# How many Feeders to feed



## remy5405 (Feb 8, 2008)

Ok so today i dumped 20 feeder goldfish into the rb tank. i have 2 rb's about 6" in size. i also have 4 guppies in the tank. so in total there was 25 fish swimming around the tank when i left for work (one rb nailed a goldy the second it touched the water).
anyway when i got home today there is now a total of 7 fish including the rb's. there are still the 4 guppies in there cause i dont think the rb's like the taste.
my question is how many of you feed your fish like that and how many feeders per RB get eatin?
Also how many feeders should i feed them? i have been feeding them feeders and beef since there where about 3", and flake and bloodworms from there where tiny. now they wont eat anything but feeders, wont touch the beef or even bacon.
they are about 9 months old now too. these are not my first fish only my first rb's
BTY if i try to stare them into eating something eles they eat the other rb. i had 4 but down to 2


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## dalyhawk (Apr 30, 2007)

Well you're gonna get basically the same answer from a lot of people.. Feeders aren't good for your piranhas. They stunt your fish's growth and you run the risk of buying a feeder that has a disease, which would then infect your piranha. Only feed beef every once in awhile as a treat for them, it's high in fat. I've never even heard of anyone feeding bacon, so stay away fom that, it's probably LOADED with fat.

If they will only eat feeders, then do this:

Don't feed your fish for a few days. IMO, 3 days is too long, but mine have gone 4 on accident. They can go awhile without food in the wild, so you'll be fine. However, if you let them go for 3 days, i'd watch their behavior towards each other and aggression. You dont want a dead piranha just because you went an extra day. IMO, don't feed them for 2 days.

Go out to your grocery store, your local fish store, a wal mart, etc. and buy any of these: 
Shrimp, mussels, squid, tilapia, (or a non-oily white fish... ex. cod or catfish) earth worms (from wal mart), cichlid pellets from your fish store, frozen krill from your fish store, beefheart as a treat every once in awhile

With the food i just mentioned, you're gonna be making your fish happier, they're going to be healthier, look better, show more color, and you get A LOT more food for your buck if you go the frozen route. Another problem with feeders are that they're expensive for how little you get for your money, AND in my opinion going to the pet store every other day down the street gets old real quick.

I have four 6-6.5" reds and i usually end up feeding them about 4 or so whole thawed out shrimp that you would just stick right back in the freezer. So just to give you an estimate on how much you should feed. The shrimp are the cheap kroger brand, so they dont cost a lot of money and you can get 50-60 shrimp in 1 bag. It's easier to judge how much to feed if you feed this way also. If you drop 1 shrimp in at a time, then whatever they don't eat, just scoop it out 10-30 minutes later. That way you dont have to worry about how many feeder fish to buy each time and it saves you the hassle!

Hope this helps


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## fishguy1313 (Feb 19, 2007)

^ This sums it up! Don't feed feeders. They are bad for your RBs and second of all they are expensive. What you spent on 20 goldies, you could have bought enough frozen fish/shrimp for a couple of weeks.


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## remy5405 (Feb 8, 2008)

ok thanks guys. i dotn spend alot on feeders cause i get them 200 at a time so i turns out to be 5c each. but ill try the shrimp idea.
how should i get them off the feeders with out them eating each other. its only been 2 hr since i took the last remaining feeder out and they are already niping eachother. not sure ifs a water rights fight or they are hungy already.
so il just let them eat up the last 30 or so feeders. should only take maybe 2 days tops and start with the shrimp. then ill have a few feeders left for my snake. he likes 2 or 3 feeders once a week (1'6" anaconda).


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## -NBKK- (Jun 22, 2007)

remy5405 said:


> ok thanks guys. i dotn spend alot on feeders cause i get them 200 at a time so i turns out to be 5c each. but ill try the shrimp idea.
> how should i get them off the feeders with out them eating each other. its only been 2 hr since i took the last remaining feeder out and they are already niping eachother. not sure ifs a water rights fight or they are hungy already.
> so il just let them eat up the last 30 or so feeders. should only take maybe 2 days tops and start with the shrimp. then ill have a few feeders left for my snake. he likes 2 or 3 feeders once a week (1'6" anaconda).


How big is the tank you are keeping them in ??


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## remy5405 (Feb 8, 2008)

-NBKK- said:


> ok thanks guys. i dotn spend alot on feeders cause i get them 200 at a time so i turns out to be 5c each. but ill try the shrimp idea.
> how should i get them off the feeders with out them eating each other. its only been 2 hr since i took the last remaining feeder out and they are already niping eachother. not sure ifs a water rights fight or they are hungy already.
> so il just let them eat up the last 30 or so feeders. should only take maybe 2 days tops and start with the shrimp. then ill have a few feeders left for my snake. he likes 2 or 3 feeders once a week (1'6" anaconda).


How big is the tank you are keeping them in ??
[/quote]
83 gal


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## remy5405 (Feb 8, 2008)

-NBKK- said:


> ok thanks guys. i dotn spend alot on feeders cause i get them 200 at a time so i turns out to be 5c each. but ill try the shrimp idea.
> how should i get them off the feeders with out them eating each other. its only been 2 hr since i took the last remaining feeder out and they are already niping eachother. not sure ifs a water rights fight or they are hungy already.
> so il just let them eat up the last 30 or so feeders. should only take maybe 2 days tops and start with the shrimp. then ill have a few feeders left for my snake. he likes 2 or 3 feeders once a week (1'6" anaconda).


How big is the tank you are keeping them in ??
[/quote]
83 gal


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## -NBKK- (Jun 22, 2007)

hm, thats a odd number for a tank size, well not odd but i never heard of it. just asked because its weird they nip at eachother even when there is food around still. I guess you have aggressive fish.

You have any pics of your Anaconda ???


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## nygiants10 (Jan 26, 2008)

Why do people say feeders are xpensive. There 9 cents a piece at my LFS.


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## Uncle Jesse (Feb 18, 2007)

nygiants10 said:


> Why do people say feeders are xpensive. There 9 cents a piece at my LFS.


i get them 30 for a buck
but it still works out cheper for me to feed frozen
i feed shrip,catfish,earth worms,salmon and squid


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## remy5405 (Feb 8, 2008)

-NBKK- said:


> You have any pics of your Anaconda ???


the date in the picture is not right. i took pic a few min ago. cant figure out how to set it.
hes a yellow anaconda. i recived this snake as a gift from my wife for new years.
hes closer to 2 feet i think. idk he wont hold still
also my fish seem to be little girls. they arent very aggressive imo, cause they wait forever tell a feeder swims by then maybe theyll swim over and have a bite as long at the feeder dont leave.


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

If they're 9 cents a piece at your LFS, count yourself lucky, but don't deride others for saying that they're expensive. I've bought them for about 25 cents around my hometown. That is getting a little bit expensive, but I couldn't really find them cheaper at the time.* That having been said, any amount for a potentially disease-laden, vitamin-killing packet of fat might not be worth paying (McDonald's double cheeseburgers aside), so I'd find it too expensive, especially if I lost a prized specimen over feeding it a thiamine-laced piece of cheap.

*And no, I didn't feed them to anything...needed goldfish for a garden pond.


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## -NBKK- (Jun 22, 2007)

remy5405 said:


> You have any pics of your Anaconda ???


the date in the picture is not right. i took pic a few min ago. cant figure out how to set it.
hes a yellow anaconda. i recived this snake as a gift from my wife for new years.
hes closer to 2 feet i think. idk he wont hold still
also my fish seem to be little girls. they arent very aggressive imo, cause they wait forever tell a feeder swims by then maybe theyll swim over and have a bite as long at the feeder dont leave.
[/quote]

Haha thats awesome!

how big is that going to grow ??

Feeders at my lfs are also 25 cents. I find it much more simple and cheaper to go out and buy the food in bulk, cut it up in portions and then freeze it. When its time to feed i take one out thaw it and then feed. No worries, no driving back and forth to the store and i know they are getting top nutrition.


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## PygoLover (Mar 22, 2007)

dalyhawk said:


> Well you're gonna get basically the same answer from a lot of people.. Feeders aren't good for your piranhas. They stunt your fish's growth and you run the risk of buying a feeder that has a disease, which would then infect your piranha. Only feed beef every once in awhile as a treat for them, it's high in fat. I've never even heard of anyone feeding bacon, so stay away fom that, it's probably LOADED with fat.
> 
> If they will only eat feeders, then do this:
> 
> ...


 i totally agree....
Tommaso


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## remy5405 (Feb 8, 2008)

-NBKK- said:


> Haha thats awesome!
> 
> how big is that going to grow ??


Hoping to get at least 10, 12 feet tells hes to heavy and to much to handle. hes seems stronger then my boa was at that size, but that was years ago now. Gave up the boa when he got to 13feet.

Plus i would hate for it to eat my dog or 3 year old (who i guess would be a 8 year old then).


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## Uncle Jesse (Feb 18, 2007)

remy5405 said:


> Haha thats awesome!
> 
> how big is that going to grow ??


Hoping to get at least 10, 12 feet tells hes to heavy and to much to handle. hes seems stronger then my boa was at that size, but that was years ago now. Gave up the boa when he got to 13feet.

Plus i would hate for it to eat my dog or 3 year old (who i guess would be a 8 year old then).
[/quote]

ummmmmmmm
yeah i guess that wouldnt be good :rock:


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## -NBKK- (Jun 22, 2007)

remy5405 said:


> Haha thats awesome!
> 
> how big is that going to grow ??


Hoping to get at least 10, 12 feet tells hes to heavy and to much to handle. hes seems stronger then my boa was at that size, but that was years ago now. Gave up the boa when he got to 13feet.

Plus i would hate for it to eat my dog or 3 year old (who i guess would be a 8 year old then).
[/quote]

Haha Its funny that you have to do that but if your kid would be in any danger i would give it away as soon as it got to half that size.
I cant imagine having a 13 foot monster in my house. Feeding time must have been crazy


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## MiGsTeR (Jan 19, 2008)

Am actually thinking of getting some feeders sometime this week...







I miss the action!


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## rolly_169 (Jul 23, 2007)

i have mollies that breed in a 10g and i feed them to my fish every once in a while cause i know they're clean.


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

I had platys that were breeding in my tank but my father in law caught the breeding pair and fed them to my P. 
Since then the little ones have grown and I bought 5 new females but i have NO babies! The ones that he fed the P breed like crazy dropping 20 + at a time!


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## badkarma2010 (Dec 24, 2007)

i agree that feeders are not good for the piranhas in general mainly because of the disease factor. so, if you have no choice or just don't want to stop feeding them goldfish i would recommend dosing the feeders with some quick cure for a few hours or a day, if possible. may not kill all diseases but it will help to reduce them.


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## ductTAPE (Jan 21, 2008)

the reason for the piranhas not eating the guppies might be becuz the guppies are too fast for your piranhas.. not just cuz they don't like the taste..


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## kfreeman (Feb 14, 2008)

remy5405 said:


> Ok so today i dumped 20 feeder goldfish into the rb tank. i have 2 rb's about 6" in size. i also have 4 guppies in the tank. so in total there was 25 fish swimming around the tank when i left for work (one rb nailed a goldy the second it touched the water).
> anyway when i got home today there is now a total of 7 fish including the rb's. there are still the 4 guppies in there cause i dont think the rb's like the taste.
> my question is how many of you feed your fish like that and how many feeders per RB get eatin?
> Also how many feeders should i feed them? i have been feeding them feeders and beef since there where about 3", and flake and bloodworms from there where tiny. now they wont eat anything but feeders, wont touch the beef or even bacon.
> ...


Everyone has their own thoughts on this subject so I'll throw mine out there for ya........First off I have fed my reds, oscars nothing but goldfish, minnows, bluegill, and mice for a while. I do feed them shrimp on occasion. I have two proven breeding pairs in the tank together. I don't keep a feeding schedule what so ever. They went as long as a month without eating in order to bring them into spawn. When I feed them 50-80 goldfish after a food lay off and do a 25%30% water change it brings them right in to spawn.
Be careful about treating live feeders with medicines because I have seen where they don't take so well with certain chemicals in alot of the medicine.
My point is they are your fish and noone knows them better than you. If you want to see them chase and kill then so be it. Experiment with them and they may teach you a thing or two. Eventually they will eat everythig you put in the tank(just don't leave uneaten portions/dead in the tank)


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