Feeding tropical fish correctly is key to creating a healthy environment for their wellbeing. A well-rounded diet will allow them to maintain vibrant colors, boost immune systems and prevent digestive issues.
Today there are various types of fish foods, such as flakes and pellets, available that have been specifically developed to support different tropical fish species in order to promote health and wellbeing.
Contents
TetraColor Plus Tropical Flakes
Flake food forms the core of any tropical fish diet, providing your pet with essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients they may not get from its environment. Ingredients typically used include fish meal, squid meal, shrimp meal earthworms spirulina etc to provide your pet with all they require for healthful living.
Flake food is suitable for surface feeders with upturned mouths such as hatchetfish and gouramies, while mid-level feeders with forward-facing mouths such as barbs and tetras also prefer it. Plecostomus catfish require heavier pellets or foods which sink to the bottom of their tank to satisfy their hunger needs.
Many tropical fish species are herbivorous and feed on algae found on rocks, substrate, wood or coral reefs. Flakes food of high quality should be given as the staple diet to these types of fish for maximum nutritional benefit; additional nutrition can come from frozen (fully thawed first) or fresh vegetables as supplementations.
Brine Shrimp
Brine shrimp (Artemia) are tiny crustaceans found in inland salt lakes and marshes. Their eggs, known as cysts, hatch from eggs laid within brine pools such as Great Salt Lake. Once exposed to water they expand, which are often collected as feed by aquaculture enthusiasts and aquarium hobbyists for aquarium fish feed or used scientifically as model systems to study aquatic organism physiologies.
Brine shrimp have long been utilized as food sources by various species of fish, particularly tropical varieties. Furthermore, brine shrimp play an integral part in the diets of many migratory birds who congregate at Great Salt Lake and other inland salt lakes such as bald eagles, herons, pelicans, and grebes; such birds take advantage of any opportunities that arise to consume brine shrimp to fuel their migration journeys.
Brine shrimp make the ideal food for baby tropical fish because their movement attracts them and because they contain natural sources of protein and other vital nutrients that have not undergone extensive processing like commercial flake or pellet products do.
Hikari Pellets
These small fish food pellets are tailored specifically for smaller community fish species like tetras and barbs, offering high levels of protein, vitamins, and nutrients encased to prevent dispersion by fish as they eat. This ensures your aquatic friends receive an all-round nutritious meal!
Some fish species only eat live or frozen foods, such as chopped vegetables, peas or spinach (ensure it has completely defrosted), pieces of zucchini or shrimp or bloodworms. The best way to determine what your fish will eat is to watch as they consume their meal.
To prevent overfeeding and water quality problems, only feed your fish the amount they can consume within minutes or two. Any left over food is simply wasted money that can cause digestive or water quality issues. These floating pellets quickly absorb into their systems allowing you to easily monitor how much is consumed by each individual fish.
Floating Wafers
Wafer and tablet food items designed for mid-level feeders like tetras or plecos make ideal products to encourage more natural feeding behaviour in aquarium visitors or owners. By sinking beneath the surface and providing them with food that sinks deeper down in their aquarium, such as floating wafer or tablet foods can allow these fish to consume their meals while remaining visible to observers or owners of the aquarium.
Some fresh fruits and vegetables can also be fed to fish as food sources; most of these will need to be blanched (boiled for just a few minutes before offering to your aquatic friends) before being offered as sustenance. Peas, lima beans, cucumbers (remove seeds first!), squash and zucchini can all be included among safe vegetables for serving to aquatic friends.
Certain fancy fish species require more than just flakes for proper health; they need live or frozen bloodworms and baby brine shrimp as sources of protein and digestive roughage to stay alive and well.
