Let's talk about overfeeding!

[lobsternoob]

I feel like a complete idiot, was going to feed my next to the computer tank, I feed em hikari something flake, brine, and blackworms in variation, anyway tonight was a flake night. I was distracted, and the easy to pour cap fell off the bottle of flakes. I didnt even notice it was loose, so basically being an idiot I dumped 6 to 8 $ worth of food into the tank at once, in a real small tank too. Lets just say the net and the siphon came out real fast to get the remainder and do a fast WC, but holey geez, all the fish in the tank look beyond pregnant now. They gorged themselves so much I dont even know how theyre still swimming. Luckily i got most of the scraps out and a WC and the extra filter i popped on should save me from a bad ammo spike. I felt so dumb tho, heh I guess we all make mistakes so oh well.

Just figured I'd share that since i needed to vent.

[Northernguy]

lol It can happen to anyone!(blush) lol
I di that with a some pellets one day.I think my O's thought it was Thanks Giving or something.
You did what you needed to do.Just keep watching for a spike.All that food that was eaten has to do something!:22:

[Lady Hobbs]

Oh gez. Talk about a water change! lolol

[Taurus]

That could happen to anybody! At least you knew what to do about it and acted quickly.

[dragoonwoman]

I have an automatic feeder on my tank, so the fish get a pre-set amount twice a day. It's easy, you can go away for a weekend without worry, and you tend to eliminate the "oops" factor.

Just a thought...

[lobsternoob]

thanks for the suggestion dragoonwoman, I might look into that for flake feeding, but think it could get a bit nasty trying to put brine shrimp or worms in an automatic feeder (they don't smell too hot when they go bad). Did another WC today, and didnt read any ammonia when I tested earlier so I'm ok for now, other than having to run to the store to get another can of food.

[dragoonwoman]

I hear you!! Live food definitely wouldn't work! :hmm3grin2orange:

I use a mix of flake and micro wafer foods in mine and it seems to work well. Main reason I have it is because I leave my house for work at 6AM, the tank lights don't come on until 7:30, and the auto feeder spins at 8:30. Gives the fishies a chance to wake up. It feeds again around 5.

I usually add any special food at night. If I don't get the chance, I know that my fish got something at least. Plus, I tend to travel during the year, and this way I can leave without worry.

[Mith]

LOL.....spit happens. Ya done good correcting the incident though. When I dechlorinate I never set the bottle on top of the tank because as soon as I do guess what will happen LOL

Glad the fishies are ok!

[lobsternoob]

hehe funny mith, cause I've done that too, set the dechlorinator on top of the tank and knocked the whole bottle in, that didnt worry me much though. Small top on the dechlor bottle, so not much poured out. Plus it wouldn't hurt really. I'm a friggin klutz tho, obviously.

[Tetris]

Put the food in the cap before putting it in the tank. That way you know how much you're going to feed them, and if the cap falls off and you spill it you misunderstood my advice.

[HorrorShowRot]

Put the food in the cap before putting it in the tank. That way you know how much you're going to feed them, and if the cap falls off and you spill it you misunderstood my advice.

What? :hmm3grin2orange: :14: :help: It happens to everyone I just use my fingers now. And keep the food away from the tank. But good on the fast act.

[Tetris]

Flake food usually comes with a cap that you screw off to open it, correct?

Take that cap off, put the food in it, then tap the food out over the tank.

Or just use your hand... Either way, don't hold more food above the tank than you intend to feed and this will never happen again.