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How do you know if you are feeding a goldfish too little? If they are still active and healthy-looking are they ok, or do they need to be growing at a certain rate?

I know they can go a week without food and be ok - is that unkind or is it healthy for them to have a short fast? I've heard that most wild animals are adjusted to periods of fasting and it is good for their system. I've also heard that almost all animals (including humans) actually do well and live longer on a nutritious and varied but very low-calorie diet. Is it good for a goldfish to not eat much?

How can you tell you are feeding too little?

Last edited by melissamorris at 15-Feb-2005 13:21

All very good questions!

Feeding too little is perhaps more difficult to diagnose than overfeeding, in no small part because it's about a bazillionth as common. The first sign would be a lack of or very poor fecal matter. A general slimming would come along later, and minimal activity. Growth would certainly stunt from nutritional deficiencies and I suspect there would be changes in scale growth patterns as well.

It's widely believed that a short fast, perhaps one day a week, is quite healthy. A week of fasting, perhaps not. It's very true that in the wild fish often go long periods without much food, but, then, they grow more slowly, have higher juvenile mortality rates, and often have shorter lifespans, so we don't necessarily want to replicate that.

The low-calorie diet: from what I've read for humans and rats, cutting calories to a third of the normal recommendation can extend life significantly. However, the person or rat often ceases to lead the kind of life one would want to extend: they can have the symptoms of anemia even with plenty of iron, be easily tired, and, of course, feel perenially hungry and uncomfortable. Assorted digestive problems are also associated with these practices. So, I wouldn't recommend it for goldfish; they have a long enough lifespan at 20-30 years as is.

-Molly
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Last edited by Lindy at 17-Feb-2005 20:12

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Lindy, I think the other one is about too MUCH food. This one is about too LITTLE.

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They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

It is too, thank you Janna.

Subjects are so closely related I didnt realise.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Keeping some plants growing will be a stopgap. If they are hungry on their fast days or becasue the food is limited in portion then they will munch on the plants (eg elodea).

Good thread.

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~