I have two fish. They used to be in the same tank, but are temporarily separated right now. I want to put them back together because I'm taking up my QT tank with the other fish. The problem is that Elroy has a severe SBD problem. Through much frustration and experimentation with different types and quanities of food, we've finally found something that doesn't leave him hanging out at the top of the tank all day after he eats. (Maybe only part of the day...but that's a different topic). When the two fish were originally together I would feed them and Elroy, being the bigger and faster of the two, would rush in and gobble up most, if not all of the food, before the other one had a chance. The other fish,Leroy, who is in the QT tank was pretty small when they were originally together but has had a growth spurt the last month since they've been separated. Probably because he finally has had a chance to eat!

So my question is, how do I successfully feed both fish? Elroy eats only a certain type of food in a fairly small quantitiy once a day. Maybe twice if he's not too floaty later on. But Leroy is a growing boy and eats a lot of food twice a day. How can I not overfeed Elroy and still not starve Leroy?

I am open to all suggestions even if it causes some work on my part. I really want them to be together again. But I may have to just buy a new tank and always keep the SBD fish by himself.

You could separate them at feeding times by putting in a temporary tank divider (just a thin sheet of perspex is fine) or by using a breeding basket just at mealtimes. This might actually work well for Elroy if he is floaty and has a bit of trouble getting to his food, because it keeps him in with it and it's much easier for him to find. While he's eating his dinner in the basket, feed Leroy his dinner in the main tank. Then let Elroy out afterwards. Leroy only needs to be fed once a day, but if you like, both of them could also be fed a very light breakfast of spirulina flakes each day. Many SBD's fish respond well to spirulina and it's also very good for goldies generally.

Any suggestions how to feed a young fish in a tank with its greedy parents?
Do I have to separate them at feeding time? I don't think it'll help to feed them in different corners, cause the big ones sees everything that resembles food...
The young fish hasn't moved in yet, I have to solve the feeding problem first.

Yea, the spiruline flakes is what i'm feeding the floaty fish. He likes them and still tends to get floaty afterward, but not as bad as other foods.

The sheet of perspex seems a little easier to me than using the basket. Where can I find it? At a hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot?

I've used a plastic mesh found in the craft section of Walmart. I
believe it's used for needlepoint?

Thanks for your responses!

I actually was in my lps yesterday and they had tank dividers. It looks almost like the plastic mesh in your pic pm94. Only it has brackets included that just hang over the sides of the tank so I can slide it in and out easily. I'm glad I found it, cause I was in home improvement stores and craft stores yesterday looking for something. Had some ideas, but then when I saw that it was a done deal. It seemed like the simplest thing to get.

It's still going to get old having to take that thing in and out every day at feeding time cause I have to take the whole hood off to do it But it's worth it for my little fishies to be their healthiest.

Thanks guys!