# Do you fast your fish once per week?



## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

Now that I have had my fish for about 3 weeks I have the amounts and times I feed them pretty well down pat and working well to get them just the right amount. One thing I have heard some people do though is to feed 6 days per week, then fast them one day per week. Just wondered if that is what most people do or not. Set up a poll, but never have created a poll here before so hope it works.


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## hoopvillian (Feb 12, 2012)

I don't have mine on a strict schedule but I skip days here and there, every 5-10 days or so.


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## Bd79 (Apr 11, 2011)

I feed my fish (other than fry) 5 days a week. I think over feeding is an underecognized problem.

I've noticed that when I don't feed my fish for a few days, such as when I'm out of town or have a power outage they do just fine,


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

I used to feed 2x a day 6 days a week now I feed once a day 5 days a week (a mix of spirulina flake and pellet). I still work in veggies and frozen live food during one of the 5 days.

Tanks with babies get a small 2nd feeding of very crumbled flakes (my babies congregate in the feeding side of the tank, hiding in the rocks so spot feeding them there seems to work).


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I skip here and there too...probably more than 1X weekly.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I feed appx. 5 times a week. I don't rememeber everyday, and if I miss a day, I make sure to feed the next.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

whats the benifits of skipping feedings?


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Its supposed to "clean out" the fish.


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## phishman (Feb 3, 2012)

I have q Tropheus tank in my office at work. My fast every Saturday and Sunday. Mondays on holiday weekends. They are gonna be hungry Monday after Thanksgiving.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

ratbones86 said:


> whats the benifits of skipping feedings?


My personal thoughts on benefits are:

Generally, it is probable that most people overfeed their fish so skipping a feeding here or there will most likely not harm our fish and actually could be of benefit to our fish. In the wild, it is unlikely that fish receive food at totally regular intervals like morning and night. More likely they receive food when and if it is available and sometimes it simply is not available.

Some health issues in fish are directly/indirectly related to overfeeding so reducing feedings might also improve the general "health" of your tank.

Less feedings are likely to improve your water quality as it means less waste in the tank...and your fish will scavenge more for food as food is not so readily available which will also keep your tank cleaner.

I think in looking at your fishes food needs you need to look at what type of eaters they are...carnivores, herbivores, or something else. Each fish will have its own eating methodology and needs, some are grazers and some are big meal eaters in the wild. Also, age of fish is a consideration. Younger fish need more energy for growth, older fish not so much so feeding times and amounts can/should be different for fry and older fish.


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