Feeding Fish 101

The best part of owning an aquarium is feeding the fish, because it is the main form of interaction that you will have with your fun aquatic pets. But, you ask, how hard is it to feed fish? I am not saying that it is difficult to do the actual feeding part, but you do need to follow a few guidelines to best satisfy your fishes appetite.

First of all keep in mind that when feeding fish, no matter what species they are, they are always hungry. Fish can easily eat themselves to death if they were allowed, which is why you have to dictate when and how much they are allowed to eat.

Thus, it is recommend to feed fish only once a day. They do not need a breakfast, lunch and dinner nor do they need treats like the family dog. It is better to set a specific time in the day that is convenient to your schedule and stick to it.

But, how much do I feed them you ask? Well, this depends on the number of fish in your tank and the type. Larger fish will require a larger feeding portion while the smaller fish will need smaller portions. It is a general rule to feed your fish enough food that they can eat in less than five minutes.

Also, another aspect of fish food is variety! How would you like to be feed the same substance for years? Well, the same goes for our beloved aquatic pets. Try to spice up their diets by changing their food type from day to day. For instance, my puffer gets shrimp on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The other days are vitamins, fresh live food and frozen fresh food.

The food to never or rarely ever feed your fish are feeder fish. Feeder fish are very unhealthy and do not provide the nutrients that your fish will need. A large reason that large carnivore fish do not live as long as they should is due to vitamin deficiency, liver problems, and usually catch disease from the unhealthy feeder fish. I would never suggest feeding any carnivore fish feeder fish.

My last point is that your aquatic pet does not have to eat everyday, it is actually better for them so skip one day a week to allow for their digestive systems digest. Thus, a three day vacation without feeding the fish will not hurt them one little bit.

Now that you have some guidelines regarding feeding your fish, you can continue with the best part of having aquatic pets, feeding them!