I searched and couldn't see anything on this, could be me!

How much should I be feeding my fish?

I have two fantails, one is 4 inches (but..LARGE) and the other is about 3 inches (but tiny)and 2 orandas and 2 ranchus (all about 1.5 inches) and I'm wondering how much they need to eat.

They get some flakes (either spirulina or regular fish flakes) in the morning, and a sachet of bloodworm or brine shrimp gel in the evening.

I'm concerned that they're either getting too much... or not enough.

Is there a way of working out weights / volumes of food per fish per inch?

I'm a nuisance at this stage with all my questions!

Nah, you're not a nuisance

Flake is fine as a staple but I wouldn't feed it every day, sinking pellets are a better option for fancy goldfish. Bloodworm is quite messy and high in protein so I'd maybe do that once a week. I would also give them some fresh fruit or veg twice a week.

Amount-wise, you can give them what they will eat in 2 mins and scoop out the rest. I would have one or two days where you only feed them once a day. If you post a pic then we'll be able to tell you whether your fish are a bit on the porky side or not

ETA- goldfish are ALWAYS hungry so ignore their oscar-winning performances when you walk within 6 feet of the tank, they are probably not hungry at all

The good thing about sinking pellets apart from being less likely to cause buoyancy problems is that they allow goldfish to engage in fossicking about in the substrate looking for any bits they missed

Of the two fantails, Ronnie was always the 'bigger fish', he spends all of his day turning over every stone just in case some food might be there, whereas Reggie is a weedy little thing, just swims about in the tank and might nose over a stone once or twice.

So the trouble with the sinking pellets is Ronnie was getting them all, and once they hit the stones, Reggie stopped looking for them, he likes his food in the water, and if he does get a pellet, he sits eating it slowly before going for another... by which time Ronnie has eaten the lot.

I usually have to feed them carefully, squeezing out tiny bits from the brine shrimp gel to make sure Reggie gets some at all.

They get broccoli and / or peas or cucumber once a week as well.

Okay, got the OH to take some proper pics of the fish this morning!








Ronnie and Reggie




Reggie




Ronnie


Bonus pic of Reggie surprised at getting his photoshoot on a Sunday morning: