Fish & Aquatic feeding guides
How much should you feed?
The single most common way to harm aquarium fish is overfeeding — uneaten food rots and spikes ammonia, which is far more dangerous than a fish going hungry for a day. Fish should eat a tiny fraction of their body weight, and the aquarium as a whole, not the individual fish, is what you're really feeding.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I feed my fish?
Only what they finish in about two minutes, once or twice a day — usually a pinch. As a rule of thumb, most community fish eat around 1-1.5% of body weight daily; large slow fish like goldfish need less.
How often should I feed aquarium fish?
Once or twice a day for most species, with one fasting day per week. Fry and very active small fish need more frequent small feedings.
Is it better to underfeed or overfeed fish?
Underfeed. Fish tolerate a missed meal easily, but overfeeding rots in the tank and produces toxic ammonia that can wipe out the whole aquarium.
Why is my fish always begging for food?
Many fish beg reflexively whenever someone approaches the tank — it rarely means true hunger. Stick to measured feedings and the two-minute rule regardless of the begging.