Proper feeding of tropical fish tanks is one of the key elements to their long-term wellbeing. A balanced diet provides disease resistance, vibrant colors and optimal growth.
In general, only put food into the water that the fish can consume within minutes or risk creating waste that could be harmful to its health. Uneaten food will produce waste which could harm its surroundings as well.
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Feeding Schedule
Establishing an appropriate feeding schedule for aquarium fish care is vital to their overall wellbeing, disease resistance and vibrant colors. Feeding correctly also plays an integral part in initiating spawning in many tropical fish species.
Adult tropical fish should be fed a small amount multiple times daily. It is recommended to feed only what your fish can consume within minutes without it sinking to the bottom of the tank and creating water quality issues. Any leftover food should be removed promptly using either a siphon or net before becoming waste in your tank.
There are a few exceptions, however. Herbivorous fish (vegan-friendly species) require more frequent feedings due to not having stomach capacity for large amounts of food like carnivorous varieties; multiple small feedings should be given throughout the day or live greens should be offered so they can snack throughout the day. Newly hatched fry also need additional feedings of foods specifically tailored for their size.
Frozen Foods
There are a variety of frozen foods designed to add variety and nutrition to the diet of your fish. They come in the form of flakes, pellets or wafers and can cater for herbivores, carnivores, omnivores or conditioning breeders.
Many popular frozen foods for aquarium fish include bloodworms, daphnia, black worms and tubifex. Once defrosted they can be placed directly into your aquarium for your aquatic friends to nibble upon – some varieties even provide complete and balanced diets for certain tropical breeds of tropical fish as part of a regular feeding regime.
Frozen brine shrimp (Artemia salina) can provide additional roughage in your diet by acting like fiber that aids digestion, helping prevent bloating and constipation. You can also purchase frozen cubes of bloodworms which float freely in an aquarium and make for easier handling than whole worms purchased at pet shops.
Dry Foods
Tropical fish diets typically include dry foods. These food sources contain various ingredients to provide your aquatic friend with essential nutrition while being easily digestible, meaning less food waste in your aquarium.
Flakes are the go-to food choice for most tropical fish species. Their small size makes them the perfect food source for smaller varieties such as Tetras and Barbs, providing protein rich food rich with carotenoids which promote vibrant colors in your aquatic friends.
Other forms of dry food for fish include pellets and sticks. Pellets can either float or sink depending on how the fish react; while sticks should only be offered to those that can swallow them whole.
If your fish is herbivorous, offering it blanched (lightly cooked) green leafy vegetables like spinach and zucchini or fruits such as watermelons and apples can provide essential vitamins and minerals that might otherwise not be provided by its regular diet.
Live Foods
Some fish species cannot thrive or reproduce without live food, while most adapt well to high quality prepared foods. Gut loading a food source before feeding can vastly enhance its nutritional content – particularly helpful when dealing with herbivorous species like aquarium fish.
Many tropical fish feed on small insects, worms, and algae in the wild; however, this food source can also be cultured at home and serves as an abundant food source for aquatic creatures.
Attractive food sources for larger fish species can include earthworms, brine shrimp and crickets (in certain cases). Hobbyists may recognize brine shrimp from children’s science kits as “Sea Monkeys,” however these creatures can also be bred for use as live food source.
Some herbivorous fish will also feed on fresh vegetables such as cucumber slices, lettuce leaves and shelled garden peas – just to name a few of their preferred meals.
