it is possible to kill fish by overfeeding?

[beaslbob]

Recently I stated the most fish are die from overfeeding not starvation. One responder thought this was nonsense. So I though I would start this poll for everyone to share their experiences.
edit: note this is for the tank operator overfeeding not the fish overeating. Some of the responses here indicated there was confusion on that point. Basically in a given situation, would the fish that died be alive instead if the tank operator had put less food in the tank.

 

[reefnut]

Yea I said it was nonsense. Now if your not maintaining your tank and allow the overfeed to cause high nitrates... like 160ppm that can kill the fish but I can't see how overfeeding can. Laziness will... are atleast shorten their life to about two years... Right Bob?

 

[marvida]

Kind of a trick question. I voted no because I don't think the fish will die of overeating but it may die of pollution caused by the act of overfeeding.
Ken

 

[reefnut]

Most fish are lost from overfeeding not starvation.
This is the statement I call BS on... Nothing in this statement says "it is possible" as the poll says????

 

[daniel411]

I believe its possible, but rare. Some fish will eat until their bellies will bulge and sink to the bottom of an aquarium, or so I've been told before. However I believe what Reefnut is saying, water quality would deteriate before a fish would die. I've also only heard that with regards to a few aggressive species that don't actually need to exert much energy to catch food in an aquarium vs. the wild. Also most fish would IMO regurgitate before it became a real problem.

 

[bdhough]

I say yes but its not very common. Pollution from overfeeding is VERY possible. I've done it myself in the beginning.... But if you have a well established tank the odds are slim because the amount of filtration and cleanup crew you have can take care of it. And as reefnut said laziness will kill a tank too which i also agree with.

 

[reefnut]

Yea I guess it is possible... But for the most part I don't see it happening unless your careless.
Bob gives his fish a live expectancy of two years and then comes on here tell people "fish can go with out food for 2- weeks" and it gets me going. As well as a lot of other advise he likes to give... when his own tank is a mess.

 

[buzz]

Bob, I didn't see your post that mentioned this, however, if I had, I would have tried to beat ReefNut to the punch in his reply.
I believe it is possible to perhaps rupture a fishes stomach from overeating, because I do not believe they have the ability to feel "full." They eat what is in front of them, and have nothing to tell them that it is time to stop. But it would take a LOT of food to do this, and you can probably count the number of times this has actually happened on your available fingers and toes.
Starvation occurs where proper diets are not maintained, fish are not able to be weaned from live foods, stress, etc. I have seen countless fish in LFS' thin as a rail from not eating, some lying dead on the tank bottoms, and have seen and heard of many fish not taking to frozen foods dying from lack of eating. I have NEVER seen or heard of a fish eating itself to death.
Make sure that when you say things like this, you specify this is your opinion. I would like to see where you can factually back your statements such as this.

 

[broomer5]

anything's possible, but may not be probable
Given the chance - I don't know how likely it would be for a fish to eat itself to death.
I think the key here is to not give it a chance in the first place.

 

[beaslbob]

Gee didn't mean for this to be a trick question. I though it was common knowledge that new tank operators are very prone to placing too much food in the tanks. As are temporary helpers watching over a friend's tank while the friend is on vacation. And as a result many fish die. It was not (limited to ) whether or not the fish themselves will actually eat themselves to death. I edited the question in an attempt clarify this.

 

[sinner's girl]

I'd say yes. Overfeeding could cause the levels to change, I would think, if the tank's filtration can't handle the extra food that's not being eaten. Esp if there is no clean-up to eat the extra food, or if the tank is new.
this would also assume that water changes were not being done or the levels were allow to get high.
but if one overfeeds but has a good clean-up crew and filtration, then I don't think there would as much of a problem.
just my opinion

 

[broomer5]

ok then yes I do believe that overfeeding can lead to fish death.
If the tankwater goes south - things may die.

 

[buzz]

Never thought it was a trick question. Your statement seemed pretty clear to me. But now that you have changed/clarified it, THAT happening is definitely possible.

 

[steelchromis]

As I learned from one of my elementary school teachers, "Anything is possible at anytime."

 

[sammystingray]

I voted yes, and common..........I believe it is very very common for new folks to overfeed their tanks. A fish can easily go two weeks without you feeding them....often they just find something in the tank to eat if the tank is established. I went for about a year without ever adding food, and not a single fish died......I recommend feeding every other day. I haven't fed my tank in about a week right now. A lot of folks make it hard on themselves by feeding three times a day, but if it works.....more power to you. Everyone has their own plans. I don't believe a fish will "eat himself to death".....any angelfish in the ocean could find a huge sponge and kill himself??