Besides plants, fish need fresh food for healthy growth. Luckily, live foods are a great source of nutrition. They are rich in essential nutrients and are often more digestible than flaked food. Copepods, for example, provide an excellent live food alternative. Copepods are extremely nutritious, but flaked food often lacks protein, a nutrient fish need for growth. Listed below are some other live foods to consider for tropical freshwater fish.
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White worms
Using white worms as live food for your aquarium’s inhabitants can benefit your tropical fish by providing a variety of nutrients and other essential elements. They can also help your fish get enough dissolved oxygen to keep them healthy. A general de-worming agent, Levamisole HC, is widely available in the market. However, it should be used cautiously as it may not be as effective as some other options. To use Levamisole HC, contact American Aquarium Products for more information.
To start feeding white worms to your fish, you need to prepare a suitable environment for them. Make sure the soil is chemical-free and contains small holes for oxygen. The best soil for growing white worms is a light mix of coarse materials. The soil will stay loose even under moist conditions, providing adequate oxygen flow to the worms. Aeration can be achieved by adding vermiculite or coconut coir mix.
Brine shrimp
If you want to feed brine shrimp to your tropical freshwater fish, you can harvest them once every 8 days. Simply turn off the filter system and pump, and watch them swim to the surface. Use a net to catch them. Both adult and juvenile shrimp can be handled. When they are ready for harvest, you can transfer them to a new container and feed them. You can also use brine shrimp eggs to feed your tropical fish.
Brine shrimp are not fussy eaters and will readily consume any small food source, such as wheat flour, yeast, fish meal, and egg yolks. During the first 24 hours, they do not require feeding. After that, they are not fussy and can eat a variety of foods. Once the shrimp have reached adulthood, you can feed them with any type of food that your fish loves.
Fairy shrimp
A fairly new addition to the world of tropical fish and crustaceans, Fairy Shrimp are a small, freshwater crustacean that are native to Canada and the United States. Fairy shrimp are members of the family Branchinectidae, which contains over 5,000 species of freshwater crustaceans. Among the subfamilies of this genus, Fairy Shrimp are the only native members; two other species are not found in North America.
Previously, only the larger Artemia species were used as live food in ornamental fish cultures, but this was not feasible due to their lack of survival in a freshwater environment. Artemia would soon sink to the bottom of the rearing tank, preventing the larvae of pelagic fish from accessing the food. However, the introduction of Fairy Shrimp as a live food for tropical freshwater fish has changed that.
Water fleas
You can feed water fleas to your fish without worrying about them harming the tank or the fish. Water fleas are perfectly harmless to tropical freshwater fish, and can be enjoyed by many varieties. While Daphnia may seem like an unwanted guest, they are a valuable live food source for your fish. They can survive in small quantities of water and provide valuable nutrients to your fish.
Daphnia, also known as water fleas, are small, freshwater crustaceans. They are found throughout the world and are typically just under two millimeters long. Some species can reach five millimeters in length. Daphnia are commonly used as live foods for tropical freshwater fish. They are known for their fast reproduction rate and can invade large areas of water. In addition, they are able to withstand harsh temperatures, allowing them to thrive in a fish tank.
Spirulina
Spirulina is a cyanobacterium (also known as blue-green algae). It is a small botanical algae, about half a millimeter in length, that is found in hard or high-pH lakes. This algae is commonly found in lakes in Africa, Asia, and South America. Its spiral structure gives it its name. It is known to improve the activity of enzymes in cell nuclei.
Spirulina is good for people, too. It is one of the few plant foods that contain full proteins. It boosts the immune system of fish, which means it can fight diseases before they start. Fish fed on spirulina are healthier and live longer. Spirulina can also be fed to a variety of fish, making it a great choice for people with a wide variety of tropical freshwater fish.
Seaweed
Herbivorous and omnivorous tropical freshwater fish can benefit from consuming seaweed. While it is a popular live food for saltwater marine fish, the seaweed can be a valuable source of nutrition for other species of fish, including shrimp, angelfish, and tangs. It can also be added to homemade fish food recipes. Besides nori, other types of algae, such as kombu, are available in Asian grocery stores and can be purchased at local fish stores.
Fish will eat seaweed when available, and many omnivorous species will eat seaweed as well. Whether your tropical fish are carnivorous or herbivorous, they spend most of their time foraging for food, and most of the time they are primary herbivores. To make feeding your fish as easy as possible, consider supplying them with a seaweed sheet, which you can tether to a feeding clip.
