Nutrition of aquarium fish and types of food. Recommendations for feeding aquarium fish Good food for aquarium fish

Very often in pet stores, aquarium fish sellers hear questions about how and what to feed them. However, the issue of feeding fish is not so simple at first glance, since it is necessary to know exactly the dosage of food per meal.

Proper feeding of the fish will be the key to their health and you will get great pleasure from watching them in the aquarium. Today we will try to outline in detail the basics of proper feeding of aquarium fish.

What to feed aquarium fish at home

Existing food for aquarium fish is divided into the following varieties: frozen, branded, live and plant-based. Keeping these pets requires the use of all varieties in the diet, as the appearance and health of your pets will depend on it.

However, some types of fish eat only live food, while others eat exclusively plant food. For common species, the best diet is one with the following components: branded food, constant feeding with live foods and periodic feeding with plant foods.

How to feed dry food correctly

One of the most common mistakes among aquarists is feeding exclusively dry food (Figure 1). At the sight of such a product, a hungry individual quickly attacks it and swallows it, which subsequently leads to rotting of the food in the stomach. And although a small amount of the dry product is still absorbed, most of it remains in the water and changes its chemical composition.

Note: Prolonged feeding of dry substances causes rapid contamination of the water. Also, with water spoilage, various harmful organisms begin to develop. Modern branded dry products contain a large number of essential nutrients, but they must be used very carefully.

The second common mistake is a monotonous feeding diet. Very often, novice aquarium owners give their pets the same food day after day, which is wrong. Now on the market there are many different types of dry food. They must be systematically alternated and correctly combined. Also, do not forget that fish are mainly predators and only a small number of species feed exclusively on plant foods.

Live food

Live food is very popular with fish and is considered one of the best. However, there is no need to feed the same type on a constant basis, since fish need a varied diet. The most common types of live food are: bloodworms, tubifex and coretra (Figure 2). However, it has the following disadvantages:

• Diseases can be introduced into the aquarium;
• Poison pets with a low-quality product;
• It is not recommended to carry out very frequent feedings of bloodworms, since they are poorly digested.

The simplest and most accessible disinfection for any aquarist is freezing, which can destroy some of the pathological microorganisms in it.

During spawning, live food is very necessary for fish. After receiving a good portion of any type of live food, individuals are more willing to spawn. Fry raised on such a diet are distinguished by good health and strong immunity in the future.

Note: Today there is a lot of information about the dangers of the tubifex, but these data are greatly exaggerated. The tubifex can be cleaned by washing 2-3 times a day for one week. After it has acquired a pink tint, it can be fed.

The tubifex can be stored in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf, but it should be placed in a container with low sides and a small amount of water, which must be changed daily. Bloodworms should be stored between two napkins placed in a phyto cuvette.

Frozen food

Very often, for people, the sight of live food in the refrigerator causes not very pleasant sensations and emotions. An alternative solution to this problem is frozen foods. They have the following positive aspects (Figure 3):

• Very easy to dose;
• Easy to store;
• Do not spoil;
• The composition is the same as that of live food.

Plant food

For most existing species of aquarium pets, plant food is desirable in the diet, but at the same time, it is difficult to find an individual that has never eaten plants (Figure 4). The only exceptions are predatory species.

Note: What type of food is needed for your pets can always be checked with sellers in specialized stores. Herbal products may be in the form of tablets or flakes, and may also be branded.

Cereals can be used as a vegetable element of the diet, but before direct use they must be poured with boiling water and cooled. Many representatives of catfish, carp and cichlids eat semolina with great delight.

What do different types of fish eat?

Absolutely all fish differ from each other in the food they eat and their behavior during feeding. Predatory fish species can set up some kind of ambush when hunting their prey or freeze in anticipation of approaching prey. However, other predators may pursue their prey in the desire to overtake and capture the prey.

Herbivorous species primarily feed on living or decaying plant tissue. Aquarium fish get food by biting off parts of plants or can swallow them whole. However, among herbivorous fish there are species that eat only algae.

Herbivores

Herbivorous species have a long digestive tract. Its presence confirms the need for frequent feedings, but in small portions. The diet of such breeds when kept in a natural environment consists of various algae, particles of fruit, plants and seeds (Figure 5).

It is precisely because of physiological characteristics that you need to know exactly how many times a day to feed herbivores, depending on their type and size.

Carnivores

Carnivores have a characteristic large stomach, which indicates that food intake occurs in large quantities and infrequently (Figure 6). When kept in their natural habitat, carnivorous fish can feed on live or dead small animals, birds, insects, invertebrates and amphibians.

Omnivores

The name omnivore speaks for itself, since such species can eat both plants and live food. For each individual variety, it is necessary to select a separate food product, and in such matters qualified specialists in pet stores come to the rescue.

Feeding aquarium fish: how many times a day

Beginning aquarists very often overfeed their pets, which has negative consequences. This most often leads to water contamination, which can cause the death of the inhabitants of the aquarium or cause them to become stressed. The harmful consequences that arise boil down to the following aspects:

So, how often should you feed your aquarium fish? At one meal, they need to be given as much food as they can eat in approximately five minutes. If excess food gets in, it must be removed before decomposition begins in the water space.

A very large number of fish and fry in nature feed continuously, for this reason it is recommended to feed them several times a day in small portions. Maintaining a large aquarium with a variety of aquatic inhabitants will require feeding them 2-3 times a day. An exception to such feeding will be representatives of predatory fish, for which 2-3 meals a day will be enough for one week. When predators are full, they may ignore new food.

From the video you will learn how to prepare semolina porridge for fish.

How long can you not feed aquarium fish?

The need of aquarists for a summer vacation reflects a person’s natural desire to rest during the entire working year. However, during such periods the aquarium must be left unattended.

Note: A properly equipped aquarium can survive without human intervention for a certain period of time. Aquarium fish are very hardy creatures and can easily withstand a temporary lack of food.

Before leaving for a long period of time, you should not purchase new fish and plants (to avoid infection of the water area), fry and other small individuals. It is also worth reducing the dosage of food given and completely eliminating foods that pollute water from the diet. The fish will eat only the portion they need, and the remainder will begin to spoil the quality of the water. It is imperative to clean all aquarium equipment and refresh the water by replacing 1/3 of the total volume. It is not recommended to leave sick fish for a long time in a community aquarium.

Under such conditions, the fish can remain without feeding for 7-10 days, depending on the species.

What to feed aquarium fish if there is no food

There are times in life when you suddenly run out of special food and you need to look for an urgent solution to the problem. However, there are ways to feed your pets by using the following tips (Figure 7):

• Earthworms: Large aquarium specimens are very willing to eat earthworms, but they must be thoroughly washed and crushed before dispensing. You should give the fish only the amount they need to completely satisfy their hunger.
• Raw meat without streaks of fat can be eaten in the absence of live food. Raw meat should be scraped off with a knife and given to aquarium pets only in this form.
• Cereals, especially buckwheat or semolina, as well as wheat porridge, are very readily eaten by all types of carp and labyrinth fish. However, such products should only be given as a last resort. The cereal must be boiled until it becomes a thick porridge, then rinsed under a stream of cold water and only after all the mucus has disappeared, strain through a sieve. You can store it in any cool place.
• Non-live food. This includes: dried daphnia, egg yolk, bloodworms (cut, dried and frozen), raw or dried meat, porridge, etc. Such feeds must be used with extreme caution, as they quickly decompose and begin to spoil the water.

Is it possible to feed aquarium fish with bread?

All aquarists know that each type of fish needs special food. However, aquarium pets need carbohydrates and proteins. To correctly compile a feeding diet, consultations with experienced sellers in pet stores are necessary.

When it gets into water, the bread gets wet very quickly and begins to sour, which causes unpleasant smelling water. It will be possible to get rid of such a smell only after completely replacing the water space of the aquarium. For this reason, using bread as fish food is not recommended.

Content:

Food for aquarium fish is the most important condition for keeping your pets. The health of the fish, their resistance to disease, appearance, and proper development of the fry depend on the quality, nutritional value and variety of food, and how much you feed at a time. Many demanding species require special food designed specifically for them.

Of course, fish can survive on a monotonous diet, but their health will then be at risk.

In order to correctly create a diet for your pets, you need to understand the composition and usefulness of food for fish, and imagine how much food they need at one time.

Food for aquarium fish can be divided into two main categories: food with long shelf life (artificial - dry or jelly) and food with a limited shelf life (live).

Artificial feed

They are the most versatile and varied; you can choose a convenient format for adult fish and fry, predators and herbivores. Easy storage possible. It is permissible to keep a large supply of dry food at once. Modern technologies make it possible to make such food as nutritious as possible, enriched with vitamins, and at the same time not polluting water.

Dry food for aquarium fish is produced in different forms; fish with different habitats feed on it (bottom-dwelling, living in the middle layer or near the surface).

Dry food is divided into basic food, which makes up the majority of the fish’s diet, and auxiliary food, which allows you to properly enrich the diet with various types of vitamins and fiber or enhance the nutrition of fish that receive less food due to their habitat (for example, bottom food).

Basic

• Flakes are the most universal form of food that feeds all categories of aquarium fish, an excellent food for every day. The flakes partly float on the surface, partly sink to the bottom, becoming accessible to the inhabitants of the home pond in all layers of water. Today there is a huge variety of such food available. Tetra food with various vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as Sera Vipan food, are very popular and varied.
• Granules - different diameters of granules are designed for different sizes of fish, from large to fry. Food of this form slowly sinks to the bottom and is also suitable for all categories of fish, including bottom fish. Especially delicate fish that are prone to diseases of the digestive system or have suffered from an illness may have to soak such food - it is dry and dense; if swallowed hastily, it can damage a weakened stomach. Such foods (for example, Sera Vipagran) are very nutritious. You can feed your pets every day.
• Chips - the low-temperature processing of such food makes them the most nutritious of all, allowing you to preserve the maximum nutrients and vitamins. Chips are suitable for all types of ornamental fish and do not pollute the water. Examples: TetraMin Pro Crisps from Tetra, several varieties of Sera food. The food in this form is also suitable for daily use.

Auxiliary

Foods in this category are usually not basic - they are treats or food for fish, or enrichment of the diet with additional nutrients. How much and how often to use such food depends on your goals.

• Sticks are a dense, nutritious food, especially recommended for large fish that require an enhanced diet. Active and large fish, such as cichlids or barbs, feed well on chopsticks. Sometimes the sticks require soaking - fish from greed can injure their digestive organs. They have proven themselves to be excellent supplementary nutrition. Categorically not suitable for fry.
• Tablets and plates - food of this form is heavy and dense, they quickly sink to the bottom, so they are perfect for the diet of bottom-dwelling fish. There are also plant plates. It is also better to feed especially shy fish or those whose more aggressive neighbors do not have the opportunity to eat common food with such food. Tablets and tablets are convenient to use with cereals or chips. The stores offer excellent food of this form from Sera.
• Jelly is a food made from natural ingredients that is remarkable in its nutritional qualities. Made without preservatives, storage - up to two years without observing temperature conditions. It contains the crustaceans daphnia, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae and krill, special fat and vitamin supplements. An excellent additional food for fish that need to strengthen their diet - fry that are in a period of increased growth or fish that are recovering from an illness.

Special purpose feed

Suitable for a certain type of fish, special purposes (enhancement of color, proper growth of fry, spawning period, etc.) or non-standard conditions of detention (for example, during the absence of owners for several days).

• Color enhancing foods are good for enhancing the appearance of brightly colored fish. Typically, the results of using such food appear within 10-15 days. The composition includes special substances - carotenoids - that have a positive effect on the brightness of the color (especially red, yellow and orange shades). Of those available for sale, this is Tetra “Ruby”, Sera San.
• Food for herbivorous fish - have an enhanced plant component (usually algae). Plant fiber is important for the diet of many fish; this food is especially necessary if your aquarium is deficient in algae or tender plants. On sale you can find, for example, Sera GranuGreen - for herbivorous cichlids.
• Food for different types of fish - fighting fish, discus or some breeds of cichlids - require a special diet. They produce their own varieties of food, made taking into account the size and needs of the fish. In stores you can find food for cichlids from Tetra - Cichlid Sticks (in the form of sticks), Sera Cichlids Sticks and Sera Granuar, for bettas - Sera Bettagran, Tetra Goldfish Food and Sera Goldy - for goldfish and many others.
• There are also foods designed to provide fish with a complete diet during the absence of their owners, without overfeeding them. They come in different shapes (for example, sticks from Tetra Weekend), but, as a rule, they are hard and dense, take a long time to soak, and have a reduced fat content. Usually, an exact calculation of how much to feed such food is not required.

Natural food - live and frozen

Aquarium pets can live on artificial food. But no matter how good dry food is, live, natural components of the diet are simply necessary for fish, especially predatory ones. In terms of its nutritional value, live food is better than artificial food; it has no analogues. This diet is the most appropriate for fish. This is an ideal food for predators, convalescent or spawning fish.

However, with all the advantages, live food also has a couple of serious disadvantages. Firstly, storage is inconvenient and short-lived, which means food needs to be purchased frequently and in small portions. The opportunity to purchase is not always available. Therefore, if you are calculating how much live food you should buy, proceed from the number of fish and their appetite.

But most importantly, live or frozen food always carries the risk of introducing some kind of infection into the aquarium. Such food should be purchased exclusively from trusted sellers, and washed thoroughly before giving it to the fish.

• Bloodworms are the most popular and healthy live food, suitable for all types of ornamental fish and are very popular with all types. Suitable for bottom fish. A living bloodworm looks like a moving mass of bright red color. It is mined in country reservoirs and canals with a small current. It is important that the water where the bloodworms are obtained is not contaminated with pesticides - this will certainly affect the fish. Therefore, you should only buy food from a trusted seller. Bloodworms can be kept in a cool place for several days by placing them in a container with a damp cloth and periodically rinsing them with cool water. Longer storage periods require freezing.
• Tubifex - looks like brownish lumps consisting of long thin worms. The tubifex can live for quite a long time - several weeks. This is a fatty food, it is important not to overfeed the fish with it. Good for bottom fish. The tubifex is mined in sewers, so it may have an unpleasant odor. In addition, this type of food tends to accumulate harmful substances - it is important to know where it was obtained. The tubifex is stored in a flat, closed container at a temperature not exceeding 10 degrees, adding water to the bottom of the container and washing twice a day. It can be dried and frozen, but this is usually not necessary.
• Crustaceans – daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp (“live dust”). Excellent food, small and nutritious, indispensable for feeding fry, suitable for feeding every day, enhancing the brightness of the color of ornamental fish, but not suitable for all bottom-dwelling fish. Live crustaceans are caught in the warm season and sold in water. They should be stored in containers with water - however, the concentration of live food in the container should not be very high. If the crustaceans are crowded, they will suffocate. Before feeding the fish, the crustaceans are washed in a tight net. Unfortunately, these creatures can only be obtained alive in the summer, and storage is possible only in dry form. During the cold season, there are no live daphnia for sale.

When using live food, do not forget a few important rules:

1. If you store food frozen, it is better to defrost the required portion before feeding, otherwise the fish may injure their stomach.
2. If the bloodworm or tubifex is too large for your fish (small, juveniles or fry), they need to be cut with a razor, but be sure to drain the blood before introducing it into the aquarium, otherwise you will provoke a bacteriological explosion in the water.

Of course, it would be useful to feed fish, especially fry, with live food every day, but not all aquarists can afford to do this often. And pets spoiled with natural food then have a hard time getting accustomed to artificial food.

And the most important: It is better to underfeed fish than to overfeed them!!! Why is this so? It was found that to meet all the needs of an adult fish, it is enough to eat 2-3% (maximum 5%) of its weight per day! Having eaten “a little extra” in nature, fish have the opportunity to “lose excess weight” through exercise. In an aquarium, their mobility is limited; they do not have to spend energy on saving themselves from predators or searching for and obtaining food. So it turns out that overfeeding quickly leads to obesity, metabolic disorders and internal organs. Fish that constantly overeat lose their ability to reproduce and are more susceptible to disease. Rotting remains of uneaten food can spoil the water and cause illness or even death of fish.

How to avoid this? Feed 1 (2 times - when keeping demanding fish species) a day in small portions, so that the fish eat all the food in 2-3 minutes (and it is enough to feed adult goldfish through day!!!). It will be useful to agree in advance exactly who in your home or office will do this, otherwise the fish will receive a dozen lunches one day, and none the next. Once a week it’s a good idea to have a fasting day and not feed the fish at all (if the aquarium is in the office, then you can even have a fasting weekend)!

Fish, like other cold-blooded animals, do not need to constantly spend energy warming up their own bodies, so they can withstand hunger strikes more easily than you and I. Aquarium fish die much more often from overfeeding than from lack of nutrition. Most of them can easily tolerate even a two-week fast!

Rule two

It is no less important: food should be varied! Surely it wouldn’t occur to you to eat only cucumbers or, say, pasta? In nature, the menu of most popular aquarium inhabitants includes various invertebrates (insect larvae, worms, crustaceans), and plants, juveniles and eggs of other fish... So you should not count on the fact that your fish will be bright and healthy if you feed them one dried daphnia! Of course, among the fish there are also specialists, for example, many catfish (ancistrus, pterygoplichts, etc.) consider the top soft layer of wood on driftwood to be the best delicacy, piranhas and other predators will prefer live fish, and tetradons prefer snails. But even such fish can and should alternate between different types of food (for example, catfish, in addition to snags, perfectly eat any plant food, and will not refuse bloodworms). To make sure your fish are getting all the nutrients and vitamins they need, use fish-specific vitamin supplements, which can usually be added to both food and water.

Rule three

To each his own, or there is no arguing about tastes! Find out in advance how and what the fish you like eat eat: are they predators or vegetarians, do they pick up food from the bottom, grab it from the surface or catch it in the water column. This will help in choosing food. In addition, it is very important that the food pieces are suitable for the size of your pets' mouth. In fact, a fish is unlikely to be happy with even the most delicious delicacy if it cannot see it or, conversely, swallow it!

Special cases

Special cases are: feeding fry and young fish, feeding sick and recovering fish, feeding fish preparing for spawning. The fry are fed 5-6 times a day, i.e. as often as possible, but in SMALL portions. During the period of active growth, the fry must eat up to 100% of its weight per day; it cannot cope with this at one time. And of course, the juveniles are not given any fasting days! Sick fish are often not fed at all, because fish usually lose their appetite during illness, but during the recovery period you need to be very careful when choosing food and do not forget about vitamins! Fish preparing for spawning are often fed abundantly and variedly with live food (information on preparation for spawning can be found in specialized literature).

2. Types of feed

Now let's talk a little about what types of food are

Artificial dry food

Currently, the choice of such feed is huge. Their quality is also at a fairly high level; Balanced in composition and containing many essential substances (some types of food combine 3-4 dozen plant and animal components), such food can satisfy the needs of almost all popular types of aquarium fish. When choosing food, pay attention to the manufacturer of the product, the shelf life of the food, its composition and what group of fish it is suitable for.

Please note that the information provided by artificial food manufacturers is not enough to evaluate and compare them. Until now, the main criteria when choosing food remain the authority of the manufacturer and application practice. The Aqua Logo company is the official supplier of the world leaders in the production of food for aquarium fish - Tetra, Sera and Hagen. In addition, from us you can purchase food from other brands popular in Russia (Aqua Medic, Dennerle, JBL, Tropic Marin).

Feeds for different groups of fish differ in composition, size and shape of particles; they can sink (tablets and some granules) or float for a relatively long time in the aquarium (flakes and chips, floating sticks).

Let's look at the feeding habits of some common groups of aquarium fish.

Let's start with the favorites of many aquarists goldfish .
Their diet (as well as the diet of other cold-water fish) should contain much less protein than food for tropical fish and more plant content. In addition, it is good if their food contains carotenoids - natural substances that increase the brightness of color. Brands that best meet these requirements Tetra Goldfish(the special formula of this food ensures health and increases the life expectancy of fish), Tetra Goldfish Color (balanced food Goldfish Color ensures the brightness of the color of goldfish, it contains an optimal set of vitamins and microelements for this type of fish, which improve health and give energy to pets),
Tetra Goldfish Granules (food suitable for all types of cold-water fish, including
including gold ones, four different types of food are combined in one package: there are chips with high nutritional value and the required protein level, granules that provide bright coloring of fish, flakes that provide balanced nutrition), Tetra Goldfish Pro (about The optimized protein to fat ratio of this food ensures better absorption of nutrients and guarantees an improved digestive process, used to reduce water pollution and therefore algae growth, the yellow center contains krill to enhance natural coloring and support muscle development, in red The rim contains nutritional elements, Omega-3 fatty acids ensure healthy growth, the food contains shrimp for improved taste), there is a line of food for goldfish from Hagen Fluval and food from other manufacturers.

For cold water fish kept in ponds(koi carp, goldfish, sturgeon, etc.) special feeds are also produced, for example, a line of feeds TetraPond.

There are separate types of food for fish such as cockerels(Tetra Betta, JBL Novo Betta, SERA BETTAGRAN, Dennerle Labyrinth, Dennerle Betta Booster), guppy(Tetra Guppy, Tetra Guppy Color, JBL NovoBea), red parrots(Tetra RedParrot, Sera RED PARROT), Malawian cichlids(TetraCichlid Sticks, Fluval, JBL NovoMalawi, JBL NovoRift). The composition of these feeds is selected taking into account the food specialization of different fish species. Thus, food for red parrots contains special substances that keep the color of these fish bright and rich.

It is also worth remembering fish whose diet naturally contains many plant components, for example, mollies, swordtails, platies, labeos, and some cichlids. There are special ones for them feed with a high content of plant fibers eg TetraPhyll, JBL GoldPearls, Sera FLORA, Fluval. Such foods may include spinach, as well as spirulina or other algae.

Picky and gentle discus They need food that not only enhances color, but also contains easily digestible protein and many vitamins (for example, Tetra Discus Pro, JBL GranaDiscus Click, Sera).

For bottom fish(various types of catfish, bots), shrimp and crayfish, there is food in the form of sinking tablets, which cannot be immediately chewed by the rest of the inhabitants of the aquarium. Often in such feeds the content of plant fibers and spirulina is increased, which corresponds to the tastes of bottom inhabitants (Sera Vipachips, Prodac ALGAE WAFER, Tetra TABLETS TABIMIN, Tetra WAFER MIX, Tetra PLECO TABLETS).

To enhance the brightness of colors and red, orange and yellow fish (or those that have spots and stripes of such colors), for example, swordtails, platies, guppies, Sumatran and fire barbs, red neons, etc., we can recommend foods such as TetraRubin, TetraPro Color Crisps, JBL NovoGrano Color, Sera KOI ROYAL. They contain natural carotenoids, which affect the color.

For fry and growing juveniles There are special foods that contain all the substances necessary for growth (for example, TetraMin Baby, TetraMin Mini, Tetra Tetramin Junior, Sera micron, JBL NovoBaby).

Many dry foods come in sinking kibble and floating flake forms. How to find out what suits your fish? - look at their mouth!

Upper mouth fish prefer food floating on the surface. Above - Aplocheilus lineatus(lineatus, pike) At the bottom - Altolamprologus compressiceps	It is more convenient for fish with a terminal mouth to collect food in the water column. Both floating flakes and sinking granules are suitable for them. Above - Apistogramma cacatuoides At the bottom - Heros sp.	Fish with a lower mouth prefer to collect food from the bottom.

When buying food, remember that an opened jar should be stored for no more than 2-6 months, otherwise the feed oxidizes and some of the substances included in its composition, primarily vitamins, are destroyed. So it’s better to buy a jar of a size that your fish will “eat” in the specified time. If you still feed the fish with food that has been open for a long time, add some vitamins to it: it won’t get any worse in any case.

Natural food

Use live food with caution. After all, it comes to pet stores, and therefore to our aquariums, from natural reservoirs. That is, there is a danger of bringing pathogens of fish diseases into the aquarium along with it; in addition, many bottom-dwelling invertebrates (for example, bloodworms and tubifex worms) can accumulate various harmful substances if they live in places where industrial waste flows. When buying such food, ask the seller where it comes from. And before feeding it, it must be washed more than once!!!

Some aquarists, when purchasing live food, freeze it in the freezer, thus killing possible pathogens. It is more convenient to purchase frozen food in the store. Our company offers frozen food brands Aqua Logo for any fish - predatory and herbivorous, marine and freshwater. The food is packaged in blisters - plastic containers with many small cells covered with foil. This food is easy to use and easy to store: it won’t spoil for months in the freezer!

Sometimes some particularly picky fish eat exclusively live food; they have to be gradually retrained to eat dry or frozen food. One of the most valuable and favorite types of live food for fish is bloodworms. Koretra is somewhat inferior to it in popularity; it is well suited for those fish that do not take food from the bottom. Cyclops is a very valuable type of food; it contains many vitamins, especially a lot of vitamin A and carotene, which make the color of the fish brighter. Tubifex is a very high-calorie and fatty food, often leads to obesity, and can accumulate large amounts of harmful substances, for example, heavy metals. Therefore, before feeding your pets a live tubifex, keep the worms for 4-7 days in a shallow tray with cool water with daily rinsing in cold running water (even better, of course, is to give the tubifex “constant” washing). Daphnia is rich in ballast substances that improve digestion; it is especially good to alternate it with protein-rich foods such as tubifex or bloodworms. Artemia larvae, ciliates and rotifers are often used in feeding fry.

Other types of aquarium fish are often used to feed predators: guppies, zebrafish, and young goldfish. You should not use fish caught independently in natural reservoirs; it may contain pathogens of dangerous diseases.

In addition to frozen food, you can please your pets with gelled food ( Tetra Freshdelica), which manages to preserve more vitamins and nutrients.

Food from your table and more

It turns out that fish are not at all against diversifying their diet with human food! For example, catfish, shrimp, ampularia snails will thank you for pieces of pumpkin and cucumber, carrots and apples, corn kernels (without juice, of course!) from a jar. They and many other fish will enjoy scalded leaves of lettuce, spinach, and nettle. Shrimp and squid meat, as well as mussel and oyster meat, will be enjoyed by many large cichlids and sea fish. Beef heart is not very suitable for feeding fish, the fact is that the protein contained in it is absorbed by fish only 3%, the rest decomposes and spoils the water! White bread is also not very suitable; in extreme cases, it is better to offer the fish some oatmeal or semolina. For fry, mashed boiled egg yolk is a very good food. But Be careful: you need to give it in very small portions, this food also pollutes the water a lot!

Vitamin supplements.

Here is a description of the most commonly found vitamin supplements for aquarium fish in stores.

The vitamins and plant extracts in JBL Acclimol help acclimatize fish to their new aquarium environment without stress or other problems. Adds beneficial natural substances to aquarium water, reduces stress when introducing new fish into the aquarium, reduces the risk of disease and ensures stress-free transport of live fish. It is used when adding new fish to the aquarium, after working in the aquarium and during transportation of fish.

contains a complex of vitamins that provides fish with all the necessary microelements. The complex includes minerals that are absent in tap water or consumed in the aquarium during life, such as iron, zinc, manganese, molybdenum and lithium. Ideal for adding trace elements to osmosis water. Does not increase overall or carbonate hardness.
Dennerle Elements+ prevents micronutrient and vitamin deficiencies and diseases associated with these deficiencies. Suitable for all fish in a freshwater aquarium.

Directions for use and dosage: 25 ml packaging per 800 liters of aquarium water.

Usual dosage: for regular replenishment of spent microelements - once a week, 2 presses of the measuring pump - dispenser (3 ml) per 100 liters of aquarium water.

If you are traveling for no more than a month, do not rush to ask your neighbors to feed your pets. Unfortunately, many people lack a sense of proportion - they often overfeed the fish remaining in their care and can destroy them out of the kindness of their hearts. Now there is a fairly large selection of food for feeding fish for several days (up to 9-10) without an owner, for example, Tetra Holiday, it is easily dosed, does not pollute the water and will protect your pets from overeating. In addition, you can install an automatic feeder while you are away, which will give your pets a certain amount of dry food several times a day.

Aqua Logo

Maria Tiunova

Alexey Abdullin

Aquarium fish are not just decoration for a bedroom or living room. Children and many adults simply keep them as pets. In order for the fish to be healthy and feel good, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for them that are as close to natural as possible. 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 the already short life of aquarium fish can be greatly shortened if the diet is incorrectly prepared. 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 all aspects of the normal functioning of a pet's body. 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 their natural habitat. You can add other nutritional elements to the fertilizer, primarily this concerns beneficial 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 flour . This ingredient has nothing in common with wheat or rye flour - fish meal is made from the crushed remains of fish of various 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. Healthy for their high protein, fat and vitamin D content.
• Squid meal. It is made from the remains of squids and other cephalopods, as well as from their internal organs. Saturated with a large number of 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 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 it is added to dry food, it will not cause visible damage, but it is better to find a more suitable source of protein and avoid using soy flour.

In addition to these elements, fish food must include minerals and vitamins that can have a beneficial effect on the fish body. 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 conditionally divided into herbivores, omnivores and highly specialized ones. There are also purely decorative rocks that 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. They come in a variety of sizes, since depending on the breed of fish they have different structures of the 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 types of fish require an individual approach to their diet. For example, goldfish can only be fed with special food intended for this very breed. The peculiarity of their internal structure is the absence of a stomach and the presence of an overly long intestine, which is why their main food should be products of 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 nutrients and their main task is to relieve the digestive system and give it a break from regular stress. 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 food, different types of natural minerals and vitamins are added to it. The main disadvantage is the short shelf life - 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 the low energy value of 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 is 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 all the time - in the cold, a significant part of the beneficial properties is lost. 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 start 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 the aquarium water. The amount of feeding is determined as follows: if it is dry food or flakes, their amount 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:

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For the beginning aquarist. Dry food for aquarium fish

Any aquarist experiences joy when he observes healthy and active fish in an aquarium that have a natural bright color. The well-being of your ornamental fish largely depends on how much proper nutrition they receive. Fish require food similar to what is available to them in their natural habitat. As a rule, in natural conditions, the diet of fish is very varied. Their daily menu includes insects, larvae, worms, algae, plants and fruits. Some types of fish prefer food containing meat products, other plants.

Composition of dry fish food

When picking up a bag or jar of dry food to feed their pets once again, rarely do any novice aquarists pay attention to its composition. And anyone who has been paying attention probably doesn’t know why there are so many ingredients here and what they are needed for.

So, let's try to figure out the common ones ingredients, found in dry food from various manufacturers:

Mussels, daphnia, bloodworms - sources of energy easily digestible by fish, which form the natural basis of nutrition for ornamental fish;

Clams and crayfish - valuable food rich in protein, vitamins and minerals for all aquarium fish;

Fish flour - a product of processing of fishery products. A source of complete protein, calcium, amino acids, iodine, selenium, vitamins A, D and B;

Gammarus - has high nutritional value, promotes the growth and health of fish. Due to the high content of carotene and vitamins, it increases the brightness of the color;

Basil improves the general well-being of ornamental fish;

Alfalfa contains a lot of vegetable protein, calcium and vitamins. Used as an additive to feed for herbivorous fish;

Egg powder - a source of fat and protein for fish. Contains vitamins A, D, E;

Angelica helps reduce stress in fish;

Anise stimulates appetite and digestion;

Wheat (wheat flour) and wheat bran enrich the feed with carbohydrates and ballast substances;

Brewer's yeast rich in protein, vitamins, amino acids and microelements. Brewer's yeast is added to feed for preventive and therapeutic purposes;

Paprika and carrots support digestion and are rich in vitamins. Carotene naturally enhances your pets' gorgeous coloring;

Valuable seaweed spirulina or seaweed provide fish with important amino acids, large amounts of vitamins, minerals and trace elements;

Spinach and stinging nettle contain a large amount of minerals and trace elements. They support the vitality of ornamental fish;

Parsley - rich in nutrients, vitamin A, used as a feed additive;

Onion and garlic - used as an additive for the prevention and treatment of fish;

borage strengthens the kidneys and reduces stress;

Soya beans contain a large amount of proteins and lecithin, which increase the fish’s body’s resistance to diseases.

Various combination these products allows you to prepare various dry food for ornamental fish, both universal and special, serving, for example, to enhance color or quickly recover from stress or illness.

Methods of feeding fish and dry food suitable for them

In nature, fish live in different layers of water, in accordance with their feeding habits. Therefore, there are fish in the aquarium that spend most of their time under the surface of the water, others prefer the middle layers of water, and still others are busy collecting food at the bottom of the aquarium and live between snags or stones.

Fish with a straight back, a mouth directed upward and a dorsal fin displaced back prefer to be under the surface of the water. Typical representatives of such fish are hatchetfish and spawn-marking carp-toothed fish (for example, Nothobranchius). These fish love to bite off pieces of flakes of food floating on the surface of the water.

Fish with a curved back and dorsal fin, a convex abdomen and a mouth directed forward prefer to be in the middle layers of water. Such fish include, for example, neons, discus and most barbs. These fish hunt for their food in the middle layers of the aquarium water and prefer granular food floating in the water. However, they will also readily eat small flakes and bite off pieces of food tablets attached to the aquarium glass.

Fish that live in the bottom layers, as a rule, have a flat stomach, their mouth is directed downward. Armored catfish, sucker-shaped catfish and clown loachfish are the most famous representatives of such fish. Tablet food and food in the form of chips are ideal for feeding them.

The way food particles behave when they enter the aquarium water is also crucial for proper fish nutrition. After all, different fish have different organs for consuming food.

Well-known manufacturers, for example the German companies Sera and Tetra, and the Russian company Aqua Menu, offer a huge selection of food for aquarium fish. In their arsenal, you will certainly find food suitable for your pets of various specifications and price categories.