Food for Aquarium Fish

Food for Aquarium Fish

Fish like all animals require food. The food they eat should contain all the ingredients necessary for healthy growth and wellbeing. Too often, owners give only one type of food to fish.

This results in deficiencies which result in stunted growth and other abnormalities.

Healthy fish should be vigorous in motion, bright-colored with proper proportions. Examine your fish regularly for any signs of poor nutrition.

To provide proper nutrition, it is first necessary to understand the dietary habits of fish. Some fish are carnivores (meat-eating). Some are herbivores (plant-eating). While most fish are omnivores (eating both plant and animal food).

Carnivorous fish need a protein based diet. These include dried worms, shrimp, etc. Herbivorous fish require plant-based food. Examples are Spirulina, peas, etc.

Hence, try to find out the natural food for the fish you keep. There are different types of fishfeed available in the market. If you have a community aquarium, it is best to add a mixture of animal based and plant-based food.

Adding natural plants to the aquarium gives a source of food to herbivorous fish.

Another reason for poor nutrition among fish is the wrong of choice of type of fishfeed. Fish feed can be broadly categorized into floating food and sinking food.

Choose the type of food depending on the fish you have. Surface floating food will not be accessible to fish living the middle regions or in the bottom. These fish will become malnourished. Sinking food which slowly sinks to the bottom gives a chance to these fish to have food.

Hence, provide a combination of floating and sinking food to your fish. Ensure that the food are in proper size. Small fish with their small mouths cannot handle big chunks of food. These fish will go hungry.

When food is added to fish. The food may float in the surface of the water. This makes the food available to surface fish which stay in the surface. However, there are many species of fish which do not come to the surface.

These fish will not get food. Hence, when feeding it is necessary to choose your food depending on the fish you have. Sinking Food is a special type of food which sinks once it is dropped into the tank. This ensures that middle level fish also get a chance to eat.

There are different types of sinking food depending on the rate of sinking.

If you have nocturnal fish, drop some food before switching the lights off. This will ensure that the fish which forage at night will be able to eat.

Flaked Food is fish food which has been made into flakes. The food is mixed and then extruded or heated which produces the layers known as flakes. Flakes are very popular among hobbyists. Virtually all types of fish food can be made into flakes. flaked food

The flakes are small in size and usually float in the water. This gives time for the fish to eat them. The Flake are usually fortified with minerals.

The size of the flake should be suitable for the fish. Small fish may not be able to eat large flakes.

Flakes usually come in sealed containers. They usually have a best-before date.

Store Flakes in a cool dry place. Moisture and light should not be allowed to reach the flake foods.