Newbie question on fish feeding

I have recently decided to take the plunge and switch from freshwater to
sal****er. I started with lots of research online and have started
with a FO tank (specs below):

40 gal breeder tank
Penguin Biowheel 300
Powerhead w/venturi aerator
CoralLife Aqualight double deluxe
(96 watt actinic and 96 watt 10000K compact flourescent)
2 in deep sand bed
~40 lbs live rock

3 blue-green chromis
2 false percula clowns
2 three stripe damsels
(All fish are small, under 1.5 inches)
10 red legged hermits
6 snails (margaritas?)
1 green
A few rhizomes of shoal grass (a Florida reef flat grass)
a lot of gracillaria (it has grown a lot since I purchased it)
10 ghost shrimp (doing well, half are egg bearing at any given time)

I know, I know; there's no skimmer or sump, but I test once a week and
all levels of nitrates, nitrite, ammonia, and pH are at or near 0. I
presume I'll need to add at least a skimmer if I add corals but would
like to run a naturally filtering

My question is actually regards feeding. I have been feeding the fish
twice daily what they can eat within 3 minutes so as not to overfeed
(i.e., boost nitrates). The fish are extremely "well trained" and come
to the surface any time I walk by or sit by the tank to watch them. I
have been feeding them tropical marine flakes (TetraMarine Marine
Flakes) and hatch live brine shrimp about every two weeks. My feeling
is that this isn't enough variety so I have tried tiny pieces of shrimp
and squid (leftovers from my cooking endeavors).

Here are my questions:
1) Am I feeding them often enough? They always seem hungry.
2) The fish don't seem to like shrimp or squid. They bite at it but
spit 90% of it out, especially the larger (3mm) bits. What can I use
for added variety? The ghost shrimp love it.
3) The clowns and chromis are active top water feeders, little gets past
them down to the damsels defending their favorite nook and cranny. Any
suggestions?

Any other helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. I want to add
corals and plan to purchase from GARF, unless anyone in upstate NY has
any that need dividing. I would also like to add a bottom dwelling fish
as a sand sifter and to fill out this part of the water column.

Thanks in advance
Tom Rhindress



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Tom Rhindress wrote in message ...
I have recently decided to take the plunge and switch from freshwater to
sal****er. I started with lots of research online and have started
with a FO tank (specs below):

40 gal breeder tank
Penguin Biowheel 300
Powerhead w/venturi aerator
CoralLife Aqualight double deluxe
(96 watt actinic and 96 watt 10000K compact flourescent)
2 in deep sand bed
~40 lbs live rock

3 blue-green chromis
2 false percula clowns
2 three stripe damsels
(All fish are small, under 1.5 inches)
10 red legged hermits
6 snails (margaritas?)
1 green
A few rhizomes of shoal grass (a Florida reef flat grass)
a lot of gracillaria (it has grown a lot since I purchased it)
10 ghost shrimp (doing well, half are egg bearing at any given time)

I know, I know; there's no skimmer or sump, but I test once a week and
all levels of nitrates, nitrite, ammonia, and pH are at or near 0. I
presume I'll need to add at least a skimmer if I add corals but would
like to run a naturally filtering

My question is actually regards feeding. I have been feeding the fish
twice daily what they can eat within 3 minutes so as not to overfeed
(i.e., boost nitrates). The fish are extremely "well trained" and come
to the surface any time I walk by or sit by the tank to watch them. I
have been feeding them tropical marine flakes (TetraMarine Marine
Flakes) and hatch live brine shrimp about every two weeks. My feeling
is that this isn't enough variety so I have tried tiny pieces of shrimp
and squid (leftovers from my cooking endeavors).

Here are my questions:
1) Am I feeding them often enough? They always seem hungry.
2) The fish don't seem to like shrimp or squid. They bite at it but
spit 90% of it out, especially the larger (3mm) bits. What can I use
for added variety? The ghost shrimp love it.
3) The clowns and chromis are active top water feeders, little gets past
them down to the damsels defending their favorite nook and cranny. Any
suggestions?

Any other helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. I want to add
corals and plan to purchase from GARF, unless anyone in upstate NY has
any that need dividing. I would also like to add a bottom dwelling fish
as a sand sifter and to fill out this part of the water column.

Thanks in advance
Tom Rhindress



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Hi There...

I feed the same flakes you are using as well. What I do is, instead of
dropping flakes in on the surface of the water, I submerge the flakes
and the powerheads take it all over the place as well as the bottom
(unless you do this already). The fish on the bottom get thier share
as well as the fish on top. I just make sure that I dont put too much
in. Usually the flakes are gone in a matter of seconds. As far as
feeding them, I only feed once a day, and they are ok with it. I have
seen other post here where they feed thier fish 3-4x a week. It all
depends I guess. As variety goes (since I have tangs), I use Formula
One Spirulina, Brine Shrimp and Prime Reef. All are frozen food. I put
seaweed on a clip and the tangs, clowns, and chromis chow down on that
throughout the day.

I feed my fish twice per day. I would recommend twice a day particularly for
the chromis which are plankivores and active.
All of your fish will take three times a day but in your case that isn't
necessary. I have
a Maroon clown, black and gold damsel, golden rabbitfish, lawnmower blenny,
harlequin seabass, and two convict blennys.
The convict blennies make excellent bottom dwellers but they do get large
(about 9 to 10 inches). They do alot of digging. Variety would include Marine
Supreme, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen clam, dried seaweed.

James