Most tropical fish species are herbivorous or omnivorous and require protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in their diet. Fish flakes and pellets provide some of these essential nutrients; adding fresh vegetables can provide additional vitamins and minerals.
Vegetables should be blanched (boiled briefly) prior to adding them to your tank. You should ensure any uneaten food does not spoil and pollute the water supply, or else it could result in polluted ecosystem.
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Frozen Food
Many tropical fish species delight in feeding on frozen foods. Available as cubes encased in gel to preserve freshness, these frozen treats can be quickly defrosted when feeding time arrives and added directly into their tanks as part of an overall flake or pellet diet, or used exclusively as primary nourishment such as goldfish species.
Frozen bloodworms (Artemia salina) are an increasingly popular choice, as they contain high amounts of protein and can be fed to most species, including corals in saltwater environments. Furthermore, they come in freeze-dried form which eliminates any risk from parasites or pathogens that might exist within.
Frozen daphnia and brine shrimp provide an excellent source of protein for many species of fish, particularly goldfish. Available as small packs in freezer sections, they should be fed several times every week as part of Tetra Fresh Delica food (a gel-based food with bloodworm, daphnia, brineshrimp preserved in nutrient rich jelly) to feed most species regularly.
Freeze-Dried Food
Freeze-dried foods are preserved by extracting water at an extremely low temperature, preserving much of their nutrition and palatability, making them popular with tropical fish hobbyists. Examples of such freeze-dried food items are tubifex worms, bloodworms, brine shrimp and krill.
These foods typically come in the form of flakes or pellets and can be fed to both herbivores and carnivores. When feeding these items to your fish, remember to only give as much food as they will eat in less than five minutes; any leftover food could clog aquarium filters or pollute their tank’s water supply.
If you have frozen-dried food available to you, be sure to consume it by its expiration date. Over time, nutrients in foods past their due date will degrade and may no longer provide your fish with optimal nutrition. In addition, older food could contain pathogens that pose serious threats. Always consult the packaging to make sure that it’s suitable for fish consumption and how long you should store it after opening it.
Pellets and Sticks
There is an impressive array of commercially prepared food available for tropical fish, from flakes, pellets and sticks to wafers and more. Formulations exist for herbivores, carnivores and omnivores alike as well as babies, growing fry and conditioning breeders.
Pellets are bite-sized foods designed for large and medium species of fish that feed at either the water surface or midwater depths, serving as an effective alternative to flakes which can produce excess waste in an aquarium environment. Plus, pellets are easier to see than flakes which may prove challenging for fish with upturned mouths to access.
If using pellets, feed small amounts several times each day in small doses and remove any leftover food within two minutes for best results. This is particularly important when dealing with large shoal of fish as any uneaten food could potentially lead to disease outbreak. You could also consider cultivating live food such as microworms or baby brine shrimp as supplements or replacements for pre-packed food options.
Live Food
Many tropical fish owners enjoy providing their pet fish with live food on occasion. Live foods tend to be less messy than flakes, and especially popular among young baby fish. White worms, microworms, black mosquito larvae, daphnia and newly hatched brine shrimp are excellent examples. You can buy or culture this food yourself but make sure it remains at room temperature before doing either.
Grow fresh food yourself whenever possible to feed your new aquatic pets. Some people cultivate infusoria cultures at home in order to feed newborn fish; other people purchase freshly-hatched brine shrimp, water fleas or gnats from pet stores – these foods are ideal for middle and bottom-dwelling fish as well as those that prefer feeding at night. Plant-eaters or omnivorous tropical fish will also appreciate receiving occasional pieces of fruit or vegetable as treats; simply be sure that these are cut into appropriate chunks sized for feeding purposes!
