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Feeding Your Fish at

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Feeding your fish is a nebulous subject: How much is enough, how much is too much, when and how often? It is difficult to gauge because our fish cannot decisively communicate with us. For many years, breeders, professional fish keepers, and the commercial industry has been promoting a feeding schedule that results in active, full grown, healthy fish in most cases. The feeding schedule they promote is to feed your fish 2 - 3 times per day as much as your fish will completely consume in about 2-3 minutes.

The Hunger Gauge After a few feedings, you'll be able to gauge exactly how much to feed your fish. Don't give in to your fishes "Hungry Dance". In some cases, fish will actually eat until they die. I have seen fish try desperately to shove so much food in their mouths that it starts coming out of their gills; and then they sit on the bottom, leaning against a rock, because of Thanksgiving Syndrome (the feeling you have after eating Thanksgiving Dinner). Keep in mind that most fish are opportunistic feeders and will try to eat as much food as is available, even at the cost of discomfort or even death.

Flake, Pellets, and...Zucchini? The type of food you should feed your fish depends on the fish. Some fish are strict vegetarians and require a diet of vegetables and/or algae. Other fish are mainly meat eaters who enjoy a touch of vegetables while others will only eat live food. Most of the fish you find in an average fish store will thrive on flake food.

Fish Chat
Have any questions about your fish?

Did You Know?
Fish beg for food! They will do little dances, stare at you with those big dark eyes, anything to get your attention, and more importantly, to get you to drop more food in the tank.

For help and more ideas for your own fish habitat, check out this book!