When caring for pet fish, diet is one of the most important aspects of fish health. But what do fish eat as pets?
Whether you’re a new fish pet parent or a fish lover, this guide will help you make informed choices for your underwater companions.
Key takeout
- A balanced diet with the right protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals is essential for your fish’s health.
- Overdose can lead to serious health issues such as obesity, swimming bladder disease, and poor water quality.
- Pelleted diets are more nutritionally stable than flakes, but options such as flakes, freeze-dried, frozen, and live food can complement your diet.
- Always choose the right food for your fish species, age and health needs.
What do fish need for food?
Fish need the following nutrients during your diet:
- protein
- fat
- carbohydrates
- Vitamins and minerals
protein
One of the most important ingredients in fish foods is protein. Protein is needed to help support fish.
Herbivores require a protein content of about 35-45% in their food, while carnivorous animals require about 40-55% of protein.
Fish food proteins must contain all the essential amino acids that fish need to survive. The best proteins in fish are animal proteins such as the fish diet. Soybeans are the best plant protein option, but it does not contain all the essential amino acids your fish needs to survive.
fat
Fat is also necessary for energy, hormone production and insulation. Fat should account for 15-25% of your fish’s diet.
Fish oil is the perfect source of fat for fish food.
Carbohydrates and Fiber
Carbohydrates are also needed for energy. Think about what all swimming fish do in one day! Carbohydrates usually need to account for 25-40% of the diet of drainage fish, and less than 20% for carnivorous animals.
Peas, beans, yeasts and nuts are great sources of carbohydrates.
Typically, the fiber content should be less than 5% in most fish diets. Fibers are important for intestinal health, motility, and inhibiting intestinal inflammation.
Vitamins and minerals
Pet fish, like people, require dietary vitamins, including fish vitamins A, C, D, E, and K. Malabsorption of vitamins in fish can lead to reduced immune function and skeletal deformation.
Vitamins may be listed individually in fish food packages or as “vitamin mix.” Minerals, on the other hand, are listed as “ashes” in their packaging. Ash is made from bones, scales and shells that are high in calcium and phosphorus.
Fish dish pellet
Food pellets for fish are solid, compact compressed foods that are usually cylindrical in shape. They come in a variety of different types, such as floating and sinking pellets.
Pellets can maintain a more stable vitamin for longer than fish flakes, reducing 90% of vitamins by 90% within 30 seconds. Therefore, if the fish’s mouth is large enough to fit the pellet, then nourish the pellet.
Micropellets are ideal for small and most tropical fish. Betta fish, goldfish and ko fish all eat pellets.
Nursing fish as much as possible within 2-5 minutes.
Fish dish flakes
The flake fish food is very thin, light and floats on the surface before sinking. It is fed by sprinkling it on top of a tank.
Fish food flakes are a good option to supplement tropical fish pellets. A small fish like Tetras, young goldfish, or guppies also eat flakes.
Fish can overeat and the flakes can change the water quality, allowing you to sprinkle well with flakes that the fish can consume within 2-5 minutes.
Live, freeze-dried, frozen fish food
Live, freeze-dried, frozen fish food should only be fed to supplement the pellet diet, not as a sole dietary option, unless directed by the veterinarian. These foods are not nutritionally perfect for fish. When supplied alone, it leads to defects in vitamins and minerals that can cause disease, reduce growth, and even death.
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Live Fish FoodPerfect for small fish, noisy people, and sick fish that sick fish don’t eat well, like bloodworms and brine shrimp. However, feeding healthy fish with live foods does not tend to eat balanced flakes and pellet meals and starts to fuss them. Ideally, use only live fish food as a last resort for uneating fish.
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Freeze-dried food It often contains dried krill or daphnia, making crispy fish snacks.
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This type of food is usually fed to small fish such as tetra or cichlids (see recommendations as the packaging of the product usually refers to the best fish).
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If the enclosure is at an appropriate temperature of at least 65 F, serve lyophilized or frozen treats once or twice a week.
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Frozen fish food It is rich in protein and can supply almost any fish (you can find specifications for packaging for carnivorous, herbivorous, and freshwater fish). Frozen fish food is usually stored in cubes, so cutting it first before feeding is helpful.
How to choose the best fish dishes
When looking for fish food, your vet can help you choose the best food, but generally it is important to feed them a meal based on:
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Types of fish: Carnivorous fish (meat eaters) need a different amount of protein than herbivores (plant eaters). Follow the protein percentage guidelines based on the type of fish you have.
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Fish age: Young fish usually require more protein during their growth.
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Symptoms: For example, if the fish are a little overweight, it can be helpful to supply a low-carb diet. If your fish needs medicinal feed, get a prescription from your fish veterinarian. Do your research and find it Best Fish and Veterinarians in your area.
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Seasons/Temperatureif the fish are outside the pond: If the water temperature is below 55F, do not supply the fish to the pond. This is because fish cannot metabolize at this temperature and break down food.
Fish foods should include vitamins A, C, D, E, and K in their ingredient list. Diets that have additional protein supplements like amino acids on their ingredient lists show poor protein sources and therefore poor quality foods.
How often do you need to feed fish?
Fish should be taken once or twice a day, depending on the species of fish.
The rule of thumb is to nourish food that the fish can eat within 2-5 minutes and remove any foods that are not readily available.
Maintaining a set feeding schedule helps fish circadian rhythms (wake/sleep cycles), minimizing stress and creating the time of binding that fish expect.
Improper feeding of fish is as follows:
Do fish have treats?
Yes, pet fish can treat from time to time. Feeding fish treats is a great way to add concentration to your tank, but they should not be the main source of food.
Suitable treats for fish include:
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Freezes dry bloodworms
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Brine shrimp
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Molted peas
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lettuce
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orange
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Watermelon
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squash
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Algae wafers
Feeding pet fish frequently asked questions
What do goldfish eat?
Goldfish are omnivorous animals, so they eat both plants and animals. Goldfish eat both sinking and floating pellets. Goldfish with buoyancy require a sinking pellet diet.
What does Koi Fish eat?
Koi fish are omnivorous and eat maintenance pellet meals with lower protein when pond temperatures are below 65 F. You can eat higher protein foods at temperatures above 65F.
Fish used for show/breeding often add carotenoids to their food to improve their bright colour.
What do betta fish eat?
Betta fish are omnivorous. They do great with a pelleted meal with a variety of treats, including frozen fish food, freeze-dried, fresh protein, vegetables and more.
