How to avoid overfeeding your fish

Overfeeding your fish can be a huge problem which most of us are not even aware of. Unlike most other pets we can easily touch, rub, walk and play with, the primary way we interact with our tank friends is by feeding them. And since companionship is a major purpose for having pets, we tend to want to interact with our fish often and hence feed them more than necessary.

Sadly, there is only so much our fish can eat, consequently, most of the uneaten food settles in the bottom of the tank. Uneaten food at the bottom of the tank decomposes and releases an abundance of organic and inorganic compounds, which disrupt the ecosystem in the aquarium.

Symptoms of an overfed fish tank can include:

• Cloudy water, usually caused by decaying organic matter. A common test to ascertain that cloudiness is due to overfeeding is to abstain from feeding the fish for 2-3 days. If the water clears up, feeding habits need to be revised.
  
• Excessive algae growth. Many algae especially the blue-green algae or red algae thrive when there is an abundance of dissolved organics, phosphates and nitrates (all by-products of the decomposition of uneaten food) in the water.
  
• Toxic aquarium water. The protein in uneaten food and fish waste is broken down into ammonia and nitrites, which are extremely toxic to fish.

How then do we avoid this problem of overfeeding?

• Recognize that unlike humans, fish do not need to eat three times a day. Fish have very tiny stomachs (sometimes the size of their eyes) and being cold-blooded, they have no need to keep their bodies warm. So, they need less energy and ultimately less food to survive than warm-blooded animals.
  
• Find out how much you should be feeding your fish. Feed your fish the usual amount you do and see if they eat the food within four to five minutes. If not, gradually reduce the feed portion until they finish feeding in the appropriate amount of time. Any food left over after five minutes will most likely never get eaten and will decompose at the bottom of the tank.
  
• Feed on a schedule. Once you know how much your fish should be fed, plan a feeding schedule and stick with it. Most tank inhabitants will do well if fed twice a day, some prefer once a day while for others several small feedings spaced throughout the day is the preferred choice. Whatever the case, set up a schedule and inform all family members about it.
  
• Don’t consider the tank size while feeding. A common misconception is to gauge our fish’s feeding needs by the size of their tanks instead of their stomachs. Always remember to feed the fish and not the tank. Feed based on How to avoid overfeeding your fish the established portions regardless of tank size.
  
• Consider including some scavengers in your tank. Scavengers like catfish and loaches can help get rid of some uneaten food that fall to the inaccessible bottom of the tank thereby preventing the problems associated with decomposed uneaten food