Whilst there are hundreds of different species of fish available to the passionate fish keeper, there are also dozens of different varieties of aquarium pet food to select between and the range can sometimes be overwhelming. Just where do you start, and what is best?
The first key to selecting aquarium pet food is to understand the needs of your fish. And there are three ways to gather this information. Firstly, and possibly best, a decent book on fish care with detailed species accounts will provide advice on what your fish like to eat, and how. Secondly you can ask your local aquarium shop when you’re considering purchasing some fish for advice on how they feed theirs.
And then lastly you can examine the fish themselves. There are two keys to examine and whilst you won’t get as much information as from a book or an experienced fish keeper, it can at least provide you with some pointers.
The two elements to look out for are (a) where abouts in the water column your fish swim and (b) where their mouths point.
For example most catfish will spend the vast majority of their time on the floor of the tank, and have down-turned mouths to feed from the bottom. So putting in floating fish flakes is less than ideal as your catfish may not see the flakes floating on the top of the water and if he or she does, they may not want to swim to the top to get it.
Equally, betta fish tend to swim near the top of the water, and have an upturned mouth which means they will typically be happy to feed from the top of the water and so in this case fish flakes can provide an ideal basic food source.
Now that you have a handle on the needs of the individual fish you care for, let’s take a look at a few aquarium pet foods in closer detail.
Fish Flakes
Fish flakes are the standard fish food for most aquarium fish. Fish flakes are quick, cheap and easy to feed and also typically have a long shelf life making them a perfet base food for many tropical community fish and also smaller coldwater fish.
Floating Pellets
Larger fish such as some cyclids and also larger coldwater fish like koi tend to have considerable appetites and so fish flakes may not provide them enough nutrients or may become overly expensive and in this case it is possible to buy larger containers of floating pellets for feeding such fish. It is these “pond pellets” that most fish keepers use as a base for feeding fish in outdoor ponds.
Color-Enahancing Foods
Some brightly-colored fish benefit from color-enhancing foods which contain dies to help them keep their bright colors which may otherwise fade in the confines of a captive aquarium. If you notice that formerly brightly-colored fish of yours are starting to fade then consider asking at your local aquarium shop about these foods so you can supplement the diet of your fish.
Sinking Pellets
Sinking pellets are ideal for bottom-feeding fish and also bottom-feeding invertebrates such as crayfish who may not want to come to the surface to feed. A small amount should be used if you keep fish such as corydoras and care should be paid to ensure that all your bottom-dwelling fish get enough to eat without leaving leftovers to dirty the water.
Dead Livefood
One can buy tubs of insects and suchlike to feed to aquarium fish and while this can be more expensive that feeding flakes or pellets, a small amount as a supplement each week can help to add extra vitamins and minerals to the diet of your fish and so the use of various “livefoods” is well worth considering.
Frozen Livefood
Livefoods that have been frozen, such as artmemia, are available in a “blister pack” style where volumes of frozen invertebrates are frozen into small ice cube-like blocks. It is easy to store this food in the freezer and just pop out one or two cubes as a weekly supplement for your fish. Frozen foods like this may be fresher and contain more nutrients than the dried version mentioned above.
Livefood
The last option is to buy small bags of actual living invertebrates which provide not just nutrition but also some mental stimulation to your fish. Typically the taste and indeed the movement of these foods can cause quite some excitement in an aquarium as your fish hunt down and eat the live animals. Whilst this may repulse some people, many fish keepers swear by the occasional livefood treat to keep their fish bright and healthy.
