Do you fast your fish?

So I’ve been thinking about how much and when to feed my fish. I’ve never fasted my fish but I’ve been thinking about it. I recently fed some freeze dried shrimp and one of my rummy nose tetras got a little bloated. I know it was not over feeding and it was the freeze dried food but it’s been on my mind about fasting. Do you fast your fish for one day a week? Should I start to do this? Should I just feed them frozen foods once on the days where I “fast” instead of flakes twice a day?

 

You don't have to, I fast mine sometimes but its usually on accident or I fed them a little too much the day before. I know some people will fast their bettas.
If you are feeding them though its not really fasting. Again, there isn't a need to; the schedule you've made (feed frozen once a week, other days flakes) sounds pretty good.

 

You don't have to, I fast mine sometimes but its usually on accident or I fed them a little too much the day before. I know some people will fast their bettas.
If you are feeding them though its not really fasting. Again, there isn't a need to; the schedule you've made (feed frozen once a week, other days flakes) sounds pretty good.

Ok. I have a betta too. Should I totally fast him once a week or also give him a little frozen?

 

Great thread. It will be interesting to read what other people do.

I think you should do whatever you feel is right and falls in line with what you observe going on in tank.

Not that you asked but variety is also an element to consider. I just realized that I have 11 different foods on hand-something's wrong with me...

Have you tried the gel formulas like Repashy or Tropical?

 

Ok. I have a betta too. Should I totally fast him once a week or also give him a little frozen?

If you have some frozen food on hand, it'll be nice to give him a bit each week. Make sure not to overdo it though, just give him a bit. You don't have to fast him but if you've slightly overfed him a little I would. As long as you feed him appropriate amounts though there's no reason to have to fast him.

 

So I’ve been thinking about how much and when to feed my fish. I’ve never fasted my fish but I’ve been thinking about it. I recently fed some freeze dried shrimp and one of my rummy nose tetras got a little bloated. I know it was not over feeding and it was the freeze dried food but it’s been on my mind about fasting. Do you fast your fish for one day a week? Should I start to do this? Should I just feed them frozen foods once on the days where I “fast” instead of flakes twice a day?

Try soaking the freeze dried food in water for a bit before feeding it to your fish. If my angelfish eats freeze dried bloodworms before they're waterlogged he bloats.

 

Found this GREAT thread about feeding Bettas.

Betta Fish Food And Feeding Guide | Betta Fish World

There's a great diagram if the internal structures of a betta, showing the short digestive tract. I'm hoping everyone with a betta checks it out.

 

Great thread. It will be interesting to read what other people do.

I think you should do whatever you feel is right and falls in line with what you observe going on in tank.

Not that you asked but variety is also an element to consider. I just realized that I have 11 different foods on hand-something's wrong with me...

Have you tried the gel formulas like Repashy or Tropical?

No. I do feed about 3 different types of food.

 

I'm readjusting my feeding schedule lately.

I stopped feeding flakes and granulate alltogether. The tetras get 1/8 of a cube of frozen food (Artemia) or the same amount of freeze-dried tubifex or daphnia once daily. Freeze-dried stuff is soaked, frozen is thawed. The cories get the leftovers plus 1/4-1/2 of a tablet of special cory food. Once a week I feed red mosquito larvae and usually the waterchange day is the fast day, as I often stirr up so much stuff, all fish gorge themselves on it for over an hour after I'm done waterchanging.

 

If you have some frozen food on hand, it'll be nice to give him a bit each week. Make sure not to overdo it though, just give him a bit. You don't have to fast him but if you've slightly overfed him a little I would. As long as you feed him appropriate amounts though there's no reason to have to fast him.

Yea I usually give him 3 pellets twice a day. It’s the omega one betta pellets

Try soaking the freeze dried food in water for a bit before feeding it to your fish. If my angelfish eats freeze dried bloodworms before they're waterlogged he bloats.

Yea. I feed them last night and treated the freeze dried food like it was frozen. I made sure it all came apart in water before pouring it into the tank

I'm readjusting my feeding schedule lately.

I stopped feeding flakes and granulate alltogether. The tetras get 1/8 of a cube of frozen food (Artemia) or the same amount of freeze-dried tubifex or daphnia once daily. Freeze-dried stuff is soaked, frozen is thawed. The cories get the leftovers plus 1/4-1/2 of a tablet of special cory food. Once a week I feed red mosquito larvae and usually the waterchange day is the fast day, as I often stirr up so much stuff, all fish gorge themselves on it for over an hour after I'm done waterchanging.

Ok. I plan to only feed frozen once a week on the day I do water changes, Sunday

 

Yea I usually give him 3 pellets twice a day. It’s the omega one betta pellets

Sounds pretty good. As long as his tummy isn't too rounded(a very small curve is fine) then i would continue feeding him that way and add a little protein once a week.

 

Sounds pretty good. As long as his tummy isn't too rounded(a very small curve is fine) then i would continue feeding him that way and add a little protein once a week.

Ok good. I’ll start feeding frozen once a week to all my fish

 

Ok. I plan to only feed frozen once a week on the day I do water changes, Sunday

It depends totally on what exactly you feed. Red mosquito larvae, aka bloodworms, have a very high protein and energy content, I feed those just once a week because of this. Artemia and Daphnia have more fiber and less protein, so they are fine as daily ration, as long as it's just one feeding a day and a medium amount.

 

It depends totally on what exactly you feed. Red mosquito larvae, aka bloodworms, have a very high protein and energy content, I feed those just once a week because of this. Artemia and Daphnia have more fiber and less protein, so they are fine as daily ration, as long as it's just one feeding a day and a medium amount.

Ok. I’ll switch between bloodworms and brine shrimp

 

Sounds reasonable. If you only feed frozen once a week anyway you can stick to bloodworms. I was referring to why I can and do feed frozen foods more than once a week.

 

Sounds reasonable. If you only feed frozen once a week anyway you can stick to bloodworms. I was referring to why I can and do feed frozen foods more than once a week.

Ok great. Thanks for the help.

 

At my place once a week they'll fast... They can seek for their own food in the tank what hasn't been eaten yet.

 

At my place once a week they'll fast... They can seek for their own food in the tank what hasn't been eaten yet.

I plan to fast once a week now.

Should I use this schedule? Tuesday-Saturday is normal flakes and prepared foods, Sunday is frozen, and Monday fast.

 

I plan to fast once a week now.

You or the fish...?

Should I use this schedule? Tuesday-Saturday is normal flakes and prepared foods, Sunday is frozen, and Monday fast.

That will be just fine...

 

You or the fish...?


That will be just fine...

Lol! Ok great

 

I fast my “high risk” fish like bettas and guppies, because it seems way easier to overfeed them.