always hungry

micah2012

micah2012

Large Fish
#1
May 11, 2006
267
0
0
Gloucester, Massachusettes
massachusetts.mc-templarknights.com
#1
I have a Jack Dempsey that is about 3 inches, so still young. Weird thing is that he is always hungry. Constantly freaking out in the front of the tank begging to be fed. I feed him all he time and he eats everything fiercly. I've kept fish for many years now and I've never seen eating habits like this. Can fish have worms, or something of the like? He isn't growing but seems to be in perfect health. Water parameters are fine before anyone asks.
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#4
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#4
micah2012 said:
Well thats great and all, I eat everytime I get hungry too. However I do get full once in a while and wont eat anymore. I'm just trying to make sure there isn't any health concerns.
Click to expand...
The fish begging for food is not necessarily an indication of hunger. A Jack Dempsey will eat whenever there is food available if its healthy. Their small brains do not understand that there will always be a supply of food. In the wild, they eat what they can find/catch.

Judge its health by its activity, color, and appearance. Observe with the lights on over the tank and the room's light off and from a distance away, so that he does not see you. If he's acting normally, and looks normal, he should be healthy as well.

You could feed him every 2nd day and he'd likely be fine too.
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

Forum Manager
Moderator
#5
May 16, 2003
8,589
10
38
42
Colorado
#5
I agree, you dont have to feed him every time he thinks he's hungry :) You should feed him whatever he can eat in a few minutes once a day or every other day. My fish dont get fed for three or four days sometimes.

And yes, fish can eat worms or whatever bugs you'd like to feed them...ghost shrimp too :)
 

simplyfish

simplyfish

Medium Fish
#6
Feb 18, 2008
89
0
0
#6
Someone may be able to expand on this, but I don't think fish have a reflex telling them they have had 'enough' food like we do. So will eat until all the food has gone and just poop more...
 

Orion

Orion

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
#7
Feb 10, 2003
5,803
3
38
Kentucky
www.thefishcave.net
#7
In the wild, fish do not eat on a schedule like we do. Nor do they have a constant good supply of food either. So when they find food, it's not unusual for them to gorge themselves when they do find a lot. Now in the home, this isn't an issue because we will always be around to feed them, but they don't know that! Cichlids are extremely smart animals, and yours has already associated you with food. It knows if it can get you to where it's at, that it will get food.

I seriously doubt that there is anything wrong with your JD. Sounds like some typical cichlid behavior to me.
 

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