FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hi guys, I've got a quetion just to get some other ideas and opinions on semi-sticky subject. What schedulle do you use to feed you're fish, or do you not use one at all and what does your fish's diet consist of? Thanks.

I feed mine 2/3 times a day with small feeds, that consists of some of these fish foods:- Veg. Flakes, Colour Flakes, Granules, Algae Sinking Pellets, Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp & Beef Heart. Just make sure that all the food is eaten, as it will rot in your tank.


http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos
http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Hi,
I feed mine twice a day. In the morning, about an hour
after the lights come on and the fish, and I have a chance
to wake up. Then again in the middle of the 10 hour
day that the lights are on.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

mine eat three types of dried food and some veg, plus blood worms in gel from tetra.

Keith has the best feeding schedlue.

I only feed my tanks once a day, sat is veg day and sunday they don't get fed cos of a WC.

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

I mixed together 2 different sizes of new life spectrum pellets, pro balance color flakes, and hikari micropellets. That's what the 90g community tank gets in the morning when I don't feel like thawing frozen food. At night I feed either spirulina pellets, algae wafers, or shrimp pellets. Then leave a chunk of something in for the plecos like lettuce leaves or this week mango. A couple days out of the week everyone gets frozen brine shrimp or frozen bloodworms and maybe every other week they get a freeze dried food. I have freeze dried brine shrimp, blood worms, tubifex, and krill. This week they also ate 2 packs of 3/8" crickets and occasionally I feed them a meal worm which are supposed to go to my duprasi. They can't eat whole mealworms though and I hate chopping them up so I don't buy any just for the fish.

Last edited by sham at 26-Nov-2005 17:11

My Profile has a list of my feeding program. Here is a lot of good info provided be Sera.

Have a look in [link=My Profile]http://
www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/profile.asp?userid=6741" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] for my tank info

[link=Betta 11Gal Desktop &amp; Placidity 5ft Community Tanks]http://photobucket.com/albums/b209/keithgh/Betta%20desktop%20tank/" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link]


FEEDING: WHEN, HOW AND HOW MUCH?
This information was supplied with the permission of Sera [link=Sera]http://WWW.sera.de" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link]

If possible, feed you fish two to three times a day in small doses, just enough so that it can be eaten within 2-5minutes.
Uneaten food sinks to the bottom, decomposes and pollutes the water. Spread the food evenly over the tank surface. By doing this all the fish have a good chance of getting some without difficulty.

Use a measuring spoon at all times this assures the same portions are given at all times. This avoids overfeeding, which causes pollution.

Many buy under the old formula &#8220;a one litre container once a year&#8221;. They have convinced themselves they are doing the correct thing providing all the nutritional requirements for their fish. By doing this, their diet becomes extremely unbalanced even if the food is of the highest quality. By constantly opening and closing the container the food is exposed to the air thus destroying all the vitamins and precious nutrients.

Fish should consume a container of food within a maximum of four months. This prevents all the problems of food losing all of its good qualities. Buy only in smaller qualities and as many varieties as possible in doing this you can vary the food each day, and still keep up the high quality of the fish food.

The larger containers are excellent for people who either are breeders or have multiple tanks. Here again it is recommended to use a wide variety of foods.
**********************************************************************************************************************
WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOODS?
This information was supplied with the permission of Sera WWW.sera.de

You have noticed that different species feed at different zones, top middle, and the bottom.

Fish with a straight back with the upwards directed mouth and the dorsel fin shifted backwards prefer to stay near the water surface. Examples are Hatchet fish and egg laying tooth-carps (such as Killifish)
Fish of the upper and mid water zones are usually capture their food by hunting and snatching. Flake foods are ideal for surface fish.

Fish with bended dorsel fins, ventral contours and mouths facing forwards prefer to stay in the middle zones. Among this group are Neon tetras, Discus and most Barbs.
Fish in this zone prefer to eat granulated foods, and food tablets attached to the inside front of the aquarium.

Fish that dwell on the bottom have a flat belly with a downward directed mouth. Armoured catfish, Sucker-mouth catfish, and Clown Loaches are the best know of these species.
Fish in this zone hunt for food along the bottom or scrape of the algae. These fish best suit granulated foods, food tablets.

Young fish require special &#8220;Baby Foods&#8221; because they are constantly growing and have different requirements to adult fish. There are many and varied foods suitable for your young fish

FEEDING &amp; INGREDIENTS
This information was supplied with the permission of Sera WWW.sera.de

In nature, the food the food supply for different fish species differs very much, and the fish have adapted to their natural food sources. For example many fish mainly feed on plants and algae, these include catfish; live bearing toothcarps, East African cichlids and many more.

For healthy growth and splendid colours, ornamental fish require food that is according to their requirements, which contain all the natural nutrients, vitamins and minerals in a well-balanced ratio.

Good manufacturers of quality fish food are very meticulous in their processing a high quality product. The natural herbs used not only contain many healthy elements but they give the taste and make it appetising for the fish. With careful freeze-drying this ensures it is absolutely free from any parasites. This is most important and prevents transmission of diseases that can be found in some live foods.

BENIFICAL INGREDIENTS
Paprika and red carrots
Stimulate digestion. They are rich in vitamins and carotene, which improve the splendid colours of ornamental fish.

Soybeans
Improves the resistance to disease. They contain an abundance of protein and lecithin. Also can improve the fertility of male fish.

Borage
Strengthens the kidneys and reduces stress.

Spinach and stinging nettle
Contain minerals and trace elements also increase the fertility of fish.

Spices and officinal herbs
Basil
Improves the general well being of fish.
Angelica
Reduces stress.
Anise
Stimulates appetite and digestion.

Fishery products
Fishmeal, bloodworms, mussels and daphnia are an easy to digest energy supply.

It is easy to see that aquarium fish depend totally on what they are given. It must also be obvious that fish require a wide variety of foods to keep them healthy.

Keith
July 2005
**********************************************************************************************************************
This information was supplied with the permission of Sera WWW.sera.de

THE PURPOSE OF DIFFERENT NUTRIENTS
The food must contain a well-balanced composition of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and trace elements to provide nutrition according to the natural requirements of the individual fish.

Carbohydrates and fats
These are the most important energy sources in the food. However, if an over supply occurs, especially fat, this can lead to organ damages. Therefore good food should have less than 6%, rearing young fish it can contain up to 8%.

Protein
Consists of long chains of connected amino acids. The fish absorbs the amino acids for building up muscles. Rich in protein is real &#8220;power nutrition&#8221; for every fish. Animal protein is faster and easer to digest than vegetable protein.

Trace Elements
They are regarded as the &#8220;tools&#8221; of the organism. Trace Elements as the name implies are only required in very small amounts.

Minerals
For example calcium are important for building the skeleton and therefore the healthy growth of fish.

Ballast Substances
While having no direct nutritional value yet they have a very important part to play as they act as an effective defence against inertia of the bowels, which will otherwise cause complications.
Keith July 05

**********************************************************************************************************************
This information was supplied with the permission of Sera WWW.sera.de

VITAMINS
This is a generic term from entirely different active substances, which have nothing in common at all. They possess many different functions and each required amount differs strongly from the other. A very important point is that the lack of one vitamin cannot compensate with an oversupply of another vitamin.
Deficiency of nearly every vitamin, furthermore leads to the lack of appetite and growth disturbances, also apathetic ill looking fish is a very good indication of the lack of vitamins

Vitamin B1
Is necessary to obtain energy from carbohydrates in the food.
Deficiency leads to movement troubles and cramps.

Vitamin B2
Plays an important role in the digestion of protein.
Deficiency symptoms are bleeding sores on the skin and disturbances of the nervous system.

Vitamin B5 (vitamin PP)
Is important for the build up of various enzymes.
Deficiency is gill problems.

Vitamin B6
This is important for the nervous system.
Deficiency causes damages to the nervous system and ultimately to movement troubles.

Vitamin B12
Is necessary for the digestive organs and the build up of the red blood cells (haemoglobin).
Deficiency leads to anaemia and results in apathy and growth disturbances.

Vitamin C
This is important for the skeletal build up. Also, it plays an important role for improving the resistance of disease.
Deficiency leads to gill deformity and e to many diseases.

Vitamin D3
This regulates the intake of calcium and phosphorus also it is extremely important for skeleton growth.
Deficiency leads to (rachitis) a bone deformity.

Vitamin E
Stimulates the production of fertility hormones. Also it stabilizes other vitamins and the valuable fatty acids in foods.
Deficiency symptoms are infertility and liver fattening.

Vitamin H (biotin)
This is a growth factor.
Deficiency causes lack of appetite and cramps.

Vitamin K
Improves blood coagulation after injuries.
Deficiency will lead to problems to skin healing and to liver damage.

Choline
This is necessary for the digestion of fat.
Deficiency will lead to, among other symptoms, fattening of the liver.

Keith July 05


Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Wow Keith, that should be an article or a sticky. It was very informative. A big thank-you to Sera for allowing you permission!

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

I did post that some time ago and I can tell you it took me some time to type it all out.

Sera gave me permission providing I stated where the info was obtained from.

Have a look in [link=My Profile]http://
www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/profile.asp?userid=6741" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] for my tank info

[link=Betta 11Gal Desktop &amp; Placidity 5ft Community Tanks]http://photobucket.com/albums/b209/keithgh/Betta%20desktop%20tank/" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link]

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Is there any problems with feeding fish on all frozen and fresh foods without flakes or pellets? I can't say there are any of these products that me or my fish really like. I mixed together all the highest quality foods I had and I'm still not that happy with the result. Is there anything that would be missing from a diet containing many different types of frozen food and fresh foods such as vegetables or live critters you can raise yourself like brine shrimp?

Last edited by sham at 26-Nov-2005 22:56

I knew Keith would have a brilliant answer!

Now I have rearranged and replanted I feel a new feeding schedule is going to be used!

thanks again keith.

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

One, one, once.

One feed per day. One day food free each week. Once per week veggie (zucchini, peas, blanched lettuce).

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

Been doing it so long I feed fish entirely intuitively now, I tailor each feeding according to the fish condition and state without really thinking about it anymore.I usually keep 40 or so food sources in the house all the time. Once you start doing that you never go back to a regimen again. Its all about getting to know your fish as functional groups and individuals with the keeping principles of each species , plus what youve personally learned all mixing to a kind of unconscious ethos of fishkeeping. I keep the diets as variable as the fish within certain perameters of nutrition. Despite being unconscious its kind of a way to keep constantly tweaking and making adjustments. Id feel I was being complacent if I stuck to an unchanging regimen, although granted its probably the only way a beginner will learn to start with.

For the long term and the experienced keeper most will know as I do that fixed regimens are often contrary to the ideal of long term care, it depends on the fish. Fish require differing nutrition according to age condition, seasonal variancies, gravidity, temperatures, species , size and metabolism. Always draw your cues from becoming and remaining well read, keeping up to date, and always , always, look to the condition of the fish as the inspiration for changes and modifications . Fish nutrition is an ever improving and changing subject of some interest, you can quite literally never stop reading, and finding out more about it.

ps.good stuff there keith.

Last edited by longhairedgit at 28-Nov-2005 01:20