Goldfish require a diet containing moderate protein levels and high fiber levels to thrive in their environment. Unfortunately, most tropical fish food contains very little of either component and tends to float at the water surface, forcing goldfish to inhale air with their mouths which can lead to swim bladder problems in larger fish species.
Gel foods sink to the bottom of an aquarium, eliminating this problem and offering superior ingredients like krill, whole menhaden and spirulina that cannot be found in most flake foods (which typically consist of ground up waste products from processing for human consumption).
Contents
Protein
Most tropical fish foods contain high concentrations of protein to stimulate growth and energy. This works well for most goldfish provided it’s supplemented by species-appropriate staple diet.
Live food such as brine shrimp, daphnia, tubifex worms and mosquito larvae are available at most pet stores as frozen packs. This provides your goldfish with healthy alternatives to flake or pellet feed and will increase its carotene levels for brilliant contrast colors.
Goldfish can consume many tropical fish flakes and pellets, however they must first be soaked for one or two minutes to allow nutrients to release into the water and prevent the food from clumping together and floating in an aquarium. Small quantities should be fed at regular intervals during the day in order to prevent overfeeding which produces ammonia which pollutes water at lethal levels.
Carbohydrates
Goldfish have sensitive digestive systems, so feeding them at least twice per day with balanced foods will ensure they can process smaller meals throughout their daily feedings.
An ideal tropical fish food contains both protein and carbohydrates in equal parts, like Xtreme Flakes or Hikari Algae Wafers, with high concentrations of Spirulina algae providing both protein and other essential nutrients for their wellbeing.
These foods are also low in fiber and starch content to facilitate easier digestion of their food and prevent build-up of waste in their bodies – which could potentially lead to health problems in the long run.
Fat
Goldfish should only be fed specially-designed foods; otherwise they could become malnourished and potentially die of starvation. By doing this, you’re also guaranteeing they receive all of their required vitamins and proteins from this diet.
As a rule, goldfish diets should contain high protein levels and limited fat consumption. Furthermore, variety is key when feeding goldfish so as to prevent nutritional deficiency issues.
Feeding your goldfish a mix of specialised goldfish flake food and freeze-dried daphnia will ensure they receive all of the essential nutrients. Also include scalded green peas in this diet as they contain high amounts of dietary fibre.
Vitamins
Goldfish may seem to enjoy snacking on tropical fish food, but its composition doesn’t meet their dietary needs. Goldfish require something with more protein-rich content and lower carbohydrate concentration compared to what tropical fish food provides.
Goldfish fish possess special teeth known as pharyngeal canines in the back of their mouths that allow them to break down and chew food more effectively. Furthermore, these fish canine teeth can act like excellent sifters; taking in large mouthfuls of gravel, plant bits, or food items then skillfully sorting and swallowing each one one at a time.
Whenever adding tropical fish flakes to the diet of goldfish, limit their consumption to two meals daily in order to ensure that they receive all of the required vitamins and nutrients to stay healthy.
Minerals
Goldfish are more grazers than most tropical fish and thus not well adapted to a diet consisting predominantly of floating food. While providing your goldfish with tropical fish foods may not harm its short-term health, providing it with more diverse nutrition is strongly encouraged for long-term wellbeing.
As well as offering them essential nutrients, goldfish should also receive vegetables such as zucchini, broccoli, beans and peas that have been boiled or steamed – this provides them with natural vitamins and minerals!
Pellet food is an ideal option for goldfish as it helps them avoid swallowing too much air, which could harm their delicate physostomous gills. Available both as sinking and floating varieties, pellet foods provide your goldfish with adequate nutrition.
