Overflow and feeding tray

[Valleyman]

Introduced my first fishes into my 3wks old tank to test the water- 5 damsels (3 yellow tail (correct name?) and 2 zebra (is that the name ? it is white with black strips). Happy to see them swimming around and feeling very at home.

I have this overflow at the side and have brought a squarish feeding tray with tiny holes at the bottom. Problem is, the dry food is bigger than the holes. How do you guys with overflow feed yr fishes. Thinking of grinding the food into smaller pieces, but will it work ?

[KingFish]

I'm having the same problem myself.

I usually dip the food under water before letting them get caught in the current from my return pump to push them towards my clowns.

May not be a good idea to grind them too small as it'll affect water quality.

[NormanH]

Hi valleyman,

I m using Kent dry food, they sink!

[Fishfreak]

I used one of those clear disposable plastic bowl, slice of most of it and attach it to the glass. Food that floats will be contained inside and won't slip into the overflow. Its great seeing all your fish gather together during meal times!!!

[Valleyman]

Fishfreak's DIY method is good. Very workable for floating food.

Have brought a bottle of 'sinking' dry food for $7 (label has discus picture). Problem is that some will sink to the bottom and will not eaten, thus will affect water quality. So, what is the general preference ? floating or sinking food ?

[Fishfreak]

Floating or sinking? I think the best guide is to see what type of fish you have. Some just won't go to the top and are happy at the substrate. Why not get a couple of hermits to take care of the food below?

[Valleyman]

If generally just damsel ? Was told that some hermit can eat up clam. Which are the 'good' hermits ?

[triggerpuff]

from my recent experience of keeping a hermit, it actually clipped of a part of my 6-bar's fins!! so i had it banished into the sump. wonder if anyone had a similar encounter?

[Tanzy]

I've got about a dozen hermits all over my tank and at least one in the overflow, they don't do much damage except knock frags that are not glued down over. They clear the rocks of detritus and food that might contribute to algae growing on the LR but won't touch the sand.

[Fishfreak]

I've only two hermits. Their only crime is they killed my snails. So my advice is if you keep hermits (mine are blue-legged hermits), avoid snails.

[Tanzy]

Aggression towards snails can be reduced to zero if you provide them with sufficient shells to grow into.

[kais]

Hi Tanzy,

Based on your experience, does Hermit able to clear the detritus around the sand.

[Dinosaur]

Hi Tanzy,

Based on your experience, does Hermit able to clear the detritus around the sand.

I don't have a good impression of hermit crab. once I saw him attacking my cat eye. I remove it into the sump tank.

[Tanzy]

They won't clear detritus or stir the sand. The only time they ever get on the sand is when there is fresh food on it and are going after the food.

My hermits have never attacked my corals before or deplete my coralline algae. They do attack snails as mentioned.

[kais]

Tanzy,

What do you introduced in your reef tank for the "clean-up" purposes (eg. Shrimp, blenny ?)

[Tanzy]

Other than the already mentioned hermits, I've got a mixture of snails (some bought some hitchhiker) and a black urchin (hitchhiker) to mop up algae. Worms and pods came from LR. Nothing much really.