One of the most satisfying hobbies on the planet (and possibly one of the most relaxing, too!) is maintaining an aquarium. The pleasure of looking at the crystal clear water with live fish and plants is truly beyond words. And with this pleasure comes the tank cleaning and fish feeding. Although it is veryo create a good environment for your fish, it is also just as important, though, to be aware of what to feed your fish. You may well have the most beautiful aquarium on the block but you aren't guaranteed that your fish will last long if you aren't cautious with what you feed them.
The key rule in feeding your fish is to understand what type or species your fish belongs to. Do thorough investigation. If you know what kind of diet your pet fish should have, then it will be simpler for your to scout for the food among pet shops or in the market. Keep in mind the classification of animal diets (herbivore, carnivore and omnivore)? Fish also fall under these categories. There are fish that can only feed on algae flakes and who would shun, say, shrimp flakes. These are the herbivores (examples are Molly, Silver Dollar, Pacu or Tropheus) that also prefer to eat vegetable pellets or flakes and spinach. The carnivores (Archerfish, Banjo catfish, Bettas, Hachetfish, Frontosa, or Killifish) are the ones that favor worms and small insects. Here s a great tip for omnivore fishes ( Armored Catfish, Blood Parrot, Discus, Convict, Goldfish, Gourami, or Guppy): Even though they eat nearly anything on a fish diet, they do favor live foods.
Next to understanding what diet your fish should have, it is also crucial to make a balanced diet for your pet fish. Just like humans, fish also need a variety in their diet.
Protein is the most essential part in a fish s diet. Since this is so, it is vital to keep this in mind when searching for fish food in pet stores. Seek outthose foods that have fishmeal or shrimps on their labels. The lowest nutrient in your fish s food ought to be fat. Just like humans, too much fat could harm their livers. Be sure to add some fibers to their diet, too. Just a little would be adequate.
If you are a fishbowl keeper or one of those who are satisfied with just small tanks, then it is a must for you to feed your pet fish with just flakes or the freeze dried bloodworms that you can buy at most pet stores. The important thing here is to feed fish in small tanks with flaky fish foods. Also, be sure to give them just a pinch of flakes each time. If they are able to gobble them up right away, then you can give another pinch, and so on. Food that isn't eaten will go down to the bottom of the tank and will cause pollution. Furthermore, remember not to overfeed your pet fish.
Flakes normally have a shelf life of just one month. If you feed your fish the flakes that are more than a month old, they may possibly be more susceptible to illnesses because of the loss of nutritional content. Again, select a variety of flakes so that your fish has a balanced diet.
For bigger fish in larger tanks, the finest food would be fish pellets or floating stick food. These pellets supply more food mass for larger fish. If you aren't a fan of freeze-dried foods, then you can choose to have them fresh. Worms, insect eggs, and even tiny insects such as ants are a good feed to some types of fish.
Other than the usual flakes, pellets and floating stick foods, there are also other freeze-dried fish foods that can be purchased at most pet stores. The majority of of these foods include tubifex, krill, or river shrimp.
Now that you know all these things, it is also important to know that fish recognize immediately who feeds them regularly. At the sight of food (even if you have just fed them), they would leap to get a mouthful. Again, remember not to overfeed them! You can over love them but never, ever overfeed!
