Tips for equal feeding in sorority?

[Maura]

At work I keep the sorority in a 29gal planted tank. It seems like the "witches" of the bunch (little piggies) are getting all of the food, with the girls who are at the bottom of the pecking order getting next to nothing.

Does anyone have suggestions to help everyone get the same amount of food and no one over- or undereats?

[LittleBettaFish]

All my fish know that when I tap on the glass to come up for food. In my sorority I simply make a line of pellets so everyone can get a chance to get some without being pushed out the way or chased off.

Seems to work as everyone always has big fat stomachs after feedings. I do also tend to overfeed my sorority so that way the more timid females can search for food at the bottom of the tank.

[reggie oaks]

Try including some [small quantity] sinking pellets along with each meal at some distance from the princial food pieces This may get some of the fish to concentrate at different zones, reducing rivalry. On the other hand, this is just how nature works. This is plain and simple natural selection. Strong individuals adapt, survive, mature and pass their strong genes. Weak ones become extinct so that weak genes dilute and strong genes concentrate, making the species stronger.
Good luck and hope the trick of the sinking pellets work for you and your girls.

[MSG]

There's no way to do that unless you hand feed a pellet to each female.

I would mix and match sinking with floating pellets.

As long as the chickens on the bottom get 1-2 pellets @ feeding time it's good enough.

I've known some betta owners who fed their fish a couple pellets every 2 days & their fish lived for about 4 years.

[Enkil]

Originally Posted by MSG

There's no way to do that unless you hand feed a pellet to each female.

I would mix and match sinking with floating pellets.

As long as the chickens on the bottom get 1-2 pellets @ feeding time it's good enough.

I've known some betta owners who fed their fish a couple pellets every 2 days & their fish lived for about 4 years.

I totally disagree...

It is possible. I have done it. I use NLS pellets. They float and sink. I would do them in a line. I would then drop a few by my more docile females who were usually more towards the back of my tank.

The girls at the bottom are not "chickens". They may be smaller, weaker, or just not have the personality to compete with some of the other females.

[Silverfang]

I have to train my girls. I tap a tiny scoop on the lid of the tank. They come running! Of course they are so bad now they see the lid open and they start to swim and beg like dogs.