Feeding uncertainly.

[clichepithet]

I have 12 tetras (50/50 neon and glowlight) on Hikari Micro Pellets. I feed 3x a day, each time I measure by pressing my index finger down onto the pellets. I usually get a loose layer that covers roughly half of my finger-pad. My issue is that they are voracious. The come right to the top of the tank when I approach and absolutely swarm the surface of the water to get their kibble. My amano shrimps even come up. It's a circus.

Anyway, I'm worried they're not getting enough (not because of the shrimps). They stay at that top layer, all excited for a minute after it's all gone, like they want more. Do they? Can they have more? I tried a few times to give them more (slowly) but they just kept eating and eating, like there was a black hole in their stomachs. I know the rule is no more than they can eat in 2-3 minutes... they just eat so fast, I can't image how much it would take to get to that arbitrary 2 minute threshold.

They are always very active, not just at mealtimes. They mingle freely and frequently. Their colors are great and it doesn't take long for 'em to turn them back on in the mornings at light. So they certainly look healthy enough, or well fed. I do occasionally let them go a day without kibble, and did give them a pea last week. Which they also ate with gusto.

Should I try giving them more? Or since they look/act well, should I let it be as it is? I'm thinking the later, but figure a more experienced opinion can't hurt.

Also, a little veered, but I'd like to vary their diet a little more. Can I do that with just another brand of kibble, or should I incorporate the bloodworms and such?

TIA.

[Honey Badger 1]

What you are doing is fine. As long as they stay healthy and active they are getting enough food. Fish are always hungry, it's a good sign. Bloodworms should only be given sparingly you can also try some frozen brine shrimp.

[Cermet]

You can feed lightly a few times a day - that is similar to how fish eat in the wild.

Live brine shrimp are nice and also safe; I prefer frozen blood worms since some brands are sterilized (which can be safer but I'm being a bit cautious on my part.)

[Joonkun]

only feed what they can eat in like 30 seconds to a min. overfeeding isint great for your fish, so try to hold back tojust keep dumping food until they seem uniterested because they will eat themselves to death.

[imma24]

Yeah - if you're feeding that often, I wouldn't hold by the "give enough to eat in 3 min" rule - I would think that only applies if you're feeding once a day. I also read somewhere that rather than fish eating a few times a day in the wild, they really eat a lot less often than we feed them.

[clichepithet]

Thank you, mommy1 and Joonkun.

You can feed lightly a few times a day - that is similar to how fish eat in the wild.

Live brine shrimp are nice and also safe; I prefer frozen blood worms since some brands are sterilized (which can be safer but I'm being a bit cautious on my part.)

I've only seen those frozen worms in the little cubes, and one whole cube looks like it might be too much for my 12 little guys all at once. Are they difficult to portion if necessary?

Yeah - if you're feeding that often, I wouldn't hold by the "give enough to eat in 3 min" rule - I would think that only applies if you're feeding once a day. I also read somewhere that rather than fish eating a few times a day in the wild, they really eat a lot less often than we feed them.

Thank you, that's what I was thinking. It makes sense.

As an aside, they're currently attacking the broccoli that I put in there for the invertebrates...

[pjoo1120]

I suggest the frozen foods as well. I feed my barbs the Hikari daphnia, and they might be a good size for the tetras, as I feel they are a bit on the small side for the barbs. The frozen blocks are pretty small (prob 1cm x 1cm) and you can even cut them in half with a knife and use only a half at a time. I also use the tubifex worms but some of those are really long and get tangled with each other. It's funny watching a barb eat them like spaghetti, but not sure if you want that for the smaller tetras.