enough for us to overfeed our tanks, and unless we ration out each day's food ahead of time, a stranger is even more likely to overfeed. Rationing out food, by the way, is exactly what I do when I have a fish-sitter. I cut cubes frozen food to the amounts I want fed daily to each tank, and put them in zip-lock bags labeled Big Tank and Small Tank. __________________ Later, KarlBob Current Tank Info: No tanks for now. Starting over in Austin sometime next year.

07/29/2009, 06:20 PM	#6
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,689	Just make sure you are providing your fish that need constant feeding something to graze on when your not feeding the tank. For instance, Anthias should be fed multiple times per day, but at least once, angels prefer to graze as well. Personally, unless you have specific reasons for not feeding every day, you should and your skimmer should be big enough to handle it. In the ocean fish are constantly feeding and I personally think that feeding scarcely can limit their immune system. Just my .02 __________________ Ryan

07/29/2009, 06:45 PM	#7
iFisch Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: FL Posts: 3,068	It's essentially every other day for me to. I feed frozen my frozen combo of PE mysis/rods food/blood worms every 3rd day. So it looks like this: Day 1 - frozen combo Day 2 - nothing Day 3 - Elos Complete pellet Day 4 - frozen combo. My fish don't eat a lot of the frozen combo because it is very well concentrated in RODI. One squirt from my turkey baster feeds my 3 fish. Any more than that, they won't eat it. And by throwing in the day off - they become a little - maybe tiny amount more hungrier, and usually eat better on the feeding days.

07/29/2009, 07:50 PM	#8
tspors Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Appleton, WI. USA Posts: 774	I am an everyday feeder. I think every other day could be cool. However, I feel Ryan has a 100% valid scenario. I think we reefers forget some simple things at times. Thanks for one of those reminders. __________________ Everything is Good with Moderation. Current Tank Info: 150 Gal Oceanic, 30g Sump, Gen-X PCX-150 2250 gph, Red Sea Clasic Turbo Skimmer, 18w Turbo Twist UV, Ocean Clear Filter w/live rock, Several Buckets,

07/30/2009, 03:50 PM	#9
FirstContact Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Glenn Dale, MD Posts: 1,613	I feed pellet first and then a little frozen mysis and brine in one go. Everyone seems happy with that: false ocellaris clown, blue devil damsel, black cap basslet, six line wrasse, key hole angel, sand sifting star, FLA crown conch, skunk shrimp, fire shrimp, 3 hermits, a small anchor/hammer coral and a small zoa. I should probably put grazing food in the tank for the keyhole angel. I'm trying to use Julian Sprung's Sea Veggies. If I put the seaweed on a clip the angel ignores it. If I tuck it into the rock, it picks at it, but not if I put it too low in the tank. Feeding every other day on a permanent basis seems sooo attractive as a way of limiting nutrients. Less food = less waste = cleaner water and less time cleaning. But I can see how feeding every other day on a permanent basis may compromise the long term health of the inhabitants too. Right now I am trying every other day and will watch to see if this effects their behavior/health. __________________ No man is an island entire of itself; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne Current Tank Info: 120g Reef 100g Rubbermaid Sump, 20g Refugium; previous tank: 46g Drilled; Self Plumbed, Birds Nest, Anchor, Xenia, Zoas, Yuma Yuma Ricordea, Chalice, Mushrooms, Brain, Acan, Anenome Plate; Clams, Other Inverts, Fish, Live Rock

07/30/2009, 03:59 PM	#10
tank41 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sioux City, Ia. Posts: 332	Same here. I have also been doing this as well for years with no ill effects.