Feeding Guide

johnatoranchu · 01-18-2011, 05:52 PM

The problem with feeding is that we are brought up to think that a pinch of food a day is adequate but the reality is that is a starvation diet. It might keep the water cleaner longer but the fish won't grow. Look at your fish and if they are different sizes (ignore tail) choose the average one. Weigh it - this might sound scarey but it's quick and simple. Use a digital kitchen scale (grams preferably), dampen a piece of paper kitchen towel, place on the scales, switch on and make sure the scales are set to zero. Place the fish on the scales and record its weight; return fish to water. Multiply that weight by the number of fish in the aquarium. Ideally feed the fish between 2% and 5% of their body weight each day - as you are not breeding or showing, start off with 2%. Therefore, for example, if your average fish weights 40 grams and you have 5 of them in the tank then total weight of fish equals 200 grams. 2% of 200 grams is 4 grams therefore you need to feed 4 grams of pellet/flake food each day. Frozen bloodworm and other foods can be fed IN ADDITION to this. When you know how much dried food you need to give to your fish you can then decide how best to feed it. Several small feeds is infinitely better than 1 or 2 large feeds so an automatic feeder is a good idea if you are away from home during the whole of the working day. Please remember that increased food = increased waste = additional water changes and that as the fish grow they will need more food. Weigh the average fish on a monthly basis and recalculate food requirement.
John

bluebelly · 01-23-2011, 03:59 PM

Hate to be remembered for this. Look at the waste, a good full balanced diet will have your fish making solid dark stool. When seen from behind or above the stool should come out in full long strands,not stringy, and full to the size of the anus opening. Unless you are feeding rice they should not look white.
I like to tahe a large size pellet and put in a coffee bean grinder with the food I add fiber cereal. when this is done i put thru 3 sizes of strainers, I have food good to feed heavy body fish. helps to avoid constipation related swim disorders. Can feed the dust to fry, grade one to 1 inch and so on up the size line.

yukoandk · 01-23-2011, 09:06 PM

My goldfish's stool is color of the food they eat, not always dark. Is this not normal, or dose this mean anything? Thank you.

elusiveracer · 01-23-2011, 09:32 PM

It's normal.

suphi · 01-23-2011, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yukoandk

My goldfish's stool is color of the food they eat, not always dark. Is this not normal, or dose this mean anything? Thank you.

It's fine as long as it's chunky. Mine is pink whenever I feed hotdog.

Ichthius · 01-24-2011, 02:57 AM

You can also weigh the fish by zeroing the scale with a small container of water on it and then dropping the fish in for the weight.

joel08 · 05-15-2013, 01:20 PM

Hi that is a great technique for feeding fish at 2% their body weight each day. Can you tell me how many water changes roughly I should do per week and what percentages?

Virginia ranchu · 05-15-2013, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joel08

Hi that is a great technique for feeding fish at 2% their body weight each day. Can you tell me how many water changes roughly I should do per week and what percentages?

Of course this depends on your stocking density and how much you are feeding, but roughly speaking, once a week is a good target. You should get a sense of what the water quality is by looking for foaming at the surface, or accumulation of waste on the bottom. As your fish grow, you will need to either reduce the numbers or increase the water changes.

01-23-2011, 03:59 PM	#2
bluebelly Ambassador Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: chesterland,ohio,usa Posts: 1,023 Thanks: 10 Thanked 483 Times in 281 Posts	feeding Hate to be remembered for this. Look at the waste, a good full balanced diet will have your fish making solid dark stool. When seen from behind or above the stool should come out in full long strands,not stringy, and full to the size of the anus opening. Unless you are feeding rice they should not look white. I like to tahe a large size pellet and put in a coffee bean grinder with the food I add fiber cereal. when this is done i put thru 3 sizes of strainers, I have food good to feed heavy body fish. helps to avoid constipation related swim disorders. Can feed the dust to fry, grade one to 1 inch and so on up the size line. Last edited by bluebelly; 01-23-2011 at 04:12 PM. Reason: add on

01-23-2011, 09:06 PM	#3
yukoandk Member Group: Keeper Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 106 Thanks: 23 Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts	My goldfish's stool is color of the food they eat, not always dark. Is this not normal, or dose this mean anything? Thank you. __________________ My TVR (July 2011) My Kawai x Tashiro & Takao x Tashiro : My Suzuki x Kageyama : My Goldfish Tanks

01-24-2011, 02:57 AM	#6
Ichthius Professional Breeder Group: Breeder Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Eugene Oregon Posts: 1,632 Thanks: 195 Thanked 437 Times in 298 Posts	You can also weigh the fish by zeroing the scale with a small container of water on it and then dropping the fish in for the weight. __________________ Best Fishes David www.goldfishgarage.com goldfishgarage @ gmail.com

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01-18-2011, 05:52 PM	#1
johnatoranchu Ambassador Group: Ambassador Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: England, near London Age: 69 Posts: 835 Thanks: 23 Thanked 291 Times in 179 Posts	The problem with feeding is that we are brought up to think that a pinch of food a day is adequate but the reality is that is a starvation diet. It might keep the water cleaner longer but the fish won't grow. Look at your fish and if they are different sizes (ignore tail) choose the average one. Weigh it - this might sound scarey but it's quick and simple. Use a digital kitchen scale (grams preferably), dampen a piece of paper kitchen towel, place on the scales, switch on and make sure the scales are set to zero. Place the fish on the scales and record its weight; return fish to water. Multiply that weight by the number of fish in the aquarium. Ideally feed the fish between 2% and 5% of their body weight each day - as you are not breeding or showing, start off with 2%. Therefore, for example, if your average fish weights 40 grams and you have 5 of them in the tank then total weight of fish equals 200 grams. 2% of 200 grams is 4 grams therefore you need to feed 4 grams of pellet/flake food each day. Frozen bloodworm and other foods can be fed IN ADDITION to this. When you know how much dried food you need to give to your fish you can then decide how best to feed it. Several small feeds is infinitely better than 1 or 2 large feeds so an automatic feeder is a good idea if you are away from home during the whole of the working day. Please remember that increased food = increased waste = additional water changes and that as the fish grow they will need more food. Weigh the average fish on a monthly basis and recalculate food requirement. John

01-23-2011, 09:32 PM	#4
elusiveracer Member Group: Keeper Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: mill city, MA Posts: 103 Thanks: 116 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	It's normal.

05-15-2013, 01:20 PM	#7
joel08 New Member Group: Keeper Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi that is a great technique for feeding fish at 2% their body weight each day. Can you tell me how many water changes roughly I should do per week and what percentages?