How Much Do You Feed Platy Fish in the USA
Once a day is fine for adults, whereas two to three small meals a day is preferred for growing juveniles. If you notice long strings of poop constantly dangling from your platies, you may be overfeeding your fish so consider decreasing their portion size.
Can you overfeed platys?
Overfeeding is the most common mistake new fish owners make. When you give fish too much food, the remnants can clog your filter and break down into toxins that are harmful to fish. 1 Hence the warnings on fish food packages not to overfeed the fish.
Are platy fish bottom feeders?
Platy fish eat food on the top of the aquarium as well as off of the ground. Platy fish eat a variety of foods and as long as you maintain the right balance of diet, they will remain top and bottom feeders.
How often should you feed platy fry?
Feed the fry. Feed the fish small amounts several times a day, about as much food as they can eat in three minutes. Some platy owners like to crush or grind pelleted or flaked food before feeding it to fry, as this will make it easier for them to eat.
How much do I feed my aquarium fish?
As for how much food to feed, a good rule of thumb is to feed no more than the fish will consume completely in five to ten minutes. 3 When in doubt, underfeed! You can always give them another small feeding if necessary. However, if you overfeed, the uneaten food will produce wastes that can be harmful to the fish.
Will fish stop eating when they are full?
If the fish drank water, that’s a bit of a different story. But fish stop eating much like any other animal: it eats to a point where eventually the stomach gives off satiation signals to the brain, and it doesn’t want to eat anymore.
How do you know when fish are hungry?
How To Tell If Your Fish Is Hungry Your fish is digging around the substrate (searching for food). Waiting and the top of the aquarium (for feeding time). Behavior changes (aggression). Noticeable weight/size changes. Slow or sluggish behavior.
What do platys like in their tank?
Platies can live in a 10- to 20-gallon aquarium or larger. Most livebearers prefer higher pH, but platies can tolerate a very wide range from 6.8-8.5 in our experience. They also enjoy harder water, so if your tap water is especially soft, consider adding more minerals using Seachem Equilibrium or Wonder Shell.
Do platy fish need an air pump?
While it’s not necessary to use an air pump with platies, it can help to have a filter running that utilizes one. This helps keep the tank clean and makes sure your fish have enough oxygen to be healthy.
Why is my platy wiggling?
Shimmying is a symptom rather than a single disease, and an indication that a fish no longer has proper control of its nerves and muscles. It occurs when fish are under severe stress, most often because of environmental problems. The classic scenario is when mollies are kept in soft or acidic water conditions.
How often do platies give birth?
This species is a livebearer, which means that the female gives birth to free-swimming young. The term of gestation is 28 days. When paired with a male in a community tank, this means your female platy can potentially give birth every four weeks.
Do platy fry need a filter?
And yes, they need a filter. Even if they didn’t need a filter now, they would very soon. To be of salable size, they need to grow and will definitely need a filter.and more room.
Should you feed fish every day?
For the most part, feeding your fish once or twice a day is sufficient. Larger, more sedentary fish can go longer between meals than smaller, more active fish. Herbivores forage throughout the day, so they should be fed more frequently, however, only small quantities at a time.
Should I turn off filter when feeding fish?
If your filter is pushing water downwards then it can be a good idea to switch the filter off during feeding to prevent this — just be sure to switch it on again afterwards! It might also be worth considering feeding in smaller quantities so the fish can gobble up most of the food before it reaches the bottom.
How do I stop overfeeding my fish?
Begin by feeding the fish the amount you usually do, and see if they eat all the food within four or five minutes. Gradually reduce the amount of food you give the fish until they finish the feeding in the appropriate amount of time. If there is ever food left in the tank, remove uneaten food with a net or siphon.
How do I know if I am feeding my fish enough?
Fish will eat as much as they need, so dispense the food in a few servings. When they start spitting out the food, they’ve eaten enough. If there is food remaining in the tank and floating to the bottom, you’re giving your fish too much feed.
How do I know if my fish are happy?
Generally speaking, following are some of the ways you can tell if your fish are happy. They swim back and forth freely and energetically around the tank. Quite like humans, happy fish might have a vibrant glow to their skin. They do not appear fearful of the other fish in the tank. They are breathing normally.
Do fish know their owners?
Many Fish Don’t Recognize Their Owners That said, certain fish are undeniably more intelligent than others. Other fish, such as Tetras, Livebearers, Goldfish and Bettas, live simpler social lives. While they can probably recognize individuals, you are simply well outside of their social mental map.
Can you overfeed a catfish?
Caution: NO NOT OVERFEED. To much feed may cause a fish kill from decomposition of the uneaten food. The feeder can observe the fish for signs of disease and general well being.
What time of day should you feed fish?
Fish learn routines with food and building these routines is a sensible idea; if you usually feed them around 7am, 12pm and 6pm every day, you’ll soon find them waiting for you at those times.
Why are my fish swimming at top of tank?
The top of the aquarium contains the highest levels of dissolved oxygen as the air and water interact there. When your fish experience a lack of oxygen in the aquarium, it is natural for them to swim to the surface and will gasp for air (or gulping air).