# Eating and sleeping habits



## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

I usually feed my fish once a day around 10pm and then shut the light off around 11 or 12. Turn the light on around 7am for about an hour, then turn it off until about 5.

The fish usually sleep when I turn the light off after 11...you can see...

I left thursday night around 9. I fed them, then turned the light off. I was gone until now 3am Saturday morning, so I thought I would feed them.

Turned the light on and it looked like they were all asleep. Kind of bumping into each other. I put some food in and they never went for it. So I just turned the light back off and I will feed them tomorrow.

They will be fine not being fed a day or so right?

(they are so funny when asleep, the blackskirt tetras look like they have eyebrows and are so groggy)


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Fish can go well over a week without food. I believe its 2 weeks for most fish. Missing this one feeding is not a big deal, and they can pick the food off the bottom if they do get hungry in the meantime


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## greenman909 (Sep 22, 2007)

From what i have read in a lot of articles is that it is a very good idea to fast your fish (not feeding them for one daily cycle) once per week to help with there digestive system because fish in the wild do not always eat every day or every day at the same time for that matter. so as Obsidian has told you it is not going to harm them at all so no worries


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

HOWEVER, your goofy lighting pattern will hurt them over time. Hormones regulate everything in the body, and in fish, photoperiod regulates hormone activity.
Put your lights on a timer and let them have normal days & nights. Quit torturing them. A morning feeding would be nice, too.


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## pokefan (Feb 26, 2008)

I don't mean to hijack your thread at all but this touches on what I was wondering as well. TOS, I turn my lights on when we get up around 7 and turn them off when we go to bed at 9-10. Is this a good pattern for them or do I need to change it up?


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

That's wayyyy too long, you'll end up with an algae explosion if you leave your lights on for 14-15 hours. 8-10 hours is usually fine. I keep mine on for 9. (10 am-7pm)


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## Guest (Feb 28, 2008)

TheOldSalt said:


> A morning feeding would be nice, too.


here is where opinions differ. Feeding once a day is more than enough. only what most the fish eat in 30 seconds, with the exception of fish that are slow eaters that is, discus, plecos, etc.

The more you feed, the more your fish poop, and in some cases the more food that gets trapped in your filter. The more they poop the more nitrates they create, the more nitrates the worse your water quality gets, so you need to do more waterchanges. You can feed as much as you want, if you are taking the time to do the waterchanges required to keep up with the extra waste that is being created.

For almost every fish, once a day is perfect


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

tsk,tsk... still doing things the old way and worrying about waste and nitrates, eh?
Set up your next tank Walstad-style and never be bothered by these again.

Anyway, you are somewhat correct. Different species of fish have different habits, different food preferences, and different gutlengths, digestion speeds, & metabolic rates. Many fish can get by one a tiny little late night snack as you suggest, but many others need more. It all depends on the fish, really.


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2008)

tsk, tsk.... still trying to not do waterchanges? 
you could set up your tank any way you like, it doesnt replace the power of water changes in any way, shape, or form. just my opinion there 

id like to point out ive never crashed a tank doing water changes. neglect of a tank is not something to preach IMO. 

another problem with the walstad-style tanks....not every fish go with plants. all the fish i currently have eat plants, even the waxy nasty ones like anubias... but, i cant think of a single fish that cant go into a tank setup to have waterchanges and filtration.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

*yawn* whatever.

Fish need to eat, some more than others. Once per day is not by any means perfect for most. Besides, if you're so keen on making all those waterchanges anyway, then what do you care if a little nitrate may possibly accumulate?


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2008)

thats the whole point i was making, you can feed all you want, IF you do your waterchanges.... read the original post i made


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Ah, I see. Right-O.


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## CarterNichols (Feb 28, 2008)

i feed my fish three times a day.. amidoinitwrong?


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2008)

CarterNichols said:


> i feed my fish three times a day.. amidoinitwrong?


That's probably way too much. How much do you feed in each feeding?


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## CarterNichols (Feb 28, 2008)

well i have 4 platties, 4 neon tetras, 2 marble angels, 2 ghost shrimp, 2 snails, and a pleco and i usually to like 1 good pinch and then grind a little up for the tetras, it is all gone in about 10 seconds they eat quick

the pleco gets 2 algae pellets once a day.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

How are your nitrates? How big are the algae tablets?


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## CarterNichols (Feb 28, 2008)

emc7 said:


> How are your nitrates? How big are the algae tablets?


my nitrates are at 0 and the tablets are about 2cm wide if that... about the with of a cheerio but as thick as a dime.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2008)

nitrates are 0? you sure about that?


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## CarterNichols (Feb 28, 2008)

between 0-20, i have 5 in 1 test strips and 0 is like off white and 20 is a light shade of pink and i can't see tell a distinct difference looks more like the color that indicates 0... regardless its in the range of acceptable nitrate levels.


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## datchison (Dec 3, 2007)

I turn on my lights at 10am (also 10am feeding) turn off lights at 7pm.


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## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

TheOldSalt said:


> HOWEVER, your goofy lighting pattern will hurt them over time. Hormones regulate everything in the body, and in fish, photoperiod regulates hormone activity.
> Put your lights on a timer and let them have normal days & nights. Quit torturing them. A morning feeding would be nice, too.


What do you mean by torturing them?

I feed them once per day around 10 (just a little, ground up really tiny)

I turn the lights on around 5pm and turn them off around 11. Sometimes I am home to turn them on earlier then that. Once in awhile.

I leave for work early and get home around 5. Basiclly I would need to have the lights on when I am at work and when I get home turn them off. Thats horrible. I would like to enjoy my tank as well.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

They need a normal day-night cycle. Surely you can work around that. Get a cheap timer for a few bucks, set the tank light to come on sometime around maybe 2 PM, and to go off around 10.


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