When I purchased a home a few years ago, I had no idea what kind of workload I would be faced with. In addition to trying to figure out how to keep the place clean, I was also left with the challenge of tidying up the yard and keeping things trimmed. It was a little overwhelming, but I knew that I could do it with a little hard work and dedication. I started reading a lot of books and blogs about creating gorgeous things for your home and yard, and it was a great creative outlet. This blog is all about exciting, fun ways to make your home and yard even more beautiful.
You may believe that your fish will be thrilled when you give them more food. But too much food can actually be harmful to fish and pollute your fish tank. Too much food can lead to fish stress and can cause an excess accumulation of nutrients.
Fish Don't Need That Much Food
Fish search for food all day and always appear hungry. However, your fish should only be fed what they can eat for 2 minutes. This should be divided into two feedings a day. When fish are fed too much, they will produce excessive amounts of waste, which will make the aquarium less safe. Fish can go several days without food with no harmful effects.
The Problem With Too Much Food
Food that isn't eaten by fish sits at the bottom of the tank and contributes to nitrates. The excess food can also overload the biological filter. Often, people offer food to their fish and simply assume that they don't see the food when not eating it. However, it may be that the fish is not hungry or is sick.
Why Your Fish Isn't Eating
Pay attention to the behavior of your fish. If your fish exhibits abnormal behavior or looks abnormal, this can be a sign that your fish is ill. You may need to make changes to the aquarium to make your fish better.
Minimizing Nitrates
Nitrates that exceed 100 ppm can begin to increase stress for fish and make them more susceptible to disease. Young fish are the most affected by nitrates as they can stunt growth. Nitrates lead to lower oxygen levels, which are harmful to fish. Nitrates also cause algae to grow.
There are always some nitrates in an aquarium. However, the desired nitrate rate is less than 5 ppm. You should especially keep nitrates at this level when breeding fish. Fortunately, there are many tricks for reducing your nitrate levels:
However, even if you use these methods, your tank will contain too many nitrates if you overfeed your fish.
Your Biological Filter
Each aquarium requires a biological filter to keep the tank healthy. The filters aerate the water to allow fish to breathe. However, excess food can interfere with the biological filter's ability to keep water clean, adding another reason to not overfeed your fish. Contact a company, like Neptune's Tropical Fish, for more help.
Share