What should I feed my oranders?

[lickmanoman]

Recently i saw a pair of oranders by a dealer they were exceptionally beautiful. What he said is that they were called cauliflower because their heads looked that way. What I want to know is this a genetic trait or are there any type of foods that can enhance oranders?

[Fishguy2727]

Some foods claim to enhance the wen (the cauliflower cap) on orandas, lionheads, and ranchu goldfish, but any high quality food will provide the nutrients for proper growth, wen included. Along with diet, high water quality is also a must for getting the most out of any fish.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Fishguy speaks the truth. I reccomend feeding New Life Spectrum flakkes as the main food, and feed boiled zuchini and other foods as a once a week food.

[Fishguy2727]

Actually, flakes would not be a good idea. They float and round-bodied goldfish should only have sinking foods, and pellets fill them up much better. Also tend to feed the filters a lot more than pellets do. NLS has a sinking goldfish pellet, but since all their foods have almost the exact same formula (something common in very high quality foods) just worry about size and whether it floats or sinks.

[Incredulous_Ed]

ooh, yeah, forgot about that. Thanks for clearing that up. This is why people shouldn't liste to me.

[Willyleigh]

Use a pellet food not flake, fancy goldfish will swallow too much air eating off of the surface and can get swim bladder problems

[troy]

The Hikari pellets have pellets made for orandas.

[Fishguy2727]

The NLS ones are much better though.

[troy]

Do you have to mail-order NLS or do they sell it at regular fish stores.

[Rue]

Flakes are fine if you if soak them in a bit of tank water before feeding...once they're waterlogged they slowly sink.

Goldfish, including orandas, need VARIETY in their diet. Add zucchini, lettuce (NOT iceberg), spinach, orange slices, etc. Also feed bloodworms, brine and mysis shrimp, glassworms, etc.

[Fishguy2727]

NLS is sold at many LFSs, but you may need to get it online. If you don't see any for sale, ask if you can special order to form the LFS. It may just be cheaper to get it online though.

I think goldfish fall in with other fish on this one, NLS really does replace the need for variety. It does not go along with with the books and most experienced hobbyists, but that is really because no food has truly been able to replace variety the way NLS has. The best results with this food are achieved when it is the only food being fed. I'm not saying you shouldn't feed the just mentioned foods, that it will completely undo any progress you have made with NLS, I am saying it is not needed and is unnecessary.

[Rue]

I dunno...feeding 'trends' keep changing...for all animals, not just fish.

I think that a good prepared diet should be the staple...so that you know your fish are getting the basic vitamins and minerals that they need...but I also think they need variety...in case something is missing in that particular prepared diet...or if that particular animal has slightly different needs...

...or just for the fun of foraging for food...don't underestimate the importance of foraging...

[lickmanoman]

Thanks a lot but the thing is would my fishes eat the lettuce and orange slices and other stuff once I introduce it,because they are not accustomed to such stuff.

[lickmanoman]

Thanks a lot but the thing is would my fishes eat the lettuce and orange slices and other stuff once I introduce it,because they are not accustomed to such stuff.

[Fishguy2727]

They are intelligent and therefore curious animals. They will probably give it a try.