How often to feed?

[PaulineP]

Hi

I am fairly new to keeping fish, but have had some succcess, ie not lost any yet after six months! I have read that it is good to not feed your fish one day a week? Is this good advice? I feed a mix of dried flakes and frozen brine shrimp. The water is currently within all correct limits and they all seem healthy and I have had some sailfin mollies actually breed. So perhaps I should keep feeding daily. But then again, would it be even better not to feed them for one day a week? All advice gratefully received.

[cousin it]

I tend to not feed my tanks at least 1 day a week on some of them I only feed every other day, this keeps the tanks clean and the fish active.

[JamesB]

I feed my fish 1 or 2 times a day.

[Carylnz]

Fish are opportunistic eaters and will go mad for food whenever it is offered - like a starving dog to a bone. This does not mean they are hungry. It means they are grabbing the food as quickly as they can while it is there as they don't know when the next lot will appear, nor if a predator is going to come along and eat them or the food.
My fish are not fed very often (about 2x a week. If daughter in law or youngest grandchild visit they get fed more often ) but my fish are mature, as is the tank, and lightly stocked with lots of plants. If you have young fish though it is important to feed them more often (at least daily if not more often. A little bit often is best) so they grow quickly and to their full potential without becoming stunted.
Not feeding your fish one day a week will not hurt them at all.
Not only is the amount important but so is the quality. By a good quality brand and do not buy large containers of food thinking it is more economical unless you will go through it quickly. As soon as a packet's seal is broken the food starts breaking down and all the vitamins etc start to deteriorate. I seem to remember 3 months being mentioned as the time frame fish food is at its best but I wouldn't quote me!

[PaulineP]

Thanks for all the info. Much appreciated.

[iigwk]

Depending on the fish, I have a discus fish, I feed 2-3 times a day

[ady]

i was feeding twice a day,but now they are on a single feed.

i did this to reduce waste,after the disaster of a 200 litre tank splitting it's base...

they are all still fine and active.

a starve period does them no harm either every now and again

[rylo]

Just wondering. Would that serve any purpose if you starve them for a day?

[Carylnz]

I don't believe so but it doesn't hurt them either.