Fish farmers sometimes in the process of trying to minimize cost of production starve their fishes thinking it’s a better way to reduce the cost of purchasing large quanities of fish feed without knowing that they are indirectly affecting their fishes and losing more money in the process.
Then as a consultant, you start hearing questions like this from some of your clients: Please, For how long can my fishes be starved before they start showing negative reactions? … Smiles!
Well, Starving fish for a day is enough to make them start showing negative reactions. Since catfish for example do feed on one another, starving them will make them exhibit cannibalism more readily.
Also, they lose weight very rapidly if starved. So, starving should be avoided at all cost. Get their feed always ready and serve them at the appropriate time.
How To Tell If Your Fishes are Hungry
Here are some common signs;
- Your fish is digging around the substrate (searching for food).
- Waiting and the top of the aquarium (for feeding time).
- Behaviour changes (aggression).
- Noticeable weight/size changes.
- Slow or sluggish behaviour.
Signs of Underfed / Hungry Fishes
1) If you feed your fish once per day regularly, or even 2 or 3 times per day, if you miss the regular schedule, you can be sure that they are hungry. No, in the wild fish do not usually eat every single day. They eat when they catch food. However, at home, your fish get used to a certain feeding schedule, so missing it will definitely mean the fish are hungry.
2) If your fish are swimming in areas they don’t usually visit, they may be looking for food. If your fish are digging around in the substrate, clearly searching for something, chances are that they are hungry. Fish that go to scavenge, but don’t usually scavenge, or go inspect the top of the aquarium, something they wouldn’t usually do, are both indications of hunger.
3) If your fish is smaller, particular in weight and overall dimensions than that specific type of fish should be, it could be a sign of underfeeding. However, it could also mean that your fish is just small for its type.
4) If your fish is extremely aggressive and very quick to gobble down food once you feed it, you can be sure that it is very hungry. Yes, fish do feed quickly, but if you notice that your fish is or making an extra effort to eat as much as possible in record time, chances are that it has been hungry for a while.
5) If the fish is sluggish or slow, it might be a sign that you have not been feeding it enough for quite a while.
6) Some fish might harass or attack other fish if they are hungry, but this is hard to judge as there can be many reasons for aggression.
