After the aquarium inhabitants have moved into your home you have to feed them regularly. But which type of food is best for the animals in your aquarium? Fish food can be divided into staple foods, special foods as well as supplementary foods and snacks. Staple foods are suitable for all aquarium dwellers, special foods are aimed at the needs of certain species of fish. Supplementary foods and snacks bring diversity to the fish’s meal plan and are particularly tasty.
- Tropical fish
When it comes to tropical fish, nature gives us clear indications about their dietary habits through their external features. Largely bottom-dwelling fish like catfish have their mouth underneath them. Catfish and loaches both bottom feed and prefer aquarium food in the form of tablets, which instantly sink.
On the other hand, creatures with the typical ‘fish shape’ like tetras and barbs, swim in the open water and have their mouth in the middle at the front. They go for food that passes them by.
Granules are the preferred choice for this group of fish.
The third group is that of the surface dwellers. Their mouth faces the surface of the water, from where they eat their food, for example in the form of flake food in aquariums.
|
Mouth shapes |
Food types |
Feeding behaviour |
|
|
Flakes, crisps, sticks, dried natural foods |
At the water surface |
|
|
Granules, flakes, gel food, crisps |
In the middle of the water |
|
|
Tablets, flakes, granules, crisps, wafers, gel food |
At the bottom |
- Goldfish
The right type of diet is particularly important for a goldfish’s health, vitality, rich colouring and proper growth. However, you should be careful not to overfeed your fish, especially as goldfish always give off the impression of being hungry.
- Crustaceans
Thanks to their unusual appearance and their constant and assiduous search for food, shrimps and crayfish already have a huge number of fans among aquarists. Many species can be successfully looked after in an aquaterrarium simply by following a few basic rules and feeding the animals with the specially-developed range of food products.
Only feed your fish with as many flakes, granules etc. as they can eat in a few minutes. Tablets and wafers should be fully consumed within 15 minutes. Remove excess food as this can impair the water quality. If you feed your fish at the same time and place every day, they will soon eat out of your hand. The daily feeding session is a great opportunity to observe your fish.
Source: Tetra
