How much
Give a pinch, watch for two minutes, and remove anything left. Use the food's label as the starting amount, then adjust to what your fish finish, their size and their condition; feeding needs vary with species, age, the tank and the water temperature. Bottom feeders get their own sinking food, which may take longer to find.
How often
- Most adult community fish: once or twice a day.
- Fry and juveniles: small meals three or more times a day while they grow.
- Bettas: once or twice a day, a few pellets sized for the fish; pellet sizes differ, so go by the food's label and what the betta finishes.
- Large predators such as oscars as adults: once a day or every other day.
Some keepers skip one day a week for adult fish. That is an optional habit, not a rule, and not for fry or young fish.
Healthy adult fish can go several days without food, so a weekend away needs no automatic feeder.
Signs of overfeeding
- Food left on the bottom or in plants.
- Cloudy water, rising ammonia or nitrate, or a snail boom.
- Bloated fish, or long strings of waste.
If you see these, feed less and test the water: see what your readings mean.