Diet (must read)

[Fishguy2727]

I have seen a lot of posts lately on diet, so I thought I would hurry up and get my thoughts organized. As always, let me knwo of any questions or comments.

Fish diet can be a complicated issue. Out of the most important issues of keeping fish in captivity, diet seems to be the least understood. It is highly variable, and ‘success’ has been found with many methods. However, ‘success’ can be measured in a number of ways.

The main goal in fishkeeping should always be to thrive. That means we need to do the absolute best we reasonably can. If that is not enough, we should not have (that) fish. This article is based mainly on freshwater fish species.

In nature fish have highly variable diets. Some species can eat and use just about any source of nutrition available, others are so specialized that there is only one type of food they can attain nutrition from. Carnivores (strict meat eaters) have very short digestive tracts with a large stomach capable of handling large volumes of food per meal. Herbivores (strict plant/vegetation eaters) have very long digestive systems with small stomachs made to handle small meals, but almost constant intake. Omnivores have something in between dictated by the ratio of meat to vegetation.

The feeding habits are reflective of these digestive systems. Animals such as large fish eaters like Jaguar cichlids need to be able to take down whatever food is available, when it is available. In nature there is not always an abundant supply of food for top predators, so they need large stomachs capable of taking down whatever they can when the opportunity presents itself. Other species, like tetras, are herbivorous or omnivorous. These species have a relatively constant supply of food, and therefore have much smaller stomachs. These species are made for constant foraging that may include plant matter, algae deposits, macroscopic animals (mainly insects) that may be on either of these, and small animals such as insects and larvae of numerous types of animals that may be available. Nature is what has dictated the physiology of the fish, from there we must apply that to captive care.

There are many foods available for use with captive fish. These fall in to a few categories: live, freeze-dried, frozen, and flake/pellet. Among the main types there are innumerable varieties. The exact foods used must be chosen carefully and based on the needs of the fish. There are varying benefits and consequences/risks with each of these.

Live food can be the most natural, but there are numerous consequences and risks. The actual nutritional value of live foods is usually very low. Depending on the type of food used and the species being fed, live food can increase the aggression level of the fish. Live food also carries the highest risk of introducing parasites and diseases. These risks can be reduced, but they will always be there. Raising the food item your self can greatly reduce the risk of introducing parasites and other pathogens. Quarantining store bought live food can reduce the risk of pathogens, but not as much as raising them your self. The nutritional value can be raised by feeding the food animal nutritious food before it is fed to the fish. Live foods are required by some species, other species may or may not require this depending on the individual. Many species require a sudden influx of live foods to trigger or help trigger breeding.

Freeze-dried foods can be somewhat nutritious food items, but the exact method used to preserve the food item can destroy some of the original animal’s nutritional value. One of the biggest downsides to freeze-dried is that many fish will take them, only to then refuse any other food.

Frozen foods are usually food items frozen in water. Higher quality varieties will contain many nutrients in the water surrounding the food item, but the highest quality frozen foods include added nutrients into the food item itself. Many people thaw frozen foods in tank water before feeding them. Other people will simply place the entire block of frozen foods in to the water. There does not seem to be any harm in the fish pecking at the still cold food. Frozen food is one of the best ways to mimic live food, without exposing the fish to the risks of live food. Frozen food can be nutritious, but it is still limited to the original food item plus a few added nutrients. Frozen food can be messy. Many fish tear it apart as they eat it, or the frozen food variety is very messy once thawed.

Prepared dry foods, usually flakes or pellets, are the most commonly fed type of fish food. There is a wide range of the level of quality that can be found in dry foods. Some have very little nutritional value, just enough to keep the fish alive. Others can provide all the vital nutrients needed to help your fish thrive. There is also a large variety of dry foods. From the most basic flakes, to pellets designed to mimic the texture and smell of live food, used to get fish to switch from live to prepared foods. With the number of high quality, specialized dry foods there is something out there for any fish that will take prepared foods. Dry foods do not pose any risk of introducing pathogens, help relatively reduce the aggression of fish, and provide a nutritionally complete diet. The highest quality foods include an assortment of trace nutrients. This are usually included in the ingredients as many technical names, sometimes including the nutrient it provides (D-activated animal sterol (vitamin D)).

Feeding should be based on the natural habits of the fish. Most ‘community’ fish are herbivores or omnivores that are used to having constant access to food. For these species multiple small feeding on a daily basis is ideal. Large carnivorous species have a diet that changes with age and size. While small, the animal is very susceptible to predation. This requires that they grow as fast as they can until they are not under such a high risk of predation. These small individuals need to be fed with the frequency of the herbivores and omnivores, but with the nutritional balance of a carnivore (higher protein levels). As these carnivorous species grow, they no longer need to grow as fast. Over time the ideal food intake slowly shifts from many small feedings to large infrequent feedings. Once they effectively stop growing, most top predators only need to be fed about twice a week.

In general the quantity of food fed per feeding is consistent. The fish should take about 3 to 5 minutes to feed. This can vary by species and the stocking of the tank. Over time the fish keeper should be able to observe the fish and see whether they are being over or under fed.

In general, if a fish will accept prepared foods, I will not feed live. It is not worth the risk. I do not use freeze-dried. I use frozen, but sparingly because of its messiness and the higher nutrition afforded by dry foods. I mainly use pellets, even for my community tank. I use mainly Hikari and New Life Spectrum because of the level of quality and the number of specialized diets. I also use Tetra, but much less than the other brands. Hikari has the most specialized diets suiting the needs of just about any fish. New Life Spectrum has what seems to be the most nutritionally complete foods out there, allowing for fish to thrive above and beyond what used to be thought of as thriving. The testimonials on their website (nlpublish.com) stand for themselves. Hikari has one unique feature in one of its foods. Hikari Bio-Gold+ is the only food on the market that includes live beneficial bacteria to help with digestion, and even out-compete Hexamita spp. (the species associated with Hole in the Head and Head and Lateral Line Erosion).

[Severus]

Great article. I remember reading about NLS in one of your other posts, i really want to try that. Very informative, thank you

[Fishguy2727]

It's amazing what a difference diet can have. It can easily make the difference between thriving success and frustrating obstacles. Diet can lead to improved health and hardiness, which obviously affects the success of the tank.

[Severus]

Yea, when i first started my tank awhile back, my oscar was getting wardley floating pellets, now he is on the Hikari Bio Gold and his color is great and i can tell he is much more active, responsive, thriving, etc..

[Slinky_Bass]

A well written and researched article reptileguy. The only suggestion I have is maybe do an article specifically for each of the different types, I'm sure there are a number of people who would appreciate specialist advice on feeding carnivores or herbivores.

[f1oored]

I just wanted to make sure my signature was in this post so people know what to do. I'm feeding my cichlids Hikari cichlid excel right now on RGs recommendation. They are active and doing great! Thanks again Reptileguy

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[Fishguy2727]

The Hikari Cichlid Excel is probably the best diet made specifically for herbivores. The New Life Spectrums are made to feed them too, the mbunas in the 90 at work love it.

[Cichlid_Man]

This was a great post!
Diet is the very key to successful fishkeeping along with water changes and water chemistry.
The only thing I differ with is that fish need to eat for about 2 minutes.
That 2 minutes is NOT at one feeding. The best way to feed is 30 seconds, 4 times a day.
Cut back the portions and have the fish eat 4 times a day, 30 seconds at a time...

[jman]

Thanks for the great post this is very informative it allows your fish to become more comfortable with variety rather than the same stuff and it makes a difference in the colors to.

[Fishguy2727]

Why do you say less feeding? I have had no problems with this feeding schedule. From what I have seen in mine they do better with slightly larger feedings by having better growth, better colors, better ability to thrive. So i go with the larger feedings. I also tend to be heavily stocked, so if I only fed a little only the fastest feeders would get food. So by feeding more they all get a full feeding. This is what has worked best for me, but it has been the case in all my tanks. I can't think of any where the smaller feedings worked better. Every tank is different though and the only way to know for sure is to try different ways and see what gets you the best results with your fish. Have you tried the heavier feedings and had problems? I'm just curious.