# Another Feeding Question



## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

I know there are a million questions and answers out there about feeding but I want to ask again to try and get some sort of consensus. Yes, there are many factors involved with fish growth, such as water temperature, water changes, food quality, etc.To keep this simple, how many cichlids do you have and, assuming you feed pellets, approximately how many pellets do you feed them? How many times a day do you feed?


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## My2butterflies (Jul 31, 2016)

I had an oscar(heartbroken because I lost her) she put on 2" in a month. I fed 3-4x a day and 2-4 med/large pellets at a time. I broke them in half an fed one at a time. I was able to hold one in my hand and have her hand feed. She was so amazing.

Now I just have a gt. he eats about 3-4x a day and eats 1- 1 1/2 pellets at a time. I break them into thirds because he is only 2" and his mouth isn't very big. I also feed freeze dried bloodworms 2-3x a week. Just a little pinch. He is housed with my kids glowfish(not a fan of them, but kids really wanted them) right now so he also eats some of their flake food. It's a food for betas, but they seem to love it. It also has freeze dried bloodworms in it. They get a pinch 2x a day. The glow fish are like piranhas and also eat 2/3 of a pellet a day. They are always stealing them before the terror gets them.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I feel pellets to all. I have about 100 cichlids. The pellets are 1mm size.

When thinking in terms of "per fish" I think about the size of the eye. I understand the fish stomach is the size of the eye so I shoot for that amount.

Realistically, maybe1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon for a 75G tank daily.


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

Ok, thanks. That really helps because it gives me a ballpark figure so I know whether or not I'm way off. When you refer to a 75g tank, how many cichlids roughly would you say that 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon is sufficient for? ...juvenile aceis, labs, peacocks, haps...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Well in a 75G all male I like 12 fish. So I'd go with the 1/4 teaspoon. Then see how their bellies look and how the algae goes.

The larger amount would be my tank with mbuna, including demasoni so that would be more like 30 fish.


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

DJRansome said:


> Well in a 75G all male I like 12 fish. So I'd go with the 1/4 teaspoon. Then see how their bellies look and how the algae goes.
> 
> The larger amount would be my tank with mbuna, including demasoni so that would be more like 30 fish.


Hello, I ended up checking how many NLS pellets amount to your advice of 1/4 tsp per day. I counted over 200 pellets. That amounts to around 17 pellets per fish per day (assuming 12 fish in the 2-3+ inch range). Does that sound right?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

17 pellets sounds like a lot. Are the fish getting fat?


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## Iamwho (Nov 24, 2016)

The amount of feed is very much what brand of pellet you feed. The lower the quality, the more you have to feed, since fish are not getting the nutrients they need. For a good pellet, once a day is plenty once the fish settle.


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

DJRansome said:


> 17 pellets sounds like a lot. Are the fish getting fat?


I'm going off of your advice of 1/4 tsp and another forum I read that as well, but it didn't sound right to feed that many pellets per day. I have been using 1 mm NLS pellets. When I fill a 1/4 tsp, it amounts to 200+ pellets. You said that you were feeding that much for 12 cichlids in a 75g, unless you're using a bigger pellet?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

It sounds like a lot to me too...my question was since you have been feeding your fish this amount for 3 months...are they getting fat?

Or maybe you fed less...then my question is...are they getting skinny?


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

DJRansome said:


> It sounds like a lot to me too...my question was since you have been feeding your fish this amount for 3 months...are they getting fat?
> 
> Or maybe you fed less...then my question is...are they getting skinny?


I have not been feeding them 1/4 tsp. I have been feeding them probably 60-80 pellets per day, which is roughly 5-7 each per day. The main reason I'm asking is because these are my first cichlids and I want to make sure they're growing at the proper rate so that, if needed, I can adjust their feeding amount. I have had most of them for about 7 months (roughly April timeframe). See pics at the following link. You can scroll down to see more. I posted 12 of them.

http://pho.to/AW3t9


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A couple of them look a little skinny, I would increase the food.


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

DJRansome said:


> A couple of them look a little skinny, I would increase the food.


Up to 100 pellets a day? ...which is 1/8 tsp? ...or more?


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

I watched one of my yellow labs eat 25 of the small NLS pellets one day (she is about 2.5 or 3 inches long). Maybe that helps?


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

Aaron S said:


> I watched one of my yellow labs eat 25 of the small NLS pellets one day (she is about 2.5 or 3 inches long). Maybe that helps?


But is that how much you feed on a daily basis? If not, how much do you typically feed?


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

I throw quite a bit in the tank and it is all eaten by something, so how much each individual fish gets, I don't know. I think 20 of those pellets is reasonable. I feed once per day (and sometimes skip days). Just watch their stomachs after you feed them and make sure they aren't too chubby and that everyone is getting something. The problem will always be that one fish that eats all the food while others are left with scraps.


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

So, I started feeding a lot more starting in December. I fed probably 3 times what I was feeding and the cichlids have noticeably grown. As I mentioned before, I got a lot of them when they were around 2 inches to 2.5 inches. Here are their current sizes. I have had them since April. I know it's hard to determine if the growth is accurate, but any input would be appreciated if something does stick out so that I do or don't continue with the current feeding regimen.

Blue Regal (male) - 4 inches
Blue Neon (male) - 3.5 inches
Flameback (male) - 3+ inches
Yellow Lab (male) - 3.5 inches
Mbuna hybrid (male) - 3.75+ inches
Yellow Tail Acei (male) - 3.75 inches
Blue Moorii (???) - 3.5 inches
Red Empress (female???) - 3.75+ inches
Dragon Blood (female) - 3.25 inches
White Lab (female) - 2.75 inches


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Are their bellies curved inward, outward or flat?

Water quality may have more to do with growth than food.


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

DJRansome said:


> Are their bellies curved inward, outward or flat?
> 
> Water quality may have more to do with growth than food.


Here are some pics I took today. http://share.pho.to/Acop5


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

They look well fed. The yellow lab looks a little stubby and/or chubby...maybe just the angle? And the flameback looks a little skinny, probably too timid for the group.


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

DJRansome said:


> They look well fed. The yellow lab looks a little stubby and/or chubby...maybe just the angle? And the flameback looks a little skinny, probably too timid for the group.


Thanks. Yes, I found out the little guy doesn't like NLS. Once I switched to Hikari, he lit up. Before that, he was completely gray.

Based on your experience, does their growth look sufficient to you at this point (after owning them 9-10 months)?


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## Nyboy (Mar 4, 2017)

DJRansome said:


> I feel pellets to all. I have about 100 cichlids. The pellets are 1mm size.
> 
> When thinking in terms of "per fish" I think about the size of the eye. I understand the fish stomach is the size of the eye so I shoot for that amount.
> 
> Realistically, maybe1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon for a 75G tank daily.


 I have read stomach is size of eye a few different places. Then I watch my Jack eat 2 goldfish one right after the other. Does all food eaten go in to stomach or do the have a holding place like crop on a bird?


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

Nyboy said:


> DJRansome said:
> 
> 
> > I feel pellets to all. I have about 100 cichlids. The pellets are 1mm size.
> ...


That stomach is the size of the eye phrase is ridiculous. It totally screwed my feeding regiment. My fish were underfed for months because I followed that. Now I feed them as much as they can eat in 3 minutes twice a day. No problems. Good growth.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Maybe it just works for fry. Well 3 minutes is way more than the usual suggestion (which is 30 seconds) and it's more than I feed. But glad to hear your fish health has improved!


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## aausa1983 (Apr 6, 2016)

DJRansome said:


> Maybe it just works for fry. Well 3 minutes is way more than the usual suggestion (which is 30 seconds) and it's more than I feed. But glad to hear your fish health has improved!


That's what I used to do and it wasn't working so I called 3 cichlid store owners, all of which are listed on this site and very popular. One owner straight out advised me to feed what they can finish in 3 minutes twice a day. I mentioned that to the other 2 owners and they agreed.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Well, they do sell fish food. But regardless, I'm glad the new routine is working for you.


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## Nyboy (Mar 4, 2017)

I feed small meals 3 to 4 times a day. That seems the most natural way to go. Fish in the wild don't eat 1 meal but forge all day.


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