Timing in-between Fry Feedings

[Marc]

I currently feed twice a day but wanted to increase the frequency to increase growth. Does anyone have experience with how frequently they can be fed, I was thinking 4 hours. I'm not sure how long it take for them to digest their food.

[KBOzzie59]

Kind of depends on the fish I guess. I fed my pepper corys 6 times a day, hand fed frozen BBS before I left for work, 3 auto feeds while at work of 50% spirulina 50% krill, frozen BBS and spirulina when I got home, and CooP fry food an hour before lights out.  They are bottom feeder so pretty easy to feed.  Bare bottom tank, all food was gone next morning.

[CalmedByFish]

I do 3 times per day for livebearer fry. It's easier with a bare bottom tank, just so you can see whether you're putting in too much. 

I'm pretty sure that in a video of @Zenzo's that I watched the other day, he said he does 3 times per day for his youngest fry. Can't swear to it.

Similar question: Anybody know how long livebearer fry can go between feedings and survive? At some point soon, I'll be moving cross-country with gravid females. 

[lefty o]

3 or 4 light feedings a day for fry if you want to put on size. food runs through them fairly quickly.

[Struggle]

I’ll feed 3 or 4 times a day as well sometimes more if I have the day off from work.

[Tihshho]

I'm not sure there is a one size fits all approach to this as not all fry have the same feeding requirements, plus depending on their age and type of food this process will vary. Great example, Rainbow fry should be fed as often as possible for the first few weeks until they are able to take baby brine, and even then fed as often as possible. For live bearers, you could get away with 3-4 times a day. Pleco babies, 2-3 times a day, and even then depends on the type of pleco, etc.

[ARMYVET]

On 9/19/2021 at 8:29 PM, CalmedByFish said:

Anybody know how long livebearer fry can go between feedings and survive? At some point soon, I'll be moving cross-country with gravid females. 

I have swords and guppies and Cory fry currently and they all get fed 2 times a day …once at 6 am before I goto work and the second  between 6-8 pm when I get home from work.  I work 6 days a week so that schedule is the best I can do.  So far I have not lost fry due to  feeding.  
I will also say I have an obscene amount of guppy grass in every tank so they are probably feeding on the micro stuff when I can’t be there.

I would say the key to success is having a well balanced aquarium with plants.  

[Torrey]

I feed newly hatched fry every 2 to 3 hours once they are free swimming, for the first week. 

Each week or two, I stretch the feedings out a little further. 

This only works to increase growth if water changes keep the nitrate levels below 40 ppm.

If unable to stay on top of water changes, don't feed as often. (I feed until the little tummies start to round).

 

@CalmedByFish if you have plants that have been in an established aquarium,  and a piece of cholla with algae growth, my live bearer fry have survived 48 hours without a feeding. The fry are excellent foragers.

The bigger issue is not having the adults predate upon the fry.

[lefty o]

On 9/19/2021 at 8:30 PM, ARMYVET said:

I have swords and guppies and Cory fry currently and they all get fed 2 times a day …once at 6 am before I goto work and the second  between 6-8 pm when I get home from work.  I work 6 days a week so that schedule is the best I can do.  So far I have not lost fry due to  feeding.  
I will also say I have an obscene amount of guppy grass in every tank so they are probably feeding on the micro stuff when I can’t be there.

I would say the key to success is having a well balanced aquarium with plants.  

and the thing is, livebearer fry will do absolutely fine fed twice a day. might not put on size quite as quick, but they will thrive just the same.

[ARMYVET]

On 9/19/2021 at 10:11 PM, lefty o said:

and the thing is, livebearer fry will do absolutely fine fed twice a day. might not put on size quite as quick, but they will thrive just the same.

I really do believe the tank full and I do mean full of guppy grass does help with feeding just like in the wild. 

[Lowells Fish Lab]

On 9/19/2021 at 5:10 PM, Marc said:

I currently feed twice a day but wanted to increase the frequency to increase growth. Does anyone have experience with how frequently they can be fed, I was thinking 4 hours. I'm not sure how long it take for them to digest their food.

Whenever possible I like to house the fry in a way that allows me to see them clearly from the side. By watching their stomachs swell after eating and then flatten after a while, you can quickly gauge how soon after feeding they will be ready for more.

[lefty o]

On 9/19/2021 at 9:17 PM, ARMYVET said:

I really do believe the tank full and I do mean full of guppy grass does help with feeding just like in the wild. 

it sure does, lots of micro organisms for them to pick off.

[Guppysnail]

I watch tummies like @Lowells Fish Lab How seasoned the tank is matters. I had a newly free swimming CPD fry I put in a 10g well established/seasoned (recently rearranged for Pygmy Cory) tank.  I didn’t see him 2-3 weeks so thought Pygmy ate him or he didn’t make transfer so didn’t feed at all. Being too small for wafers and bbs I fed Pygmy.  2-3 weeks later after a bbs feeding there he was with a pink tummy 😁 so if it’s seasoned fish are good foragers and don’t need fed as often. 

[Zenzo]

On 9/19/2021 at 5:10 PM, Marc said:

I currently feed twice a day but wanted to increase the frequency to increase growth. Does anyone have experience with how frequently they can be fed, I was thinking 4 hours. I'm not sure how long it take for them to digest their food.

As others have shared, it can depend on the fish and other factors, but as @CalmedByFishmentioned, I do recommend three times for fry. @Dean’s Fishroom is also really good at making sure that his fry eat multiple times per day.

The advice (and rhyme) that I give is "Once, twice, & thrice". Once for adults, twice for juveniles, and three times for fry (if the purpose is growing them out".