# Food Question



## Pyistazty (Jan 3, 2010)

I don't really think I overfed my fish. When I started, i have 5 danios, and just put a pinch of flakes every time i fed them, sometimes they'd eat it all, sometimes they wouldn't, but granted, there has been food at the bottom. 
Just recently i got some cory and sinking wafers for them. They'll eat start to eat them when i drop it in, like really act like they're hungry, but there will still be some left over, but every morning and evening i give them some more, and they act like they've never been fed, but still leave some over. 
So its seems to me like, they're hungry, then they don't finish, but then they don't want whats left over, and so, there are tiny pieces of left over food in different spots around my gravel. 
Should I worry about possible molding of old food? Should i stop the routine feeding to see if they'll start picking up their left overs? I don't want anything bad to happen to these guys an i just wanna make sure this older food won't harm them.


----------



## Ditzy (Jan 5, 2010)

Well, you should use a gravel cleaner to prevent molding, pick up left over food, get rid of poop, etc. As far as the food, how often are you feeding them? I don't know much about danios but I've read that most fish like a varied diet. Maybe you should do research on the types of food they like and try feeding them several kinds. For the cories, you can break up the wafers which I assume are algae wafers. As far as the extra food goes, you can scoop it out of there as soon as they are finished eating.


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

I feed mine once a day and try to clean my tanks once a week.


----------



## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Pyistazty said:


> Should I worry about possible molding of old food?


Not molding but ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate creation.




Pyistazty said:


> Should i stop the routine feeding to see if they'll start picking up their left overs?


Yes. Cease feeding for two days and then cut back on the feeding.




Pyistazty said:


> I don't want anything bad to happen to these guys an i just wanna make sure this older food won't harm them.


The corys will cleanup most of the left overs and it will not harm them.

TR


----------



## Cam (Nov 9, 2009)

Do not feed your fish everyday. They will get fat in a hurry. The average fish can go up to 2 weeks without food. That means feed the fish 3 times a week, waste less cash and food, and have a cleaner tank and no worrying about protein buildup. Feeding fish 3 times a week is a win, a win, a win, and another win.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i disagree cam..just because fish can go for weeks without eating doesn't mean that they must..you eat every day..why not the fish...especially if their environment dictates it.like temps between 78-90..the higher the temp ; the more they need to be fed.i feed my fish once or twice a day..except for fry..the get fed at least 3 times a day.
if you are that concerned about spending money on food for your animals ; you shouldn't have them..save the money for your education..

now ; to straighten out the problem at hand.................
i will go along with jones...
stop feeding for a couple of days....do a good cleaning of the gravel...then when you resume feeding reduce it a bit.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

more feeding = more water changes & faster growth. If you overfeed and don't up the tank cleaning, you get a nasty tank fast. Its often a good idea to underfeed while a tank is cycling.


----------



## Cam (Nov 9, 2009)

*Off Topic*

LOLOL money is not a problem :lol: I am just inquiring that fish CAN go for a while without eating and still be okay. I feed mine every evening, sometimes every other day. It just seems to be a problem with OVERFEEDING in smaller tanks, seeming how anything you do makes a massive difference due to the small water mass. I had issues with that myself a few years back. 
For example: If you are going on a vacation, and are wondering "What will I do with the fish?" you can do a couple things:
1. Get a trusted friend to help
2. Automatic fish feeder ( test before you leave )
3. Food discs
4. If it is for a week or so, and there is no other option, they CAN go a while without food.
I don't know, this is obviously way off-topic and I should just leave the "resolving" to others who obviously know more than myself. From now on I will just ask instead of reply due to me being no help lol


----------



## jrm402 (Jan 21, 2010)

I wouldn't worry about the food molding as much as it turning into waste and fowling up your water. Regular water changes, be it 5-10% weekly or 10-15% bi-weekly, done with a gravel vac will help elude your gravel too of any uneaten foods.


----------

