Difference between revisions of "Feed Fish"
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| − | + | Feeding fish is simple once you know how. Just make sure that the dry food you are using is well suited to the fish species, as described below. Once you have found a food that works well and are feeding the fish the right amount, begin supplementing their diet with insects, vegetables, or other nutritious foods depending on the type of fish. | |
[[Category:Feeding Fish]] | [[Category:Feeding Fish]] | ||
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#Soak pellet foods before feeding. Because many aquarium fish have small stomachs, pellets that absorb water and expand in size may cause digestive problems or bloating in your fish. Soak the pellets in water for 10 minutes before feeding so they expand before the fish eat it, rather than in the fish's stomach.<ref name="rf7" /> | #Soak pellet foods before feeding. Because many aquarium fish have small stomachs, pellets that absorb water and expand in size may cause digestive problems or bloating in your fish. Soak the pellets in water for 10 minutes before feeding so they expand before the fish eat it, rather than in the fish's stomach.<ref name="rf7" /> | ||
#Feed the fish once or twice a day. Because it is much easier to overfeed most fish than to give them too little food, one feeding a day may be safer. However, if you are careful to give them small amounts of food as described above, you may feed the fish twice a day. Some aquarium owners prefer this because the fish become more active and interesting to watch during feeding. | #Feed the fish once or twice a day. Because it is much easier to overfeed most fish than to give them too little food, one feeding a day may be safer. However, if you are careful to give them small amounts of food as described above, you may feed the fish twice a day. Some aquarium owners prefer this because the fish become more active and interesting to watch during feeding. | ||
| − | #Look for signs of overfeeding. If a trail of poop is hanging from your fish, their intestine may be partially blocked due to overfeeding or the wrong type of food.<ref name="rf8">http://thegoldfishtank.com/what-do-goldfish-eat/</ref> If the water gets dirty enough that you need to [[Do | + | #Look for signs of overfeeding. If a trail of poop is hanging from your fish, their intestine may be partially blocked due to overfeeding or the wrong type of food.<ref name="rf8">http://thegoldfishtank.com/what-do-goldfish-eat/</ref> If the water gets dirty enough that you need to [[Do a Water Change in a Freshwater Aquarium|do a water change]] more than once a week, you may be overfeeding the fish, or the tank may be overcrowded. Reduce the amount of food per serving or the number of servings per day to see if the problem goes away within a few days. Ask an aquarium store employee or fish raising hobbyist for advice if it does not. |
#Spread out the food so everyone gets some. Even within the same species, the larger or more aggressive fish may not leave enough food for the other fish. Reduce the chance of this happening by dividing the food and adding it to more than one area of the tank, or by sprinkling it evenly across the entire water surface. | #Spread out the food so everyone gets some. Even within the same species, the larger or more aggressive fish may not leave enough food for the other fish. Reduce the chance of this happening by dividing the food and adding it to more than one area of the tank, or by sprinkling it evenly across the entire water surface. | ||
#Watch for problems if you have multiple types of fish. If you have fish in your tank that feed in different areas of the tank, or on different types of food, you will likely need to purchase more than one fish food. Watch mixed-species tanks closely during feeding when you start them on a new food. You may need to find different combinations of food or feeding times if the fish at the surface eat all the food intended for the fish at the bottom. If some of your fish are active during the day and others at night, feeding them at two different times may help ensure that each fish gets enough food.<ref name="rf3" /> | #Watch for problems if you have multiple types of fish. If you have fish in your tank that feed in different areas of the tank, or on different types of food, you will likely need to purchase more than one fish food. Watch mixed-species tanks closely during feeding when you start them on a new food. You may need to find different combinations of food or feeding times if the fish at the surface eat all the food intended for the fish at the bottom. If some of your fish are active during the day and others at night, feeding them at two different times may help ensure that each fish gets enough food.<ref name="rf3" /> | ||
