Feeding frustration

[travelgirl]

We are just at the beginning of cycling our new 26 gallon tank. We put four fish in there to start off with on Sunday. We have a zebra danio, a leopard danio, a neon glowfish (which I understand is also in the danio family), and a swordtail.

The aquarium place where we got everything advised us to feed once a day, 3-4 flakes.

Is this enough? Everything I'm reading elsewhere is saying to feed as much as they will eat in about a minute, 2-3 times a day, and when we did that, it's more like 8 flakes, but we're only feeding once a day since that's what they told us to do.

Is that just while the tank is cycling, or do we need to be feeding more?

We do not have a test kit for our water yet, I wasn't aware at the time that we'd need one since they do free testing there, but we can only get there on the weekends. I will be picking up a test kit today when i get off work.

Any suggestions for a reliable test kit?

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

[Cliff]

You can't go wrong with a Hagen or API master test kits (PH, Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia). I've used both and like them.

Don't worry about counting flakes when feeding your fish. I feed my guys twice a day, but just want they can eat in a minute or two. Just make sure there is no un eaten food in the tank.

Sounds like you know about cycling a tank. The below link can offer you some more information on cycling with fish in case you have some questions.


http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=36492

[travelgirl]

Thanks! I did read that article, and it seems like the people at the aquarium store we're dealing with are pretty much in line with that info, but some of the info they've given us is different from what I've found here, such as feeding amount and schedule, and they told us that we would not need to do a water change for 4-6 weeks.

I just want to make sure that we are doing what we can to prevent as many fish from dying as possible. I'd like for NO fish to die during our attempt to cycle our tank, so I'm glad I found this forum to get some opinions from people who have experience!

[chris2kmac]

Make sure you do a 20% water change every 3days or so during cycling.

[Aeonflame]

Those fish are pretty hardy and you shouldn't have a problem. Glowfish are actually the descendants of genetically modified zebra danios.

[ohmikeosh]

He is probably recommending to feed less now so there is less chance of uneaten food to sink to the bottom which would raise your ammonia even more which is not good while you are cycling with fish. That's my guess. Feeding minimally is probably a good idea when cycling with fish.

[travelgirl]

He is probably recommending to feed less now so there is less chance of uneaten food to sink to the bottom which would raise your ammonia even more which is not good while you are cycling with fish. That's my guess. Feeding minimally is probably a good idea when cycling with fish.

That's what I was wondering. I just don't want to starve them! :D

[chris2kmac]

Fish can live for weeks without food, so don't worry. Also buy a gravel vaccum.

[travelgirl]

Fish can live for weeks without food, so don't worry. Also buy a gravel vaccum.

I did not know that!

And we have a gravel vacuum! :D

[ohmikeosh]

I would do what he said just a little bit each day.