Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm not sure if this is normal but my Silvers seem to go through a cycle of eating then not - they will eat well for a few days, then hardly touch food for another few days.

I'm not sure if this is because I'm giving them too much food when they are feeding. When they are feeding, I've been giving them 1 handful morning and night - works out to be about 40g - there are 15 fish between 20 and 30cm long so I worked this amount to be between 1-2% of body weight.

tested water today - 27 degs, 0 Amm, 0 nitrite, pH 6.6 (shell grit added) - fish did not eat any food last night or this morning (so scooped it all out again). I'm leaving them for 30mins before scooping out.

fish are not flashing, and are swimming about actively and have no noticeable spots etc.

Usually SP feed rates are related to temp. Seeing your FT temp is 27 deg this cant be the situation.

What size pellets are you using? 3mm would be good.

Mine have been hammering lettuce leaves lately.

Maybe try feeding smaller quantities

I have noticed the same thing. They feed very well for a few days
then go off the feed for a few days.
Sometimes i have noticed that it coincides with temperature changes but not always.
I too have thought it might be because of overfeeding when they are feeding well that causes them to go off their feed. Its just so hard to not feed the little buggers a few more small palm fulls when they are excitedly feeding, Specialy since changing from trout.
I have a few ponds with duck weed growing in them too so usually try to put a few handfulls of duck weed in the FT each day along with the pellets. If they are off the feed it builds up a bit so i stop feeding.
Once the duckweed dissapears (usualy overnight) i know its time to start feeding more again.
I find its a good way to have food available to them without having rotting pellets in the water.

Barometric pressure ?

Yeah mine are the same. I reckon with all the weather changes lately it's to do with barometric pressure. You can see this barometric pressure on the BOM ( Bureau of Meteorology) if you want. Mine went crazy this morning when feed them, first time I have seen them going hard at the feed. Usually they take over an hour to feed after I have added food.

Certainly baro pressure. Some other post here got me onto that and I have been paying attention since then. Strong correlation for me. SP started chewing this morning though and we dont hit the bottom of the low until lunchtime... they must be ahead of the game somehow, clever buggers. Maybe its entre.

The Barra dont semm to give a monkeys about anything but food food and more food

Thanks for the response - good to know I'm not alone! I like the duckweed system - where can I get some from?

I am using 6 and 8mm pellets! maybe that has not been helping!

I know from fishing a falling baro pressure is not good (though sometimes there's an intense feed just as it starts to drop).

My Barra are not feeding at all, though its only been 2 days since I go them so I think they need more time. They seem to turn on their side to look at me when I peer into the tank.

6 -8mm is way too big. My 40mm SP can only just squeeze down the 5mm. I break up my 5mm so the smaller ones get some too.

Baro doesnt seem to effect mine either

mine are 2 year old 200 to 300mm silver perch.

Maybe Barometric pressure doesn't work in Kal???

I just feed mine 3mm, seems to do the job.

Yea 3mm is the go. Im only using crushed 5mm cause Ive run out.

bugger - just bought 5kg of 8mm - hope the barra start feeding soon!

correction, I meant to say 400mm, 3 summers old.

Try feeding them a few sinking pellets. I find that Silvers will take off the surface when the waters warm but lose interest after a while, introduce some sinking pellets and they are right back into it again.

Recommended pellet size for Silvers is:
100 - 125mm= 2mm pellet, though I sometimes feed mine 3mm at this size without problems
125 - 175mm= 3mm pellet
175 - 275mm= 4mm pellet
> 275mm = 6mm pellet

any problem with just staying with 3mm all the way?
why the need for bigger pellets?