Feeding your aquarium fish
gourami on 25 Feb, 2010 13:22 in food, nutrition, and feeding
Just like any other pet your fish will need a healthy supply of calories and nutrition to sustain their metabolism and to thrive in your aquarium. Proper feeding is essential for any healthy aquarium and as an owner it is very important to understand what and when to feed your fish. Understanding your fish’s feeding requirement will help a lot to keep your fish healthy. Let us understand how to classify the different type of fish and fish foods.Different types of fish and their eating styleIf you have a community fish tank then you need to study their shape, size, mouth position and their eating procedure/patterns. Though fish will eat anywhere they have a preferred position in the tank and they can be classified as Top-feeders: (Example: Mollies, Platys, Guppy): These fishes has a scoop like mouth which help them eating food from the water surface. They prefer to feed on or near water surface. Midwater-feeders: (Example: Danios, Minnows) mouth of these fishes are located at the very tips of their snouts to gather food as it falls through the water. Bottom-feeders:(Example: Catfish, Corydoras) these fishes have mouths on the underside of their snouts and they feed from floor or bottom surface. What do the fish eat in wild or in their natural habitat? Most fishes are carnivorous and live on insects, insect larvae, worms, grubs, shrimps, small fish and similar animals. In the wild, some fish even eat reptiles, birds and other animals. However, almost all fish also graze on live plants, algae and hence considered as herbivores. As a result most fish are really omnivorous and eats that contain both animal and vegetable matter. Some fishes are relatively more carnivorous or herbivorous than others. There are very few fish that are strictly herbivores or carnivores.Importance of proper food for your fish in aquariumThe leading cause of failure with aquariums is overfeeding or feeding wrong food. Overfeeding can pollute a tank so rapidly, that the aquarium will appear dirty a week after you have cleaned it. One day of overfeeding can release more pollution into an aquarium than an entire month of normal fish waste accumulation. As most fish are really omnivorous and need to get foods that contain both animal and vegetable matter. Some fish only eat plants (herbivores) and others only eat animals (carnivores). If plant-eating fish that are fed animal-based foods will not be able to digest the food properly, which may cause internal problems such as constipation. The same is true of strictly carnivorous fish that are fed only plant based materials. Mostly they may become ill because of nutrients deficiency. Thus, it is critical that you match the food to the feeding habits of the fish in your aquarium. Different types of fish foodThere are wide varieties of fish food available in the market. You need to select a combination of foods which is appropriate for your fish collection. Broadly they can be categorised as Processed Fish Food Pellets: Pellets are available in forms that are denser or lighter than water. This allows the fish to feed in a more natural way - if the right pellet is provided. Some fish prefer to feed off the bottom of the tank while others prefer to feed off the surface. Pellet foods are available in many varieties, each with a specific purpose. Pellet food that floats caters to top feeders, while pellets that sink quickly are designed for the bottom feeders.Flakes: Flakes are the most common type of processed foods, and are available in a very wide variety. Some flakes are engineered to provide the nutritional requirements of specific varieties or species of fish, and others are designed to counter nutritional imbalances, while still others are balanced to enhance colour or growth or to encourage spawning. Flakes will float at first, and then gradually sink to the bottom, thus benefiting all types of fish.Granular food: Granules are like very small, hard flakes or tiny pellets. Currently only a limited variety of fish food granules are available, usually engineered for the general nutritional needs of small community fish. These are designed to sink quickly to the bottom, for the benefit of bottom feeders.Tablets: Tablets are really just large flat pellets. Most tablets are of a sinking variety, but there are some that are engineered to adhere to the side of the aquarium so that you may observe your fish feeding. Most of the sinking tablets are engineered to provide for the nutritional needs of scavengers and bottom feeders. These are designed to sink quickly to the bottom, for the benefit of bottom feeders.Freeze-dried food: The process by which freeze-dried food is produced ensures that most of its nutritional value is retained. It is thus an excellent food source and a great treat for fish. It has a long shelf life and does not need refrigeration. (Example: Tubifex worms, blood worms, krill and brine shrimp).Frozen food: Frozen fish food is the next best alternative to live food, and is a good source of protein. It is excellent for stimulating fish that are suffering from loss of appetite to feed again. Brine shrimp, plankton, krill, and bloodworms are popular forms of frozen food.Vacation food: These are great if you plan to be away from home for several days. They usually come in tablets form or are compacted into moulded forms, which release food into the water as they slowly dissolve over several days. Sometime these foods turn water to milky white. It’s advisable to perform a partial water change after the tablets are dissolved completely. Live Fish FoodLive food consists of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are living in your tank or at least live when you introduce them to your. As a supplement, you can feed live Tubi-fex worms, blood worms and brine shrimp to your fish. Fish can obtain a good deal of nutritional value from live food and this is excellent for bringing fish into breeding condition or to enhance your fish colour. Carnivorous fish also benefit from it as the movements of the live food stimulate their hunting instincts, and keep them healthy and happy. The feeding of live food also encourages finicky, new or sick fish to eat.Though your fish will eat any type of insects, please be cautious as some of the insects maybe poisonous and can infect or even kill your fish.Feeding method: Manual Feeding: This is most common method for feeding fish. Here are some considerations while feeding your fishIf you have a mechanical filter and food floating on the surface is drawn into the filter, try putting the portions of food below the water’s surface and away from the filter. That way, food will not accumulate in the filter.When feeding frozen food, allow it to partially defrost before feeding. Feed as you would dry flake foods, breaking off small pieces of the partially defrosted food, and waiting for your fish to eat each piece before adding more.Don’t crush the food. Even the smallest fish have teeth, and will bite off what they need. Crushed food will settle to the bottom faster, and pollute the water. If some of your fish are smaller or more timid about eating, don’t worry-they’ll get their share. As the larger, more aggressive fish get full, they’ll slow down on their feeding, and the smaller fish will "clean up" the leftovers.Automatic Feeder: Manual feeding is good, but may not be suitable for people with very busy schedule or with unplanned holidays. For such people it is worth considering a automatic feeder. It is also a good alternative to vacation food. The automatic dispenser releases a specific amount of food at regular intervals. Please make sure you have checked the batteries of automatic feeder before you go on a long vacation. Frequently Asked QuestionsHow often or how much food do I need to feed?For most fishes, you need to feed them only once a day with a small quantity that they can finish within 5 minutes. What are the side effects of over feeding?Unconsumed foods that stays in your tank will decays and sticks to your aquarium decoration, plants, substrates or filter and contributes to poor water quality. Poor water quality significantly increases the chances of disease and filter maintenance. Over feeding can also contribute to algae growth, which can be unsightly, remove vital oxygen from the water, and increase your tank maintenance. This means you will need frequent water changes which in turn will impact the biological system of your aquarium and stress your fish. There are higher chances that your fish will die with over feeding than under feeding. How do I know if I am over feeding my fish?-- Algae begins to grow back on aquarium surfaces within a week after it’s cleaned-- Water is continually cloudy with a milky white appearance. -- When you test the water for ammonia, you always get a slight reading. (In a healthy tank, ammonia will always test at ZERO!) -- The algae that grows in the tank is slimy and black or red, instead of hair-like and green-- Uneaten food is left at the bottom of the tank after feeding-- Uneaten food is accumulating in the filters-- The aquarium sometimes has a "fishy" odour (Properly fed aquariums have no odour.)When are vitamin and mineral supplements needed?The vitamins and minerals help your fish when they are under stress. So whenever you suspect your fish might be stressed (like, before adding new fish, aquarium renovation, or house move) the use of supplements will help your fish a lot to overcome the stress.Why do I need to use supplemental diet for my fish? Most commercial food available in the market are staple fish diets are the most complete food for your fish however they are not perfect. For additional Nutrition: They may not offer the nutrients found in live or frozen foods. A balanced diet should include staple processed food, as well as freeze-dried, live, and/or frozen foods. For herbivores, it should include a vegetable-based food; for carnivores, a meat-based food. For variety of food: just like you dont like the same food everyday, your fish wouldn’t like eating the same food everyday either. So change in diet with supplements will improve fish nutrition, and the quality of their lives.Hope you find this article useful.