Are You Overfeeding Your Fish?

Though caring for fish in an aquarium is a seemingly simple task, many owners fail to correctly feed their fish. Overfeeding is a common problem that can lead to dirty tanks, health problems, and even the death of fish. By learning the signs of overfeeding, fish owners can also learn how to properly feed fish the correct amount.

The simplest way to tell you are overfeeding your fish is by the quality of the water. When fish are given too much food, the excess food settles to the bottom of the tank. This builds up and makes the water appear cloudy. The nutrients added to water by excess food also contribute to the build up of algae in the tank. Sometimes patches of mould will also develop in the tank as a result of excess food build up.

Overfeeding may also cause chemical problems in an aquarium. Low pH and high nitrates are typical in tanks with excess food. Overfeeding can also lead to apparent health problems in various types of fish. The most common of these problems is bloat. Bloating occurs when a fish consumes so much food that its stomach expands to the point of putting pressure on other organs. In some cases the stomach pushes on the air bladder used by some species of fish in order to swim upright. This can cause fish to go “belly up”. Sometimes this problem rectifies itself, but other times it is fatal.

Fish should be fed an appropriate amount to avoid the problems of overfeeding. Rather than feeding fish a large meal once a day, most experts recommend providing fish with several small feedings throughout the day. They should never be given more food than they can consume within five minutes. To get an idea of how much and how often your fish should be fed, it is a good idea to watch your fish eating. Pay close attention to how much and how fast they eat. It is also important to feed the right type of food for the species of fish you have.

There will always be a small amount of excess food left in a fish tank. In order to prevent it from causing problems, it should be removed from the tank immediately. Adding scavenger fish can also help eliminate excess food from the aquarium. By preventing overfeeding, the tank will stay cleaner and fish will remain healthier for longer, which can only be a good thing.