How often do you feed your shrimp colonies?

[punchbuggy]

I'm starting to get a fairly big colony 50 or so. Just wondering how often everyone feeds? I've been alternating half an algae pellet or a zuchinni slice every other day and they look like their starved. Are they really starving, since the tank has algae and i can see them all grazing when there is no external food. Do I give too little/much food?

[rescuepenguin]

In my humble opinion probably not enough. That is like expecting you to eat an airline sized green salad and only that every day. I feed mine approx 70-90 population at least 1 cube of blood worms on day 1 often but not always spirolina brine shrimp on day 2 and a healthy amount of hikari shrimp food on day 3. I sometimes skip the day 2 food if I feed them too many blood worms. Sometimes they get a coupke of sinking waffers. There is still lots of duck weed, java moss, and moss balls for them to dine on too. Most still prefer to gather at the feeding spot just prior to feeding time, then feast on what I put into the tank. I do have a smaller population of approx 35-40 shrimp with a similar feeding pattern.

The most obvious sign that you are feeding them too much is the appearance of planera and copepods. If you see these creatures slowly reduce the amount you feed them.

Steve

[punchbuggy]

i'll keep that in mind! i guess its feeding time! i just thought i was overfeeding because i don't even feed my tank of fishies a cube of bloodworms!!!!!

[plantedinvertz]

Colony of 50, feed 1 algae pellet a day and the next day feed about 35 pellets of shrimp cuisine

[VinnyD]

yah i alternate the different types of food..and about the quantity, usually if they finish within like an hour or two..it's pretty good...and yah..shrimps do not starve that easily...and it depends on your shrimps(type)...if you have smaller shrimps...they usually are able to share a algae disc or two, but if you have amanos...thats a diff deal...they seem to be ALWAYS hungry..and they tend to steal the food and hide to eat..or even fight each other

[rescuepenguin]

I am going to remind you that both colonies are in tanks that are 40 gal +. The larger colony is in a 40 Gal breeder, I feed in the same spot every feeding and do regular vacuums, before feeding. Most of my water changes are in the form of vacuums. A 4-5 gal vacuum every few days = a 50% weekly water change. The other part to this is that I keep multiple sponge filters in the tank too, the shrimplets love them.

Steve

[thefishwife]

I am different then Steve and the others, my shrimps are in 10gal and I feed twice a week, once is a shrimp pellet the other is an algae waffer or something along that line. My shrimp do not looked starved as steve said there is alot for them to munch on in tanks especially a sponge filter!

[AvianAquatics]

I do 1 feeding per day and change food everday so they get varity. Then don't feed for 1 day and let them clean out their systems.

[punchbuggy]

i just tried starting to feed everyday. However, I don't know if it was because i fed at a different time (morning instead of night), but my shrimpies didn't look that overly enthusiastic about the algae disc i gave them. After I come home from work it was only about 40% consumed. Usually its gone by the time i go to sleep if i feed them at night. I'm going to starve them a day and see if they get their appetite back.

[Tn23]

I usually feed mine about 2-3x a day and they love it!