Feeding Frequency

[cofm]

Hello,
I am relatively new to fish keeping. Actually I am only fish sitting my daughter's fish while she is out of the country for a few months. I have volunteered to take care of her two clown loaches and three yoyo loaches, if I understood her correctly.

I started going to her flat every morning to feed them and turn the light on. And then stop in the evening to turn the light off. That got old too quick. I currently have the light set up so that I manually turn it on in the morning and it automatically shuts off in the evening. But even stopping once a day is getting bothersome.

My question, assuming I can automate turning the light on, can I feed them every other day?

[minnow]

Everybody will have differing opinions, but I feed 3-4 times per week. I have older fish that are not in a growth "mode", so they seem to do well. You typically can't go wrong under-feeding fish, as most people likely over-feed regularly.

[cofm]

Thanks,
Every trip I don't make to my daughter's flat saves me almost an hour, but I really don't want to be the cause of the deaths of her fish.

I think my daughter has had these fish for just over a year. How old do loaches get? Are these old? Can I find out some of these simple questions in a general book about fishes or are loaches significantly different?

[Wendie]

I feed my guys - clowns and Yo Yos about 5 times a week. I do that with all my fish. There's at least one to two days each week that is a fast day for them with the exception of the new kribs I bought which need to be fattened up.

[NancyD]

Be careful not to overfeed to "make up" for less frequent feedings. They can only eat so much & the leftovers (& increased poop) will pollute the water. Did she give any instructions on changing their water? If not you'd be safer feeding less food, less often IMO.
Nancy

[pedzola]

I feed my fish twice a day... and clean the tank twice a week...

[Martin Thoene]

Thanks,
Every trip I don't make to my daughter's flat saves me almost an hour, but I really don't want to be the cause of the deaths of her fish.

I think my daughter has had these fish for just over a year. How old do loaches get? Are these old? Can I find out some of these simple questions in a general book about fishes or are loaches significantly different?

cofm, welcome to Loaches Online. It's good that you came here to ask questions. How much info did your daughter give you? There's more to looking after fish than just feeding them. Water needs changing regularly and the filters will need cleaning also. If she's gone for "a few months" then these tasks will need to be addressed.

Clown Loaches particularly can live to around 40 years old if cared for well, so these are just babies. While loaches have their differences compared to other fish, the basics of care are broadly the same, so if your daughter does not have any books available it might be wize to get educated. You could maybe get a book from the library?

Martin.

[EdenAU]

I feed my fish twice a day... and clean the tank twice a week...

I feed my guys at least 4 times a day (what the loaches don't grab, the tetras do... nothing makes it to the bottom (apart from the vegies)...)

Breakfast is flakes
Lunch is frozen brine shrimp
Dinner is frozen blood worms
"Late night snack" is a piece of cucumber/zucchini (held by a piece of that wire they use for weighing down plants, attached to a piece of fishing line so I can get it out after the feeding frenzy is finished)

I also do daily or every second day water changes (30%)

[Rod]

How do you get that sort of time??????
The fish must love it though...

[EdenAU]

How do you get that sort of time??????
The fish must love it though...

I'm a single parent & a greyhound trainer...
Both of which means I'm home during the day, most days
My daughter (turning 8 next week) also loves helping me with the water changes (she particularly loves doing the parameter tests )

The real truth is, I love "doing things" with my fish - They're such a "time waster"

ETA:

I found an easy (and quick) way to do the water changes, where I have several 10L buckets set up on the floor below the tank...
I do the "suck" to get the water siphon started, then just fill the buckets one after the other...
I also have a "tub" that is taller than my tank, that I sit on the bench beside the tank -
When it's time to add the new water into the tank, I sit the bucket(s) on top of the tub, get the water going and I can leave it to do other things (like prepare the next bucket of water)...
I just come back in time to either refill the bucket already on top of the tub, or swap buckets

If I'm really stretched for time, I often set up a bucket up top (new water) and a bucket on the floor ("old" water), and run them at the same time but at opposite ends of the tank

[Rod]

I often wondered how people did thier water changes, as it takes me ages...
Sounds like you have it down pat.

[fusQer]

omg you guys really really need to get the python. get with the times it will save you TONS of time. it is arguably the best invention since the wheel.

i also feed four times a day, exactly as whoever posted above.

flakes, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms, and cucumber. thats funny that we follow that exactly

i do weekly 50% water changes, my fish are always fat. i want them to get bigger faster. especially the baby kubs.

my tank is a planted tank so ammonia or nitrate spikes due to overfeeding are easily absorbed by the plants... not to mention weekly water changes (to introduce nitrates).

[Rod]

What is this "PYTHON" you speak of?? Please explain...

[Martin Thoene]

This is a Python rod......

http://web.singnet.com.sg/~teosb1/python.html

Martin.

[NancyD]

I may have to get a Python when I get a bigger tank. For now I like to think of water changes as part of my exercise routine.
Nancy