Number of Feedings per Day
How often you need to feed your fish depends on the
kind of fish you have. In general, most fish do quite well on one feeding per day. However, some owners prefer to feed their fish twice a day. Young, growing fish might need to eat three or more times per day. Regardless of the quantity of feedings, the key is to keep each feeding very small.
Most fish will do well with two meals a day. The timing is not critical, with the exception of nocturnal feeders. If you have nocturnal fish in your tank, such as certain catfish, be sure to feed them just before turning the lights out at night. They will hunt for the food in the dark, using their keen sense of smell to find it.
There are some exceptions to the once-per-day feeding rule.
Herbivores (vegetarian fish) like Silver Dollars, Mollies, and Farowellas need to eat frequently because they have smaller stomachs that cannot hold a lot of food. In nature, they would graze all day on plants. They should be given several small feedings a day or be provided with
live plants they can nibble on. Goldfish do not have a stomach at all, so shouldn't be fed a large meal all at one time. They naturally nibble on algae and other food items throughout the day, so it is better to feed them several small meals during the day rather than giving them a big meal only once a day.
Newly hatched fry and young fish who are not fully grown require more frequent feedings of special foods designed for fry.