Measuring water chemistry prior to feeding will help the farmer gauge the likelihood that fish are stressed. Sick and stressed fish will not eat feed and should not be fed in order to avoid water quality issues and mortality. Visually inspecting fish for external signs of disease such as lesions, discolored skin, and erratic swimming behavior should be done to prevent feeding stressed fish. If the water quality falls within the optimal range and fish appear to be disease free, the farmer should begin feeding by hand a small portion (handful) of the feed that the fish have been rationed.