With the development of aquarium farming, many owners aquarium fish The question arises of what to feed your pets. This question plays an important, and perhaps even decisive, role when keeping aquarium fish. Incorrectly selected food for aquarium fish can cause great harm from vitamin deficiency and various diseases that slow down their development and ability to reproduce to the death of fish due to improperly balanced feed. While properly balanced food, on the contrary, not only increases the immunity and metabolism of fish, but also has a positive effect on the appearance of aquarium inhabitants, whose appearance become more attractive due to the bright and rich colors inherent in healthy ones.

Feed for aquarium fish, is divided into several types, including frozen food, live food and, of course, dry food for aquarium fish. Types of dry fish food are also, in turn, divided into several types, and their diversity directly depends on the size and types of fish to their physiological characteristics. Dry food for fish has a high shelf life without loss of any nutrients (taking into account proper storage and preparation), as well as the lack possible infections which can be present in both live and frozen food due to the presence of various harmful bacteria and microorganisms on them. The positive properties of this type of food also include low susceptibility to mold, but this advantage is achieved only by taking into account proper storage of the food. Due to all these benefits, dry food is the best food for aquarium fish. Dry food is usually available in the form of granules, flakes or tablets. Flakes are the most common type of dry food, this is due to the fact that this type food is suitable for fish of different sizes due to the fact that when it becomes limp in water it can be absorbed not only large species fish but also smaller inhabitants. Granules and tablets are usually produced for a specific size or type of fish. At the same time distinctive feature The advantage of both granules and tablets is that they are not as susceptible to souring as dough-like flakes, as a result of which the aquarium does not clog up so quickly. Modern manufacturers also produce highly specialized dry food, including for individual species fish For carnivores, protein-containing food with dried pieces of meat or seafood, and for herbivores with healthy plant foods. Food is also produced for bottom fish or for inhabitants of the upper layers of the water. This is due to the fact that food that does not immediately fall to the bottom practically does not reach the bottom inhabitants of the aquarium; this fact is the main reason that manufacturers produce food that quickly settles to the bottom. Dry food for aquarium fish is also produced in natural form by many manufacturers; as a rule, this applies to predatory fish; it consists of various dried crustaceans, such as daphnia or bloodworms. If you wish, you can prepare dry food yourself, but this process is actually quite labor-intensive and, if done incorrectly, can cause irreparable harm. In addition, the types of food for aquarium fish can differ significantly in their nutritional value, since the same nutritional elements are not always suitable for different species. You can buy fish food at the regular market, since many make a living by drying bloodworms or various crustaceans and then selling them as dry food. However, this should not be done, as it was already mentioned earlier that this process is quite labor-intensive and requires certain knowledge. Therefore, as a rule, dry (homemade) food that is sold on the market is just dried crustaceans, which does not contain any useful substances but only one chitin. Such food is very dangerous for fish due to the breakdown of oxidized proteins and fats in it, which do not represent any nutritional value, but are a strong allergen. It is best to buy dry fish food in a specialized store or order it online. The online store of food for aquarium fish is distinguished primarily not only by the variety of food itself and their manufacturers, but also by the useful information that can be obtained on its pages. On the Internet, as well as in a regular pet store, you can buy food for aquarium fish for any species and their physiological characteristics. Distinctive feature It is precisely dry food that even inexperienced aquarists can use this species without special knowledge. This is primarily due to the fact that dry food cannot quickly upset the nitrogen balance due to excessive feeding, unlike feeding with live organisms, and even an experienced aquarist is not immune from this. You should know that with all the advantages of dry food, it is necessary to alternate it with live food; this is especially important for predatory fish, so from time to time they still need to be given various live crustaceans. In order to taste real natural food, such fish subsequently reproduce better, and many species are reluctant to eat dry food. Many species, especially herbivores, need additional nutrition in the form of various plant foods such as cucumbers, various lettuces, dandelion leaves, etc. True, modern manufacturers of dry food for aquarium fish successfully solve this problem, so modern dry food usually comes with the addition of all the ingredients necessary for a particular type. The main thing you should pay attention to when choosing dry food is not only the highly specialized focus on a certain type of fish, but also the quality of the packaging, which must be sealed, since non-sealed packaging can lead to the food losing its nutrients. And, of course, the manufacturer himself, what place he occupies in this market segment, how long he has been on the market and what feedback he has received from customers.

Feeding aquarium inhabitants - important process, because often their appearance largely depends on fish food, physical condition and, most importantly, life expectancy.
Your pets' diet may consist of dry or live food. And if previously dry fish food for aquariums meant exclusively dried daphnia and gammarus, now the range is much wider. We are talking, first of all, about special granules or flakes, which using a special technology are made from natural raw materials - plankton, bloodworms, shrimp, etc. You should not think that such food is “artificial” and therefore less useful. Often they contain even more nutrients and beneficial substances, and the composition is balanced for different types fish - cockerels (), discus (), guppies (), etc. Live food for fish - bloodworms, brine shrimp, coretra, tubifex, etc. They are sold natural or frozen and require special conditions storage
Whatever fish food you choose, you should follow a few simple rules. The most important thing is that food should be given constantly, but not overfed. Fish, like many living beings, are susceptible to obesity, which threatens various diseases and loss of immunity. So it is better to feed in moderation, of course, unless we are talking about animals that need plenty of nutrition for growth. It’s also a good idea to alternate between different treats to add variety to your diet. You can also benefit from, for example, spirulina algae or ordinary vegetables - pumpkin, etc. And one more recommendation - it is better to give preference to products from reliable manufacturers, despite the relatively high cost of such fish food, they not only differ high quality, but they also last for a very long time.

Aquarium fish are not just decoration for a bedroom or living room. Children and many adults simply have them as pets. In order for the fish to be healthy and feel good, it is necessary to create for them comfortable conditions, as close as possible to natural ones. This also applies to a properly selected aquarium, water hardness and temperature, as well as the choice of fish food.

There are a number of criteria for choosing food

How to choose the right one

Few people think that even without that short life The life of aquarium fish can be greatly reduced if the diet is incorrectly formulated. Even amateur aquarists are familiar with water regeneration and filtration, but when faced with the rules for selecting food for aquarium fish, they are truly shocked.

Proper nutrition affects every aspect normal functioning body pet. It affects the appearance of fish, their immunity and ability to reproduce.

When choosing dry food for fish, you should remember that its main task is to help, not harm, therefore, it is worth choosing a composition that cannot worsen the condition of the water in the aquarium. For example, some dry flakes tend to become soggy and break down in water, thereby becoming a source of organic contamination. The same applies to quickly disintegrating pellets of low-quality food.

Small particles settle on the ground, water filter, decorations and decompose there. Some components can poison or pollute water.

Don't forget about the BZHU ratio

Basic rules

When wondering what food is best for fish, you should remember that the diet of pets should be as close as possible to their diet in natural environment habitat. You can add other nutritional elements to the fertilizer, this primarily concerns useful vitamins and minerals. However, you should not try to feed the fish living in the waters of Lake Baikal with rare larvae, which can only be found in the warm southern seas.

In order for the fish to feel as comfortable as possible in the aquarium, it is enough to simply reproduce the percentage of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in complementary foods.

Useful and harmful ingredients

Each breed of fish requires certain elements. Low-calorie foods can be harmful to pets; it is extremely important to read everything on the packaging before purchasing. This primarily applies to dry fish food in the form of chips, flakes or tablets.

But most of the ingredients contained will not only be useful for the fish, but also vital for them to ensure normal life and functioning of the body. First of all, these elements include:

• Fish meal. This ingredient has nothing in common with wheat or rye flour - fish meal is made from the crushed remains of fish from the most different breeds. For its production, everything that is not used for ordinary commercial fish consumption is taken. Fishmeal contains amino acids that are beneficial for aquarium fish.
• Mealworms and other worms that, for whatever reason, were not used in normal production. Most often they are added to dry food for cichlids. Useful high content protein, fat and vitamin D.
• Squid meal. Made from the remains of squids and other cephalopods, as well as from their internal organs. Saturated a large number useful vitamins and minerals, the main task of which is to stimulate the appetite of aquarium fish.
• Spirulina. One of the main components of any food for aquarium fish. It is obtained by grinding blue-green algae. A valuable source of essential fatty acids, minerals, eight amino acids (proteins), as well as beta-carotene and vitamins of groups A, B 1, B 2, B 6, B 12, C, E.
• Shrimp meal. Its composition is similar to fishmeal, however, it has a strong pigment that can enhance the bright color of aquarium fish. This ingredient should not be consumed by humans, but is ideal for aquatic pets.

There are a number of ingredients that fish need

Various additives are also used in feed from time to time. So that none of them can harm the fish’s body, you should know exactly the list of ingredients that should not be in any dry fish food. Here are some of them:

• Wheat flour, potato protein, sorbitol and inositol are sources of large amounts of carbohydrates that should not be included in the regular diet of fish.
• Wheat gluten. Like the previous component, it is rich in carbohydrates, and is mainly used as a binding filler. Its presence in dry food is undesirable.
• Soy flour contains too many carbohydrates, phyto-estrogens and protein. Of course, if you add it to dry food, it will not cause visible damage, but it is better to find a more suitable source of protein and stop using soy flour.

In addition to these elements, fish food must necessarily include minerals and vitamins that can provide beneficial effect on a fish organism. Fortunately, most of them are useful and have no contraindications.

Types of dry complementary foods

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing food is the breed of fish and the type of food they prefer. All fish can be roughly divided into herbivores, omnivores and highly specialized ones. And also there is clean ornamental breeds, which require the content of certain elements and minerals.

Herbivores prefer to eat algae, which contain all the necessary nutrients. Omnivores should add animal products to their complementary foods - mealworms, shrimp or squid meal, and so on. To feed highly specialized breeds, it is worth selecting specific insects, plankton or smaller fish (for example, for piranhas and related breeds).

Nutrition depends on the type of fish

What are the names of fish food and their main types:

• Pills. There are the most different sizes, since depending on the breed of fish they have different structure oral apparatus. For some, food in the form of flakes, tablets, chips, granules, or liquid is suitable. Food in the form of flakes is most suitable for viviparous breeds like guppies and mollies, as they move across the entire surface of the aquarium and are small in size. The flakes are light enough to remain on the surface for a long time, and only after they get wet do they sink to depth. At the same time, they are divided into small particles that are convenient to consume. The tablets are usually glued directly to the walls of the aquarium - when the fish gather in schools, they pinch off small pieces from them. There are feeds in the form of balls that act in the same way, only they are placed directly on the surface of the water.
• Sticks. Excellent for feeding chain catfish, which are able to stick to hard surfaces, which is why they got their name “suckers”. They scrape algae off stumps, corals and other objects. Therefore, their food must be quite solid so that it does not immediately dissolve in water - the catfish must still find the granules and have time to attach to them.
• Individual species. Some fish species require individual approach to your diet. For example, goldfish can only be fed with special food intended for this very breed. Their peculiarity internal structure consists in the absence of a stomach and the presence of an overly long intestine, which is why their main food should be food plant origin. Dry food, as well as complementary foods with a high protein content, can lead to a deterioration in the health of pets - it will be extremely difficult for the fish to digest all the elements entering its body.
• Weekend supplements. It contains several times less useful substances and their main task is to relieve digestive system and give her a break from regular exercise. You need to add such elements to complementary foods at least several times a month. People who travel frequently should also not worry about their pets. Modern manufacturers offer a wide selection of fertilizers that can be used during the holidays. They do not dissolve in water for a long time and allow fish to pinch off small pieces as needed.
• Flakes. Made from minced squid meat, shrimp, yeast, ground into meat flour. They are a source of B vitamins, as well as proteins and carbohydrates. Depending on the type of feed, they add different options natural minerals and vitamins. The main disadvantage is short term storage - the packaging must be used up within a month after opening. The most common type of food, which is perfect not only for freshwater, but also for tropical and marine fish. It is best to feed fish that live on the surface, since the flakes are quite light and do not sink for a long time in the water.
• Chips. The composition is not much different from flakes, except that it is formed in the form of thin circles, reminiscent of chips. It almost does not pollute the aquarium, as it does not get wet and spoil for a long time. Suitable for almost all types of fish suitable for life in an aquarium.

You should approach food purchases wisely

When choosing food for aquarium fish, you should carefully study its composition, since unscrupulous manufacturers often add useless fillers inside in order to increase the weight of the package and reduce the cost of the product. Of course, there will be no harm from such elements, however, pets will feel hungry more often due to low energy value complementary foods As a result, they can damage the soil and decorations of the aquarium, as they will constantly look for food in them.

Live fish food

Live food enjoys in great demand among pets, but has a significant number of disadvantages, due to which many aquarists prefer not to use it at all. Some bodies of water where moths live may be contaminated with chemical waste and other debris. They can cause the development of diseases in fish that lead to death, and also contribute to the accumulation of heavy metals in the body. When using live food, you need to be absolutely sure that it is obtained from environmentally friendly reservoirs. In addition, this type of complementary food is quite difficult to store: it needs to be regularly sorted, washed and debris removed.

Live food is required for some fish species

Some types of moths will have to be stored in the refrigerator, separate from regular human food. It is better to buy live food in small quantities so that it is easier to preserve and does not lose its value. Spoiled organisms instantly harbor bacteria that can provoke the development of serious diseases.

Despite the fact that it is much easier to store the fertilizer frozen, it is better not to keep it in the refrigerator constantly - a significant part is lost in the cold beneficial properties. The same applies to washing the feed under a strong stream of water: only the outer coverings will remain of the nutritious feed organism.

Basic feeding rules

To begin with it is necessary to decide on the amount of feed. It is important that all pets eat enough, and that no extra pieces remain in the water, which, when soaked and decomposed, can spoil aquarium water. The amount of feeding is determined as follows: if it is dry food or flakes, their quantity should be equal to the size of both eyes of the fish; if they are sticks or granules - slightly less than the diameter of the eyes. Usually fish finish eating food in 5-7 minutes; only “suckers” like chain-mail catfish require more time.

Overeating causes the development of diseases of internal organs such as liver dystrophy and dropsy. In some cases, it can even lead to death. Unlike growing fry, starvation is not as bad for adult fish as excess food. In order for the fish to develop correctly, the fry should be fed up to eight times a day in small portions. For adults, one or maximum two meals a day are suitable. It is also best to break up complementary foods into two small portions and give them at the beginning and end of the day.

Depending on the age and characteristics of specific breeds, the amount of food may vary.

In this video you will learn more about the food:

Currently, pet stores offer a huge range of food for our pets, cats, birds and aquarium fish. It is often difficult to understand this diversity. Let's understand a little about food and start with their main types.

Dry artificial food for aquarium fish

The range of dry artificial food for aquarium fish is varied. Their quality has also improved significantly: containing many necessary substances and balanced in composition (some foods combine three to four dozen animal and plant components), these foods will satisfy the needs of almost all popular types of aquarium fish. When choosing food, you should pay attention to the product manufacturer, composition, expiration date, as well as what group of fish it is suitable for.

Keep in mind that the information provided by manufacturers of artificial food is not enough to compare and evaluate them. When choosing food before today the main criteria were the practice of use and the authority of the manufacturer.

Feed for various groups fish differ in the shape and size of particles, composition, they can swim for a long time (chips and flakes, floating sticks) or sink (pellets and tablets) in the aquarium.

Let's look at the nutritional features of common groups of aquarium fish.

• We will start with goldfish, which many aquarists love. Their diet should contain less protein than food intended for tropical fish. In addition, it is good if the food for them includes natural substances that increase the brightness of the color. The brands Nutrafin Golgfish (Hagen), AniMin Goldfish (Tetre), etc. best meet these requirements.
• For cold-blooded fish kept in ponds (goldfish, koi carp, etc.), special food is also produced, for example, the TetraPond food line.
• Special food is also produced for such fish as Malawian cichlids (Nutrafin Cichlid, TetraCichlid), red parrots (Tetra RedParrot), guppies (Tetra Guppy), and cockerels (Tetra Betta). The composition of such feeds is selected taking into account biological features various types of fish. For example, food for red parrots contains special substances that maintain the brightness of the color of these fish.
• We should also remember about fish that naturally have plant components in their diet, for example, some cichlids, labeos, platies, swordtails, and mollies. Especially for them there are foods in which the content of plant fibers is increased, for example, Tetra Phyll. Such foods may contain spinach, spirulina or other algae. Food containing herbal additives will help you in cases where your fish bite young leaves and tops of aquatic plants. In this case, it is better to combine plant food with regular food.
• Delicate and finicky discus require food that not only enhances color, but also contains many vitamins and easily digestible protein (for example, Tetra Discus).
• Bottom fish (bots, various types catfish), crayfish and shrimp eat food in the form of sinking tablets, which the rest of the aquarium inhabitants cannot chew right away. These foods often contain increased amounts of spirulina and plant fiber to suit the taste of bottom dwellers (Wardley Spirulina Discs).
• To enhance the brightness of the colors of yellow, orange and red fish (or those that have stripes or spots of these colors), for example, fire and Sumatran barbs, guppies, platies, swordtails, red neons, etc., we recommend foods such as TetraPro Color Crisps or TetraRubin. They contain natural carotenoids, which also affect color.
• If your aquarium is “hodgepodge”, then the fish need to be fed with universal food, for example, Nutrafin Basix Staple Food, TetraMin Pro or TetraMin.
• For growing juveniles and fry, there are also special foods that contain all the substances necessary for growth (for example, TetraMin Mini, TetraMin Baby).

Most dry food comes in the form of floating flakes or sinking granules. How do you know what might suit your fish? Look at their mouth!

• Upper mouth fish love food that floats on the surface.
• It is convenient for fish with a terminal mouth to collect food in the water column. Both sinking granules and floating flakes are suitable for them.
• Fishes with lower mouth They love to collect food from the bottom.

When purchasing food, you need to remember that you need to store an open jar for no more than two to six months, otherwise the food begins to oxidize and some of the substances that make up it, primarily vitamins, begin to deteriorate. Therefore, it is better to buy a jar of a size that the fish can “eat” within the specified time. If you still give the fish food that has been open for a long time, then it’s worth adding some vitamins to it: in any case, it won’t make it worse.

Natural food for aquarium fish

Live food must be used carefully. After all, it comes to pet stores and, accordingly, to your aquariums from natural bodies of water. That is, there is a danger of introducing fish pathogens into the water; in addition, most benthic invertebrates (for example, tubifex and bloodworms) can accumulate various harmful substances if they live in industrial waste discharge areas. When purchasing such food, you should ask the seller where it comes from. And before you feed it, you need to rinse it several times!!!

When purchasing live food, some aquarists freeze it in the freezer, destroying pathogens. It is more convenient to buy frozen food in the store.

Sometimes some particularly picky fish eat only live food; it is necessary to gradually retrain them to frozen or dry food. One of the most beloved and valuable types of live food for fish is bloodworms. Koretra is slightly inferior to it in popularity, but it is absolutely indispensable for fish that do not take food from the bottom. A very valuable type of food is cyclops, which contains many vitamins, especially a lot of carotene and vitamin A, which give the fish a bright color. Tubifex - a very fatty and high-calorie food, often leading to obesity, is capable of accumulating a lot of harmful substances, for example, heavy metals. Therefore, first of all, before feeding live tubifex to your pets, you should keep the worms for 4-7 days. cool water, rinsing daily in a running cold water(of course, it’s even better to arrange “constant” flushing for the tubifex). Daphnia contains a large amount of ballast substance that improves digestion; it is especially good to combine it with protein-rich foods, such as bloodworms or tubifex. Often, larvae of Artemia, rotifers and ciliates are used to feed the fry.

Often, other types of aquarium fish are used to feed predators: juvenile goldfish (“navels”), zebrafish, and guppies. It is not recommended to use fish that are caught independently in natural reservoirs; they may contain pathogens of dangerous diseases.

In addition to frozen food, you can also give your pets gelled food (Tetra Freshdelica), which retains more nutrients.

Food from your table

It turns out that fish do not mind diversifying their diet with human food. For example, ampullaria snails, shrimp, and catfish will be happy with pieces of cucumber and pumpkin, apple and carrot, and corn kernels from a jar. They and other fish will be grateful to you for scalded leaves of nettle, spinach, and lettuce. Most people will be happy with squid and shrimp meat, as well as oyster and mussel meat. sea ​​fish and large cichlids. The attention of most will be drawn to scraped turkey or chicken meat. But beef meat is not very suitable for feeding fish, the fact is that the protein contained in it is absorbed by the fish only by three percent, the rest begins to decompose and spoil the water! Also not very suitable white bread, it is better to offer the fish semolina or oatmeal. Very good for fry good food- This is boiled mashed egg yolk. But you need to be careful: it is given in small portions, and this food also pollutes the water!

Fish in an aquarium, for the most part, have a completely different diet than their wild relatives living in nature, so the main task for the aquarist is to provide their pets with balanced food. It is recommended to use commercial foods purchased at a pet store or online. They are safer, easier to store and use than live products, such as daphnia or bloodworms, caught from the nearest pond.

Based on the main component of the food taken by certain fish, they are conventionally divided into three groups: herbivores (herbivores), carnivores (predatory) and omnivores. Manufacturers use approximately the same principle to make their food.

Omnivores

They eat everything they can swallow; the daily diet can include both plant components and animal products

Carnivores

They feed on insects, their larvae, small crustaceans, worms and other invertebrates. If it is a predator, then other fish

Fishes not only prefer various products, but also consume them in their own way. True predators hunt for prey. “Vegetarians” graze peacefully on leaves, snags or at the bottom, where catfish and other bottom inhabitants collect pieces of food. By region/places of food intake, three groups can be distinguished: those that feed at the surface, throughout the entire volume, or at the bottom, on the lower tier.

Important! Any aquarist needs to know what and where your fish eats in order to choose suitable type food. For example, some catfish will never come to the surface in search of food, and predators will not accept dry flakes or granules.

Kinds/types of feed

The choice of food for aquarium fish is huge. There are a large number of manufacturers on the market producing the most variety of products, in almost all price categories. This industry is no worse developed than for cats and dogs. Usually isolated the following types or types of feed.

Flakes / Granules are the most popular and varied type of food, which are particles of a dried mixture in the form of flakes, granules, powder (for fry), tablets, sticks, etc. They are supplied in a variety of packages. Typically stored at room temperature.

Fresh frozen- frozen fresh invertebrates, zooplankton, such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia, etc., or minced meat from the same products. Supplied in vacuum blister packs, tubes, boxes, bags. Stored in the freezer or refrigerator.

Gels - are a paste-like substance in tubes, similar in appearance to toothpaste or cream. Manufacturers position such foods as an alternative to frozen ones, having similar nutritional value, but at the same time they differ favorably in that an opened tube can be stored at room temperature for a long time.

Weekend food— designed for those who leave the aquarium for a long time, for example, going away for a weekend or a short vacation. The food is mixed with a special water-soluble substance, which is shaped into a ball, pyramid, stick, etc. It is placed on the bottom or attached to the side glass. As the food dissolves, it is gradually released, providing the fish with food. It lasts from several days to a week.

Fresh vegetable- some herbivorous fish, such as and, need them. Green vegetables and fruits are usually used. For example, pieces of cucumber, apple, peeled zucchini, blanched spinach, peas, etc.

How much and how often to feed the fish

The question is not as simple as it seems. The most common and generalized option is

2-3 times a day in an amount eaten in about 5 minutes.

However, there are many nuances associated with specific types of fish. For example, some herbivores feed almost continuously and need constant access to food. In their case, it is advisable to stimulate the growth of algae or place pieces of green vegetables and fruits at the bottom. Predators, on the contrary, feed rarely, but take in large amounts of food at one time. Behavioral traits also play a role. Some species are overly active during feeding and will not allow fish that are too timid and/or slow to approach the feeder. Others feed exclusively at night or at dusk, hiding in shelters during the day; therefore, for them, food must be served before turning off the lights.

Important! It is always worth remembering that it is better to underfeed than to overfeed, since all uneaten food remains will become a source of water contamination.

When keeping fish in one aquarium that have different ways nutrition, it is important to ensure that all pets receive the required portion of food. Otherwise, there is a high risk of malnutrition, which can ultimately lead to health problems or even death from exhaustion. Fortunately, there are many commercially available products to suit the dietary needs of all fish species. The main thing is to choose correctly.

What should you not feed your fish?

Very often there is information that bread, cookies, cheese, egg products, etc. can be used as alternative food. However, this is a misconception; under no circumstances should they be fed to fish. The source of this information is old literature on aquarium husbandry, which is often copied by some printed publications and Internet sites. It is possible that in earlier times, when food chemical industry was not developed, such products could indeed be used, but at present it is not worth doing this. The composition of modern food products is very extensive and a number of ingredients are potentially hazardous to the health of fish.

Dry food for aquarium fish is a substitute for live and plant food if you do not have the time and ability to prepare food. Modern dry food is presented in various forms, and each of them is suitable for a specific type of fish. Dry food for aquarium fish is sold in the following forms: in the form of tablets, flakes, chips, sticks, granules, microfeeds, liquid feed. What is the best food to choose to keep your fish fed and healthy?

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Nutrition in the form of tablets

Tablets and tablet forms are food that gradually sinks in water and falls to the bottom. It is better to give them to bottom fish that live in the lower layers of water and other aquatic organisms (shrimp, snails). When the tablets fall into the aquarium water, they do not remain on the surface, but immediately go to the bottom, so other fish will not take it away. Consequently, bottom-dwelling pets will not remain hungry.

Tablet types of food are a large and dense substance, which is why the fish is not able to swallow such food completely. She will have to bite off bit by bit, or grind off. The tablets consist of natural ingredients and vitamin complexes. If you are leaving home for several days, a few large tablets will form the main diet for your fish. The food will stick to the wall of the aquarium, the fish will gather around it, and will bite off a piece as often as they need.

It is generally accepted that dry foods spoil aquarium water, and this opinion also applies to tablets. The only disadvantage of such food is that fish that swim in the upper layers of water will not be able to feast on it. If you have a species aquarium with exclusively bottom-dwelling fish, then such feeding will always come in handy. Another point is that the tablets seep heavily into the coarse soil, so it will be impossible to get it out even with a siphon.

See how to feed aquarium catfish with food in tablet form.

Food in the form of flakes and chips

The flakes are fragile in structure, so they quickly get wet and fall apart. This food can be fed to all types of fish, but not large ones. Perfect for fish with an upper mouth that takes food from the surface. Some of this food will settle on the bottom, so it will also reach the bottom fish.

Cereals and chips do not have much nutritional value because they contain high concentrations of agar, gelatin and gluten. Such feed leads to cloudiness and contamination of water. It gradually decomposes and breaks up into microparticles that settle on the bottom, plants, and filter. For this reason, feeding such food should not occur too often, but only in exceptional cases (during the fish owner’s vacation).

Chips have a similar texture to cereal, but they have fewer defects. Their structure is more dense and does not disintegrate as quickly. It gets wet slowly, so small fish won’t be able to enjoy it as they should. Chips can easily be eaten by large aquatic organisms that can grab a large piece of food.

See how to properly feed aquarium fish with dry food.

Feeding in the form of sticks, granules and microfeed

The sticks are a granular substance that is smaller in size than flakes. However, there are many types of granules that are suitable for fish certain type and sizes. There are two types of granulated food - floating and sinking. In granules high density, due to which they slowly disintegrate, and you can promptly remove the excess portion from the aquarium without overfeeding your pets.

There are expensive and cheap sticks for feeding fish. It is better to buy expensive food because it is not so harmful digestive tract fish. In cheap food, the shell is digested, and the rest of the contents gradually rot, causing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract of pets. Another feature of granules is that they expand several times in water. It turns out that the fish eats a portion of food, and after that it will begin to increase in its stomach, causing fermentation.

If you notice that after feeding such food the fish has become bloated, lost coordination, hung upside down, and has inflammation in the anus, this is obvious symptom gastrointestinal disorders. If you feed your pets little by little and not so often, problems can be avoided. Once a week, give the fish a fasting day and create an optimal menu.

Dry microfeeds are small food particles ground into dust. Excellent for young animals and fry. Adults and large fish they simply won’t see microfeed. His main drawback– it quickly pollutes the water, so watch the dosage and avoid overfeeding. It is not a complete replacement for live dust. If you want to raise healthy fry, feed them live, natural food. Liquid microfeed can be used to feed fry. They contain artemia proteins, egg yolks, vitamin complexes. Grains of such food float in the water column, and the cubs take it from time to time. Liquid microfeed also spoils water.