How Much To Feed

[crazy_cat]

I have 6 Kenyi and they are from 3 1/2 inches to 2 inches in size. I feed them 3 times a day around 1/4 teaspoon of their flakes each feeding, and before turning out the lights at night I put in one pellet per fish in the tank that they munch on at night. This seems to not be enough. I know most Ciclid's that I have had, Oscars, generally are pigs and will eat till they just pop and you have to be careful how much you feed them. Is this the same with the Kenyi? I have asked around and have been told by others that own Kenyi that I should feed them till they don't eat anymore at the feeding. When I feed them the flakes they eat the flakes up in around 20 seconds and want more but I have been afraid to feed them more.

Any help would be appreciated. They are not being over fed as far as excess food in the tank as they eat everything I put in there and hop out of the water wanting more.

Thanks!

 

[geKo]

Feeding three times a day for any fish is to much if you ask me. I normally feed my fish 1 time a day and every three days i feed frozen blood worms along with regular flake/pellet food.

Your fish will live perfectly fine by feeding 1 or 2 times a day and I personaly think over feeding will only cause problems in the long run. If you over feed snakes they die sooner and this is a serious problem with reptile owners that want there snakes to get big fast. People also seem to have more health problems when over weight so if this applies to fish then you get the idea.

In general you should be feeding 1 or 2 times a day even with cichlids!

 

[Cichlid-Man]

geko....i am now feeding about 4-5 times a-day.....to my discus that i am growing out. AND doing DAILY W/C's.


I think you could get away with 2 feedings. But look at it this way. More food = More wastes = More W/Cs = Fish could sucomb to bloat = More money you spend on fish food.

I think 2 times a day is plenty....and just enough that they can eat in a certain amount of time.

 

[blueturq]

Originally posted by Cichlid-Man
geko....i am now feeding about 4-5 times a-day.....to my discus that i am growing out. AND doing DAILY W/C's.


I think you could get away with 2 feedings. But look at it this way. More food = More wastes = More W/Cs = Fish could sucomb to bloat = More money you spend on fish food.

I think 2 times a day is plenty....and just enough that they can eat in a certain amount of time.

why give yourself the extra work though C-man? twice a day is perfectly fine and water changes once or twice a week is fine unless you feed mass quantities of food

 

[Cichlid-Man]

I'm trying to get these guys (verge if not already stunting). So i am provinding super clean water and extra food to put weight on them.

I don't go overboard on my other discus in the 55gal

 

[crazy_cat]

Thanks for the replies! The people I spoke to have raised Kenyi for a long time and have had no problems feeding them this way. I agree lots of food = lots of waste but I clean the tank every week so that isn't an issue. I have a 250 filter on the tank right now getting ready to put the 350 on there so filtration is fine with the tank. They are not over weight and seem to get along better when they have full bellies as they are in the deciding phase of who is male who is female right now. I have 3 females, one male and two that depending on the day are either yellow or blue. The ones that are turning yellow are around 2 1/2 inches - 3 inches long. They are so confused! They are starting to mate so it should get interesting! I have never seen fish lock lips before like these little guys!

Thanks again for the help!!