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What is your take on feeding after doing a weekly water change? For example if I did a water change at 10:00 this morning would it be ok to feed at 10:00 tonight? Just curious to see what you all think!

Justin

Colts Fan For Life
30g platy tank: 2 sunburst wag platys, 2 redtailed white calico platys, 2 red wag platys, 1 fry(not sure who it belongs to), 1 Golden CAE.
Bettas:1 VT male

I don't see a reason why you couldn't.

I've never previously given it much thought, but now that I have, I still can't see a reason why you couldn't. What's your thinking on the matter?

Some will say that fish under stress do not handle food as well and it could lead to further stress or illness so they don't feed on days they do water changes. I don't feed new fish for a few days just in case but I have never found a water change to be stressful enough for that. Unless I end up doing a water change right at the time I plan to feed I just keep my normal schedule.

I wouldnt worry about it tbh, unless the water change is a biggie like 50% or so or you really seriously changed the temperature of the tank during a water change , which is obviously best avoided anyway. Its something you might feasably worry about having aquired a brand new fish thats gone through some prolonged stress during travel, but on the day to day stuff its really not a significant worry.

Waiting that long to feed your fish sounds fine to me too. My fish have always been happy to eat on the days of water changes. I guess it depends on how easily your fish get stressed!

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Ive never not fed fish when theyre new. One of the first things I do after acclimation is feed the fish to make them feel at home.
Ive never found any problems with this.
I usually feed before a water change though, rather than after.


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I never feed until the next day after I do the water changes. It was explained to me too many years ago the reasons why not to do this. Basically it is that the fish cannot handel the body stress of the water change and at the same time digest their food safely. The person who explained it to me went into a lot of detail and to be honest I have forgoten 99% of it.

One day of not feeding will not effect any way.

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Keith

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Good replies, I was just wondering if the stress of a water change would negatively affect feeding habits and digestion.

Justin

Colts Fan For Life
30g platy tank: 2 sunburst wag platys, 2 redtailed white calico platys, 2 red wag platys, 1 fry(not sure who it belongs to), 1 Golden CAE.
Bettas:1 VT male

If you want my 2 cents worth , I give my fish a treat of Frozen Blood Worms right after refilling the Tank ,
and they go mad around the feeder when the water level reaches the top . They know that its treat time .
They do not give the impression of stress or not wanting to feed and I've done this for a lot of years with no apparent ill effects .

I personally think that hungry fish are more likely to be stressed by a water change .
Just my opinion though .

Hope this helps .

Garry

May not be a bad idea to hold off for a day, some say it's good to have a day of no food once in a while. On that note I pay it no attention, I usually clean in the morning and feed at night, been doing that weekly for 2yrs straight on the tanks and no problems. Thoug I do with hold food a few times a mont.


chris

I have seen some fish just eat and eat no matter when they are fed.
If I can remember a little bit more it was also to do with digestion more than any thing else. Going with out food for one day will not hurt them at all.

Wild fish are known for this as they do not know when their next meal will come along.
When fishing I have seen them with their stomach full and all the way up to their mouth and even their mouths full and they still take a big bait.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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My fish always seem more happy after a water change than before. Unless you are doing some major water chemistry changes, the purpose of a water change is to remove things that stress the fish.

I have read that one shouldn't feed new fish.. as it will do more harm than good. one of the major ideas that i read about it that after stree, not feed will cause the fish to switch to survival mode. Apparently survival mode is more in line with how things are in nature. not feeding is said to take the fish from dwelling on the stress to searching for food. Most fish keeper now that missing meals can and does have its benifits. The literature i have also suggest that with water changes one should not feed before or right after as fish will rebound quicker from the stress. Its important to remember that if a fish is not digesting properly food can and does stay in the DTrack potentially causing problems down the line..Fish will eat no matter what but it important that we learn not to feed them so that we improve the chances that they stay healthy.
so to comment on your first post..
yeah i would wait.. maybe not till ten as by that time my fish will be asleep. I would water change a 7 or 8 a.m. and feed 6 ish p.m.

have read that one shouldn't feed new fish

NEW fish is different from a water change with fish settled in the tank for quite a while, no doubt about that and 'survival mode' whatever this is referring to is a valid concern. In an established tank I am with you Garry, water changes are good and my fishes are forming a line for feeding when I am done.

Of course, we are talking regular water changes without rapidly deteriorating conditions prior to the change!

I've never thought of skipping feeding after a water change. My fish don't seem particularly stressed after WC. Perhaps that all depends on the difference in water parameters and the amount of the water changed.

For new fish, I do not feed them for at least 24 hours. Then I'll feed them lightly, and introduce them to a variety of new food. They usually go crazy after the food in one week or so.

to be honest, I have never given it a thought.... last nite I happened to do my weekly 20% WC, then fed right afterwards, they seem fine. That's not the first time I have done that. I couldn't say for sure that it matters either way but my experience has been just fine with feeindg right away, and not feeding right away!