Tropical aquarium fish thrive when kept in an ideal temperature environment and fed a range of foods designed to support health and vitality.
Herbivorous and omnivorous fish will gladly accept vegetable-filled flakes or pellets from an aquarium as food sources, just as they would do in nature. Furthermore, these aquatic creatures enjoy searching out food on their own in an aquarium environment to satisfy their scavenger instincts.
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Flakes
Flakes are an essential food source for tropical fish species. To provide optimal nutrition for these aquatic creatures, look for flakes with shrimp protein listed as their primary ingredient to ensure your aquatic friends receive enough of this nutrient.
Some flakes come with added vitamins and nutrients for improved fish health, making these food products perfect for bottom feeding tropical species like Bettas.
Freeze-dried foods like krill and tubifex worms provide another viable option, typically sold as large frozen cubes that can be easily pressed against the inside of aquarium glass to feed. Over time, these cubes slowly dissolve in the water while providing your fish with essential nutrition. They’re an ideal alternative to live foods which may carry harmful organisms, cheaper and typically last longer compared to their alternatives; you can find these at grocery stores or mega-retailers.
Wafers
Wafers differ from flakes in that they consist of whole foods like brine shrimp, daphnia and tubifex worms that have been freeze-dried; many betta and goldfish enthusiasts swear by these bloodworm wafers that provide longer shelf life. Others contain colorant to provide additional vitamins and minerals; such as Hikari Vibra Bites which look just like real bloodworms while their green variants include added spirulina.
These food sources are designed for fish that feed on both algae and aquatic plants, and make a good supplement to their diets when foraging in various water zones. From quick-sinking pellets to compressed tablets that easily dissolve in water, there’s sure to be something suitable for every aquatic creature in need of sustenance! There are even nighttime feeding tablets specifically suited to catfish and other nocturnal fish species!
Granules
Many tropical fish species require food that reaches all areas of an aquarium, including those at the bottom. Granules provide an effective means of reaching this region while being easy for smaller fish that tend to reject flaked foods to consume.
Fish food granules typically provide more nutritional benefit than flaked foods due to the higher protein concentration. They may include both animal and plant sources for additional nourishment. Furthermore, many contain vitamins, mineral salts, or zeolite to promote proper digestive functioning and release any toxins from your system.
Most granules are composed of multiple ingredients, enabling manufacturers to tailor them specifically for an animal’s feeding application. For instance, manufacturers can formulate them with more plant-based nutrients for herbivores, or more animal-based ones for carnivores; and tablets may even be created for easier viewing during feeding times.
Pellets
Fish pellets tend to provide higher nutritional content than their flake counterparts, and making dosing easy means fewer instances of underfeeding and overfeeding.
Fish foods are usually prepared by mixing dried ingredients into a mash, baking it, and then cutting it into pellets or sticks of various shapes, with some designed to float while others meant to sink.
Some fish food pellets are made up of whole or ground up fish parts, while others combine dried ingredients such as spirulina, krill, algae and kelp for maximum color enhancement. Others still feature combinations of vitamins and minerals to support color enhancement.
Specialty tropical aquarium fish food pellets exist, such as New Life Spectrum Thera+A. This high-density diet fortified with extra garlic for immune support and stress resistance makes this an excellent option for stressed or newly acquired fish. Manufactured in the USA using a low temperature extrusion process that does not reach temperatures high enough to denature nutrients is also available.
