How little can you feed your fish?-Tropical Fish-3reef Forums

Covey · 08-12-2005, 08:57 AM

I am battling a green hair algae outbreak. I found out the causes and correct them. I have added a phosphate remover and regen'ed my purigen. Now the hair algae is a more brown green sickly color. So I think I am winning. My big question is can I serious lessen my feedings to my fish in order to real beat down the algae. I feed twice a day. Only about as much as they will eat in about a minute. Here is my fish:

Lawnmower Blenny: Not worried about him. He's obese and in lawnmower heaven!

6-line Wrasse: The algae outbreak came with a army of little snails that the wrasse picks at so I think it would be okay.

3 green chromis: I think I would have to feed them but the respond the quickest of any of my fish to food in the tank so I think they would be first to get the food available when I do feed.

Coral Beauty: This is the one I am worried about. It the largest fish I have(still only about 3 1/2"). I am hoping if I feed less the coral beauty will start grazing on the algae. The risk I feel is that if the coral beauty is hungry it might start nipping at the coral. It has never been a nipper but if it is hungry who knows. If it started to view the algae as food this could be over in a few week. It is a chow hound.

So what do you guys think?

Birdlady · 08-12-2005, 08:59 AM

I feed my fish as little as twice per week

I think you can safely cut back to one feeding every other day for now. I can't answer to the question on the angel nipping....I think they likely are or aren't nippers..but not really sure

amcarrig · 08-12-2005, 09:11 AM

Like BL, I only feed my fish once every other day and have been known to go longer without feeding them.

Nothing you can do to prevent the angel from nipping at corals. It either will or it won't

Covey · 08-12-2005, 10:01 AM

Well that good I guess because it hasn't yet. I just don't want to start anything.

Gresham · 08-12-2005, 11:23 AM

I really don't advocate this, but, I don't really feed my fish. I feed my corals, and sometimes that includes Cyclop-Eeze which they eat. Other then that, they enjoy my large pod population

My refugium is kicking out the pods

No lack there. Nice thing about having mainly wrasses, they love to hunt

The clown holds his own as well

Covey · 08-12-2005, 04:38 PM

Hey Gresham remember when I asked you about keeping a tank under real sunlight?
I believe you said "I've done plenty of natual light tanls. It's great for softies and browning out SPS. Very few SPS stay nicelly colorred in our natural light. Probably due to spectural shift as you venture away from the equator, Heat can be an issue, as can booming macro and micro algae."

(Note to self listen to Gresham)