Importance of a proper diet for different species
Feeding tropical fish a sensible diet that is suited to their species is absolutely crucial. Proper feeding supports a healthy immune system, stimulates growth and breeding, improves the appearance of fish and encourages activity. Different species of fish require different diets so it is essential that you research the eating habits of the fish you intend to put in your tank aquariums.
Discovering the right type and consistency of food
The type of diet and food consistency can be determined by considering three divisions of two groups.
The first section is the type of food. Herbivores eat plant-based food only, carnivores are meat-eating fish and omnivores eat both plant and animal matter. Most fish fall into this third group.
There are also different depths at which fish feed in tank aquariums so it is important to display food in a texture suitable for fish which collect food from the top, fish that feed on food which has fallen into the water, and fish that gather food from the bottom of fish tanks.
What’s on the menu?
All fish require a balanced diet consisting of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Here are a variety of foods you may consider, depending on the nutritional requirements of the fish in your freshwater fish tanks.
Herbivore fish need food with high fibre content, for instance algae and vegetables. These fish will enjoy lettuce, zucchini, spinach, nettles, maize, carrots and peas. You need to ensure that these vegetables are boiled so they are soft, and broken down into suitably sized morsels. These foods provide various vitamins, minerals and trace elements. I also recommend using Spirulina for herbivores as it provides them with easily edible vegetable protein.
For carnivores and omnivores, a diet rich in protein will be vital. This can be supplied through live food (making sure it is nourishing), home-produced or commercial foods. Thin slices of raw red meat or cooked white meat can be used, live small fish (e.g. feeder goldfish), live or freeze-dried worms, daphnia, brine shrimp, Tubifex, and krill. Meat, brine shrimp and worms are best fed as a delicacy rather than as an everyday food. Tubifex encourages growth and may be used as a conditioning food to get your fish healthy before breeding. For myself, I suggest krill as a dietary basis for carnivorous and omnivorous fish. They are rich in protein and contain amino acids and Omega 3 fatty acids for overall health, carotenoids to bring out bright colors in fish, vitamins and minerals which improve the immune system, dietary roughage to improve digestion, and vitalizing carbohydrates. Krill also contain little fat and salt. They are ideal for helping a sick fish recuperate or to bring a healthy fish up to maximum condition for breeding or showing. For predatory carnivores who like to catch moving things, you can dangle non-live food from a fork and let it down into the aquarium in front of the fish, wiggling it around so that it seems it is alive!
Dry foods
There are several types of dry foods for instance granules, grains, flakes, pills, pellets and wafers. These can all be bought in a range of compositions considering the type of fish you wish to feed and the different parts of the water column they occupy. Most of these prepared foods are of a high-quality, calculated to give a balanced diet and are full of extra vitamins and minerals, so it is vital to include them in the diet. Different formulas can also be used from time to time such as preparation for breeding or for developing color. It is also very practical as it is easy to store and doesn’t require any preparation. The risk of disease or parasites being brought into aquariums with food is likewise completely eliminated.
Bon Appetit!
Diversity is the real key to high-quality fish nutrition. Therefore, it is vital to provide your fish with a choice of different suitable foods to make certain they receive a balanced diet for their best possible health and their interest in and enjoyment of food.
Copyright © 2009 Jill Kaestner @ Kaestner Marketing LLC
