Can you feed too much?

RD.

Gold Tier VIP
MFK Member
May 9, 2007
13,428
13,314
3,360
65
Northwest Canada
I’ve been feeding them 3-4 times a day. I just don’t want to over do it.
Just keep in mind that how much one feeds, can be just as important as how often. Both how much and how often one should feed is a tricky question, dependant on the species of fish, their typical activity level, and even more important their life stage. I feed adults once a day, and skip feeding on water change days. So no more than 5-6 times a week. When I was actively breeding, fry and young juvies generally were fed 2-3 times a day due to having higher metabolic rates, so their feeding frequency was different than adults of the same species.

In a past discussion on "how often" one should feed I posted a few links to scientific papers that demonstrates how different the optimum frequency of feeding can be among different species of fish.





It's a complicated subject. From a paper that I read a few years back...….



The initial observations in the present study did not detect further growth responses (on percent basis). In the present study the higher body weight was observed in fsh fed to a frequency of two times per day. Similar results were observed by James and Sampath [26] in Red Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri) which indicated that feeding twice a day resulted in the highest growth and reproductive success of this specie in a cultured system, when compared with 4 alternative feeding regimens (once, thrice, once and twice a day). James and Sampath [26] had similar findings in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens. Regan) who showed that fish fed twice a day to satiation elicited maximum growth and reproductive output when compared with its counterparts (1 meal in 3 d, 1 meal in 2 d, 1 meal/d, and 3 meals/d). Contrary to our results commercially cultured fish species such as Black Rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) suggested that feeding to satiation once a day resulted in optimum growth [27]. Gibel Carp (Carrassius auratus gibelio), showed a significant surge in growth rate and feed efficiency when feeding frequency increased from 2 to 3, 4, 12, and 24 feedings per day, with the recommendation of 24 feeding times per day for this species [15]. The difference in results might be due to the fact that goldsh is not usually reared for commercial purpose. Moreover, this fact also leads to the fact that there is a need to improve the genetic potential of goldfish if we want to rear it for commercial reasons. In the present study, the maximum weight gain was observed in the feed (B) and the same result was observed in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens. Regan) which showed that 2 meals per day fed to satiation are sufficient to support the maximum growth. Further it has been reported that ornamental Red Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri) fed 2 meals per day resulted in the greatest growth [28]. But contrary to present study the juvenile Atlantic Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) displayed improved growth rates when fed on satiation 5 times per day, compared with one time per day [29], and African Cafish (Clarias gariepinus) exhibited greater growth rates when fed to satiation twice compared with 3 times per day [30]. In the present study the better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in Feed (A) but contrary to present study best FCR were observed for the Goldfish fed 4 times per day, indicating that this frequency of feeding was optimal, suggesting that both growth and feed utilization are more efficient at this feeding frequency [31].


PDF | Influence of Feeding Frequency on Growth performance and Body Indices of Goldfish (Carrassius auratus). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/public...d_Body_Indices_of_Goldfish_Carrassius_auratus [accessed Jul 11 2018].


PDF | Influence of Feeding Frequency on Growth performance and Body Indices of Goldfish (Carrassius auratus). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/public...d_Body_Indices_of_Goldfish_Carrassius_auratus [accessed Jul 11 2018].






  • 1379232
 

tlindsey

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2011
24,070
25,404
1,660
Ohio
Just keep in mind that how much one feeds, can be just as important as how often. Both how much and how often one should feed is a tricky question, dependant on the species of fish, their typical activity level, and even more important their life stage. I feed adults once a day, and skip feeding on water change days. So no more than 5-6 times a week. When I was actively breeding, fry and young juvies generally were fed 2-3 times a day due to having higher metabolic rates, so their feeding frequency was different than adults of the same species.

In a past discussion on "how often" one should feed I posted a few links to scientific papers that demonstrates how different the optimum frequency of feeding can be among different species of fish.





It's a complicated subject. From a paper that I read a few years back...….



The initial observations in the present study did not detect further growth responses (on percent basis). In the present study the higher body weight was observed in fsh fed to a frequency of two times per day. Similar results were observed by James and Sampath [26] in Red Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri) which indicated that feeding twice a day resulted in the highest growth and reproductive success of this specie in a cultured system, when compared with 4 alternative feeding regimens (once, thrice, once and twice a day). James and Sampath [26] had similar findings in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens. Regan) who showed that fish fed twice a day to satiation elicited maximum growth and reproductive output when compared with its counterparts (1 meal in 3 d, 1 meal in 2 d, 1 meal/d, and 3 meals/d). Contrary to our results commercially cultured fish species such as Black Rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) suggested that feeding to satiation once a day resulted in optimum growth [27]. Gibel Carp (Carrassius auratus gibelio), showed a significant surge in growth rate and feed efficiency when feeding frequency increased from 2 to 3, 4, 12, and 24 feedings per day, with the recommendation of 24 feeding times per day for this species [15]. The difference in results might be due to the fact that goldsh is not usually reared for commercial purpose. Moreover, this fact also leads to the fact that there is a need to improve the genetic potential of goldfish if we want to rear it for commercial reasons. In the present study, the maximum weight gain was observed in the feed (B) and the same result was observed in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens. Regan) which showed that 2 meals per day fed to satiation are sufficient to support the maximum growth. Further it has been reported that ornamental Red Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri) fed 2 meals per day resulted in the greatest growth [28]. But contrary to present study the juvenile Atlantic Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) displayed improved growth rates when fed on satiation 5 times per day, compared with one time per day [29], and African Cafish (Clarias gariepinus) exhibited greater growth rates when fed to satiation twice compared with 3 times per day [30]. In the present study the better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in Feed (A) but contrary to present study best FCR were observed for the Goldfish fed 4 times per day, indicating that this frequency of feeding was optimal, suggesting that both growth and feed utilization are more efficient at this feeding frequency [31].


PDF | Influence of Feeding Frequency on Growth performance and Body Indices of Goldfish (Carrassius auratus). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/public...d_Body_Indices_of_Goldfish_Carrassius_auratus [accessed Jul 11 2018].


PDF | Influence of Feeding Frequency on Growth performance and Body Indices of Goldfish (Carrassius auratus). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/public...d_Body_Indices_of_Goldfish_Carrassius_auratus [accessed Jul 11 2018].








Great stuff
 

neutrino

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
Jan 22, 2013
2,443
2,786
179
Mid-Atlantic, US
Agree with thoughts above on overfeeding, not a good idea, and you can overfeed a tank (or overfeed other fish in the tank), if you get overzealous trying to get enough to just certain individuals in the tank.

One way to avoid that is to feed a smaller sized pellet and adjust feeding frequency and amount to get enough to the smaller, younger fish without overfeeding larger, older fish in the tank-- the smaller fish fill up faster on the smaller pellet. Beyond that, you can't really speed up growth in the small fish and slow growth in the larger fish at the same time beyond whatever's natural for each species.

Overall, in feeding fish, I keep an eye on their body shape. I don't want rounded out fish or bulging bellies and I adjust feed accordingly. Imo it's not necessary to feed until bellies are bulging on any fish. Doesn't make them grow better and it can cause problems. I don't do it, excepting to a mild degree, maybe, fry or baby fish with small stomachs that fill up quickly on small amounts of food.
 
Last edited:
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store