Feeding frequency

ApacheDan · Post by **ApacheDan** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 3:46 pm

Ok guys, I know this goes back to Zebra 101, but I did a search and can't find enough info about the subject. I'ts been one week that I have a group of 17 zebras, ranging in size between 1.2 to 1.5". One was death this morning, it appeared undernourished. I've been feeding them a variety of foods, just before lights go out. There's a dim moonlight left shining from a nearby tank.

Question is: is once a day enough?? There's plenty leftover in the morning, which I immediately vacuum. Should I feed them more?

By the way has anybody tried New Life Spectrum Discus Formula? These are tiny 1mm sinking pellets high in protein, krill, herring, algea meal, the Z's seem to love it & it is the first thing they go for...
Dan

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:06 pm

If there is food left over then you are feeding enough... if it was all gone then I might of considered otherwise...

We feed one a day (at night) with tetra prima 75% of the time...

Post by **John** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:18 pm

smithrc wrote:We feed one a day (at night)

Same here

Post by **TwoTankAmin** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:51 pm

I have always fed all the zeb tanks once a day- including fry. I use the NLS Discus- but for discus. For zeb fry I like frozen cyclop-eeze and I also use a fry food from kensfish [KENS PREMIUM GROWTH MEAL: (#00 SIZE)]. This is in addition to kens earthworm sticks and flakes, Hikari sinking wafers and of course they get the weekly feeding of spirulina w/ garlic flake (also from kens). When I feed the cycops I also mix in a cube or two of bbs as well of daphnia.

Your one death may have been the result of a netting injury. Them little beggars are really a PITA to get out of tanks. Unfortunately I have managed to do in 3 of mine from this very cause.

Zebrapl3co · Post by **Zebrapl3co** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:46 pm

But have you guys notice that all the pellet food doesn't seem to provide the proper nutrition for the zeb? For example, with frozen blood worm. I get close to 18 - 24 eggs per batch. But for the past year, I've switch to pellet food,, but have found that the zeb seems to be missing something. Eggs production have drop to 12 - 14 per batch. They also don't seem to breed as often as well. I never did bother with any expereiments, it's just my observation. Once, I get my fish room setup, I'll probably go back to feeding more blood worms and Brime shrimps. Just wonder if any of you guys have notice this?

ApacheDan · Post by **ApacheDan** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:29 am

TwoTankAmin wrote:I
Your one death may have been the result of a netting injury. Them little beggars are really a PITA to get out of tanks. Unfortunately I have managed to do in 3 of mine from this very cause.

Hey TTA, you might be right. I saved the body on an alcohol vial & examined it with magnifying glasses. It appears to have a serious injury in the right hand side, between the pectoral and dorsal fins, either a fight or an accident. This guy was barely 1.2", and I have 2"+ zebra with them. I wonder if they are fighting at this size. The seller also sent me an L270 about 1.5". Nice guy, but I wonder if it picks up a fight too. I will separete them just in case. Anyways, I must have no less than 8-10 different food just for zebras, everything I read here. Try Kensfish Golden Pearls...they love it, only drawback is that they must be soaked first otherwise they tend to hang in mid-water.

Post by **Barbie** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:23 am

I prefer the NLS grow formula, personally. I have itty tiny zebra fry kicking it under pieces of slate with full sized adults, no problem. I doubt the 2" fry are hurting the smaller ones, unless they're lacking enough hiding spots or enough food.

Because I leave my fry with my adults, I no longer feed frozen bloodworms at all to my zebras. Instead I use frozen cyclopeeze or daphnia when I want to supplement. I DO usually have some live blackworms cruising around in there, but I've never been sure they actually eat them. I feed the NLS, flake, sinking carnivore pellets, dainichi reef, and a few other prepared foods at lights out, one time a day, with good results.

Barbie