Most catfish are omnivorous and can be fed commercial fish foods to meet all their dietary requirements, with some formulas including vegetables such as spirulina or carrots in their formulations.
Corydoras catfish are grazing omnivores and will consume anything that fits in their mouths, including frozen bloodworms or Hikari Vibra Bites (tiny food sticks that look like blackworms). They will also consume sinking community foods like Aqueon Bottom Feeder tablets.
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Corydoras
Corys are popular aquarium fish among aquarists of all experience levels due to their striking appearance and easy care requirements. Like all catfish species, corys are bottom feeders that feed off leftover food in order to maintain a cleaner tank environment – this makes them perfect for tanks with live plants or fish species that require active eating habits such as corydoras.
These fish are known for shoaling together, and should always be kept in groups to reduce stress from sudden changes in water conditions. When stressed, their darting to the surface for air could be an indicator of your aquarium being in distress.
Sinking pellets and algae wafers that mimic Cory’s wild diet are ideal fish food options for Corys. Avoid fillers in their food as these may increase waste production in your tank and introduce additional toxins; for the best results, look for high-quality foods with “guaranteed analysis”, so you know exactly what ingredients it contains.
Brochis
Brochis may sound more like garden tools than aquarium fish, but they’re well worth keeping when kept correctly. While more expensive than their Corydora counterparts, Brochis tend to live longer lives and can even breed.
They require more care and maintenance than most species, needing a diet of live food such as insects or crustaceans in their wild environments; in aquarium environments they should receive both commercially prepared and live food to thrive; it would also be wise to keep them alone or in small groups rather than believing the myth that these fish thrive well when placed into “riverbank” biotopes alongside larger cichlid species.
Food that provides both protein and fiber is ideal, such as whole raw or blanched vegetables (such as zucchini and kale), black soldier fly larvae, spirulina (which has been shown to improve fish color), black soldier fly larvae, or lightly cooked veggies that help break down cell walls to release vital nutrients into their systems.
Aspidoras
South American plated catfish of the Genus Aspidoras make great aquarium fish that do well in different water conditions, but for optimal performance a good feeding program must be implemented to keep these beauties looking their best.
Aspidoras are omnivorous species that feed on both live and dry food sources. As foragers, these fish can do much of the cleaning in your aquarium if your substrate is not too coarse. Aspidoras will thrive with an assortment of high quality, quick-sinking dry foods alongside small live or frozen chironomid larvae such as bloodworm and Tubifex to provide them with sustenance and diversity of diet.
These fish are social and should be housed in groups of six or more. They feed on most types of tankmates that do not prey upon shrimp fry, although some species can become aggressive towards smaller and younger tankmates. While they can sometimes be selective about what food they will eat, given stable waters with enough food supplies.
Plecs
Plecs (Loricaridae/ Pterygoplichthys) aquarium catfish species are extremely popular due to their ability to eat algae, making them ideal for keeping an aquarium free of excess food and keeping water clear and healthy. Furthermore, Plecs make an effective alternative to algae wafers as they are more likely to consume organic materials rather than passing by without impactful action taken against it.
However, they require a much more varied diet in order to meet their nutritional requirements. Because they’re opportunistic eaters who require both bulk plant matter and protein sources – the best way to provide this would be adding vegetables such as zucchini or cucumber (lightly boil for 5-30 seconds to wilt them) into meals as well as prepared food products like flakes, discs or sticks.
Plecs are nocturnal fish and will spend most of their time hidden within driftwood, rocks or decorations in an aquarium with plenty of hiding spaces.
