Angelfish are pretty easy to maintain, but you need to provide them with an adequate amount of food. Giving too much food or less food to your Angelfish can be risky and truly not recommended. Even if you follow a strict schedule and maintain a proper food diet, you might find your Angelfish hungry.
The main reason behind the hungry Angelfish is getting less food than expected. Angelfish might always feel hungry because they are habituated to the tank environment and face difficulties adapting. However, you need to remember that it is not always a bad sign.
In this article, you will get to know about numerous factors relating to the food habit of Angelfish. I will also mention various reasons for finding fish hungry all the time. Lastly, I will be sharing all the signs or symptoms that will make sure the fish in your aquarium are hungry.
Is It A Bad Sign To Find Angelfish Always Hungry?
Angelfish need to be fed an adequate amount of food per day. You cannot overfeed or underfeed them in no circumstances as both will harm the fish. However, if you find your Angelfish hungry all the time, it is actually a good sign.
It indicated they are in good health and loving their new home. Yes, there are situations when you might need to look into it and take necessary actions. For example, when someone is new to fish keeping, it is common to be unaware of the feeding schedule of Angelfish and provide less food to them.
However, I would suggest making a fixed feeding schedule for your Angelfish. Then the only important task will be strictly following that schedule; trust me, then everything will be fine.
Fixating to the schedule will ensure the proper amount of food, not more or less. It will keep the Angelfish healthy and fit.
How Do You Know When Angelfish Are Hungry?
There can be various reasons behind Angelfish being hungry. However, it will not possibly be a bad sign. However, the reasons might also be alarming and might require immediate action.
The Reasons Behind Finding Angelfish Hungry Include;
1. Not Getting Enough Appropriate Food
I have often noticed that hobbyists do not give adequate food at the proper time in the perfect quantity, which can make the Angelfish feel the scarcity of food. You will have to follow a strict diet chart at the right time.
As you know, overfeeding is harmful; underfeeding will not bring any good out of it as well. So always maintain the proper feeding chart and schedule.
2. Difficulty In Eating The Provided Food
When you change the place of Angelfish, that is, when you buy Angelfish from the market, then you might find it difficult to make them adapt to the new environment. This can also hamper their food pattern.
They, being instinctual, will find it harder to change the regular system and adapt to the new tank’s specifications.
3. Other Fish Dominating The Tank
Angelfish can be both peaceful and aggressive. It can be hard to get food when big fish are present in the tank and dominate other small fish like Angelfish. So, choose the tank mates wisely.
Starving Fish Symptoms
Starving fish will not be good for the tank. There are a bunch of symptoms that will indicate the fish are starving.
The Starving Fish Symptoms Include:
- The fish will look for food all over the tank, especially around the substrates.
- You will find them either losing weight.
- They will become a bit more aggressive than usual.
- They will stay at the top and wait for the food.
We have written an article discussing all the signs that show your fish are underfed and starving. You can check it out here.
Why Do My Fish Always Seem Hungry?
There are various reasons that can make your fish seem hungry all the time. Let me list down the reasons for that.
1. Do Not Get Adequate Amount of Food
Sometimes being an amateur, hobbyists can be unaware of the proper amount of food the fish might actually need, which is why it is seen that the fish might be digging around the substrates, have visible weight/ size change, or other signs of being hungry.
This might result in a poor dietary plan and make the fish weak, which might also lead them to die.
Recommended Article: How Do I Know If My Fish Needs More Food? (Explained)
2. Fish Are Instinctual, They Are Habituated To Hunt Food
Fish are instinctive for hunting food and eating them. They always find it hard in the wild to find food. So, it’s their natural instinct to search for food all the time.
Even when you provide enough food in the tank, they will keep looking for more food all the time. They will simply try to find food just like the wildlife.
Without the proper adaptation, they will not get habituated to eating the provided food; instead, they will look for live foods. It can get risky when you keep small fish with small ones. The big ones will always chase the small fish.
Recommended Article: Do Angelfish Eat Other Fish?
3. Sometimes They Just Want More
Sometimes your food pattern will have nothing to do with the always hungry fish. They sometimes simply want more. They will basically look for food every now and then.
As I said earlier, there is no need to worry. Just give them the amount of food they can finish in 30 – 40 seconds for 3 – 4 times a day, and they should be fine. Don’t overfeed them just because you think they want more.
It will ultimately cause more trouble than you think. I will explain this in the latter part of this article.
4. They Are Being Underfed
Sometimes hobbyists provide less food to their fish by not following a proper diet chart. Such habits can build a practice of eating less food each day, and you might end up underfeeding them.
After building such a habit, the fish might find it difficult to live with the appropriate amount of food and will seek food every now and then.
Will Angelfish Overeat?
Fish generally have the ability to stop eating when they are actually content with the consumed food. But when it comes to Angelfish, the scenario is quite different. You will find the Angelfish overeating and becoming overweight in no time.
Remember to provide the appropriate amount of food so that you can avoid overfeeding your beautiful Angelfish. Overfeeding leads to weight gain increases fat levels, and invites unwanted diseases. Sometimes it can cause death.
How Often Should You Feed Angelfish?
Young Angelfish will need to be fed three to four times a day, and each amount should be eaten within 30 – 40 seconds.
When they are fully grown, you might need to cut the food amount and shorten the feeding schedule so that they do not get overfed and avoid being overweight.
That is, the proper amount of food for Angelfish might vary as per their age. Whereas the young ones will need food three to four times a day, the old Angelfish will need food only twice a day.
In the case of the older ones, you can do nothing but completely stick to the schedule.
Related Article: Angelfish Eating Habits: 14 Things You Should Know
Related Questions:
Is It OK To Feed Angelfish Once A Day?
No, it is not recommended to feed your Angelfish once a day, not even for the older ones. the young Angelfish will need food three to four times a day, and the old Angelfish will need food two to three times a day.
What To Do If You Overfeed Your Fish?
If you have already overfed your fish, then the only thing you can do is stop providing food for a day or two. Make sure they are fully digested before intaking new food substances.
How To Save Overfed Fish?
The immediate action you can take is to stop feeding your fish for one day or two. It will help them digest the eaten food, fasten their metabolism, and will increase their appetite.
What To Do When I Accidentally Pour Too Much Fish Food?
When you accidentally pour too much food, you can use a strainer or fishnet to filter out the excess food. You can also reduce the signs of rooting food.
Using a gravel cleaner (Amazon Link) or bottom scavengers to get rid of the moldy food will be a good idea. You can also change the water of the tank as this will help you to take off all the excess food.
Can Fish Overeat And Die?
Overfeeding can not directly kill your fish but will give rise to various health issues like increased fat level, making fish gain weight, and many more.
Overfeeding will decorate the fish’s health and reduce the overall well-being of the tank.
