Last post for the day (I have to stop being so addicted to this place ) - do you usually turn off the filter during feeding? I am really tempted to do this while feeding sinking food, cos it's seems harder for the goldies to find the food if it doesn't stay in one place. What do you all think? (not sure if this has been asked elsewhere...quite hard to search the site for this specific matter).

I always drop the pellet food along the front of the tank. Or
drop it in the output of the filter and let it spread that way.
Another spot might be the front corners. These areas have
always worked for me. And I've never turned the filter
off during feeding.

I agree with pm94. I wouldn't turn my filters off for any reason.

When I used to feed flakes, I would first soak them for a couple of minutes in a small bowl of tank water--they sort of swirled around in the tank and the fish had no trouble getting them.

Now I feed Progold pellets and they sink fast--my telescope waits on the bottom (she can't see very well) and the fantail is up at the top--she is so fast that she can zip around and gobble them up as they are sinking.

They also might like a routine. If you turn on the light or tap on the top, they might all be at the top before you feed them. That might help. I've noticed my goldies didn't know I was feeding them when I first got them. Now they ALWAYS know!

I turn the flow on my filter down while I'm feeding and drop food in the part of the tank with the least current. I like to hand feed too.