Gem Tang
Feeding your fish and corals is one of the most important functions that you perform in their care and maintenance. Some would think that it is a simple task of dropping food into the tank, however, it is important to know the feeding habits of your livestock and to develop a feeding regimen which is optimal for their health. Knowing how much to feed and when to feed is important. You should never overfeed your fish and corals. Overfeeding can cause spikes in No3 (nitrate) and Po4 (phosphate) which can lead to unwanted algae growth. It is usually best to feed small quantities of food at each feeding. Most aquarium fish typically graze during the day and small multiple feedings per day usually works well, especially with many species of surgeonfish and anthias species which graze throughout the day in their natural habitat.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
If your busy daily schedule renders feeding more than once a day impractical, then you should consider purchasing an automatic feeder such as the Neptune AFS (if you have or need a Neptune Apex aquarium controller) or the Innovative Marine Gourmet Grazer designed for fish that like to graze on seaweed. If feeding only once per day is your only option, then be sure to feed just enough animal-based foods that can be consumed in about 1-2 minutes.
