Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Food and Feeding => Topic started by: AircooledDude on January 04, 2016, 07:05:00 PM

Title: How much food for harlequin rasbos?
Post by: AircooledDude on January 04, 2016, 07:05:00 PM
Hi all,

Sorry, as I'm sure this will have been asked before. I have 6 harlequin rasbos which I bought for my 64L tank three weeks ago. The tank is a new setup and I cycled it and treated the water etc. I am using Aquarian tropical fish food (flakes) and was wondering how much I should give them. They are really greedy but I know that too much food can harm fish. I have been feeding them 1 flake a day between the 6 of them and breaking it up into small bits, but this is gone in a few seconds. Is this enough as I don't want to underfeed them!? A flake is approximately 8mm x 7mm give or take a millimetre or two. I am hoping to get 6 more harlequins and 12 neon tetras over the next month or two but am waiting for the water quality to be right. I am new to keeping fish so any advice would be gratefully appreciated as I want to make sure I look after them as best as possible. Thanks,

Matt.
Title: Re: How much food for harlequin rasbos?
Post by: Extreme_One on January 04, 2016, 07:12:12 PM
Hi.  :wave: Good question.


There a great article on this site which, I think, answers your question nicely.

http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/article/feeding-and-food-types-for-your-tropical-fish

Quote
In a new aquarium, the fish should only be fed once or twice a day and only as much as they will eat in a few minutes. If any food sinks to the bottom of the aquarium or is left on the surface after a few minutes then there is too much food going in the aquarium. Once an aquarium is matured, normally after a few months, the frequency of feeding can be increased. Although one or two feeds a day is sufficient, feeding little but often is preferable for many fish.
Title: Re: How much food for harlequin rasbos?
Post by: AircooledDude on January 04, 2016, 07:15:54 PM
Hi Simon and thank you for your help - I really appreciate it.
Title: Re: How much food for harlequin rasbos?
Post by: fcmf on January 04, 2016, 07:30:52 PM
When I bought my first shoal (6 x-ray tetras which are roughly the same size as harlequin rasboras), I was advised 3 flakes per day between the 6 of them to begin with. The fish flakes were often broken in the tub, so I tried to give what were the equivalent of 3 large/unbroken flakes. I would definitely increase to that for now, so that you're not risking underfeeding them which is also a problem albeit overfeeding is probably more common. After that, I increased this by adding micro pellets (approx 1-2 per fish) and then increasing the feeding to twice per day.
Title: Re: How much food for harlequin rasbos?
Post by: Extreme_One on January 04, 2016, 07:35:31 PM
You're welcome.

Your stocking plan sounds like it might overstock your tank depending on your filter type and the exact dimensions of your tank.

Have you used the Community Creator to check stockimg levels?

This is how, in case you haven't.

First find your first on the fish Profiles.

Harlequin Rasbora (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/harlequin-rasbora.html)

Then in the panel on the left, set your tank size and capacity and filter type.

Then click on "Add this fish to my tank" and then amend the quantity.

Then find your next species.

Neon Tetra (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/neon-tetra.html) and click on "Add this fish to my tank" and then amend the quantity.

You will then be able to see, in the panel on the left, how your chosen species and numbers will affect your stocking level.

There's another  article here which should help.

http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/article/stocking-levels-for-tropical--fish

Hope that's useful.
Title: Re: How much food for harlequin rasbos?
Post by: AircooledDude on January 04, 2016, 09:39:04 PM
Great info. Thanks. I upgraded the filter to a Fluval U2 following some research. My tank is 58.5 cm long and the minimum for rasbros is 60cm so not too much difference there. According to the community calculator (great suggestion thanks!) I can do 10 rasbros and 10 neon tetras and have 10cm left so will get one slightly larger fish eventually. I never realised keeping fish was so technical - great fun though! Thanks again all.
Title: Re: How much food for harlequin rasbos?
Post by: Alex_N on January 04, 2016, 09:58:35 PM
Have a look at getting a bottom feeder with that spare few centimetres.
My Kribensis tend to scavenge along the substrate rather than compete with my tetras.
Try and get something that is an omnivore that will take any flakes that make it to the bottom. I don't worry to much about the sinking bits that are missed as I know they will get any thing that has sunk.
Title: Re: How much food for harlequin rasbos?
Post by: Sue on January 05, 2016, 11:09:44 AM
Shrimps and snails will also eat left over food. Too much food is the cause of large numbers of pest snails. But  nerite snails will also eat left over food and not over populate the tank as they can't breed in freshwater. For shrimps, with the fish you have/want I would go with amano shrimps or glass/ghost shrimp (two names for one shrimp with the last one). They are bigger than cherry shrimps so are less likely to be eaten.