Can You Overfeed Pond Fish?
When it comes to any species of aquarium fish, knowing and how to feed your pond fish is essential to their health and well- being. That is why it is vital to know first the characteristics of fish you put on the pond because they have differences like the way you feed them.
Can you overfeed pond fish? You can’t overfeed a pond fish because when you do, they might die. Every fish pet owner should know that overfeeding is one of the main reasons for fish loss. Remember only to feed them with a proper amount of food to avoid overfeeding.
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In this article, you willl learn further why overfeeding pond fishes isn’t good at all. And for you to understand it further, I willl list problems that can be associated with overfeeding.
Overfeeding Is The Main Reason Of Fish Loss
One of the common feeding mistakes of every pet owner is overfeeding. You might not notice that you’re overfeeding your fish because it’s one of the most fun things you can do with your fish.
But remember that overfeeding can make your fish sick and that the excessive amounts of waste may result in a decline of the pond’s water quality.
Pond fishes who overeat can develop large bellies and will begin to look like tadpoles. Meaning, they will have a big body and the wispy tail.
It may not kill the fish, but it’ll impact their liver and other internal organs that can cause their death. Remember to feed the goldfish and koi fishes once or twice a day with a small amount only to eat them all.
You should also remember to feed the fishes near the same area of the pond at a consistent time for them to come to you when it’s already feeding time and to check too if they have any diseases.
Other Problems Associated With Overfeeding Fish
To know more why overfeeding isn’t suitable for pond fish, here are some problems that you might encounter:
1. Low oxygen levels – are when an organic material cush as the uneaten food and fish waste decays, it uses oxygen and produces carbon dioxide. Meaning there is less dissolved oxygen for pond fish to use.
2. High ammonia and nitrites – are formed when there are uneaten food and fish waste. That when broken down, it becomes nitrates and ammonia that is unfortunately extremely toxic to fishes.
3. Low pH levels – if the breakdown of organic material lowers the oxygen level, it reduces the pH water because of acid that’s being produced. Each fish species has an optimal pH range, and those fishes prefer an alkaline pH.
4. Fatty liver – or a hepatic lipidosis is a disease that can be seen in African cichlids and rainbowfish. It’s because of overeating.
5. Fin rot – is a condition wherein the fish’s fin can develop a moth- ate, shaggy appearances. It usually occurs when fish are stressed, which is caused by overeating.
6. Algae build-up – is one of the most common problems that is found in a pond or tanks that are caused by overfeeding. That when the fishes are overfed, there will be large quantities of dissolved organic material, phosphates in the water, and nitrates.
It results in the build-up of blue-green and red algae.
7. Improper digestion – in ponds, the type and amount of food might change when the weather becomes colder. Like when the temperature is below 60Fahrenheit, you should feed your koi wheat- germ based food.
And since bacterial processes will become slower, the amount of food to be fed should decrease. While when the temperature is below 50Fahrenheit, the bacteria that is in the fish’s digestive system can’t process the food anymore.
8. Planaria – or also known as the small white or tan worms is one sign that water’s quality is not optimal. Usually, this is found in tanks due to overfeeding. Though it’s not considered harmless, they are a danger to the fish eggs because it can eat them.
How To Avoid Overfeeding Pond Fish
Overfeeding is one common mistake that fish owners make. But you can avoid this if you follow and remember some of these tips:
Schedule Feeding
Most ponds will do well if fed if twice only. It’s better, and if possible, you should feed them with a smaller amount.
Feed Them With Proper Amount
Among the best ways to know how much food your fish is to observe them at periodic intervals while they’re feeding. Add small amounts of food at a time, for example, three flakes per fish.
If all the food has been eaten within several minutes, you can feed them a small amount more. The general rule of thumb is for them to eat within 4-5 minutes.
Meaning, anything that is eaten after 5 minutes is likely never to be eaten. That’s why whenever you feed your fish, it’s better to observe if all of them eat. If some of them won’t eat, it may be a sign of illness or due to aggressive or larger fish that prohibits others from eating.
Remove The Uneaten Food
If there is uneaten food left after feeding your pond fish, remove them as soon as possible with a fine or siphon net. Regardless of the filtration unit’s size, it is still not designed to correct all the problems associated with overfeeding.
Educate family members and fish-sitters- To avoid overfeeding pond fish, you’re not enough to know it. You need to educate your family members as much as possible.
Or you can do a simple log or calendar to mark off like when’s the last time you fed them. It is to avoid duplicate feedings.
Feed Them With Proper Food- feeding pond fish with improper, poor quality, or stale food may lead to fish’s malnutrition. It will also lead to more waste if they don’t eat it, that’s why choosing the right food to feed them is essential.
If you’re unsure of their feeding habits, you can search over the net.
Conclusion
Overall, pond fish like the aquarium fishes can’t be overfed because if they are, it can cause fatty liver. But you can avoid this bad habit if you follow some of those helpful tips we mentioned.
In this article, we also learn that aside from fatty liver, there are other problems associated with overfeeding. That’s why you need to remember that you should only feed pond fishes with a small amount of food at first to know how much they can eat.
