Article 7
It's Dinner Time!

This entire series is written in a chronological format to make it easier on everyone. If you get lost within this series, don't understand a particular step or reason for taking it, just plain having problems or wish to share your success with your new aquarium please feel free to write me at the Club.

The following is the seventh in a series of articles covering the basics of keeping freshwater tropical fish. These articles are designed with the beginner in mind, although there certainly may be some good information in this series for more experienced hobbyists as well. If you are considering entering one of the most popular hobbies in the United States, and have never kept live fish before (or if you have just have had problems keeping your fish alive), then this series is written for you!

Last month we covered how to properly add fish to both new and established aquariums. We also went over the great debate about adding or not adding salt to your freshwater aquariums water. If you haven't read the previous articles, look at the links at the bottom of this page and click to read them first. This month's article focuses on foods and how to feed our fish. The actual ways and means of doing this vary greatly within the fish community, I will just relate to you here what seems to work best for me, and why. If you use a different method, it does not make it wrong, it is just different that's all.

There will be two sections here...

The Many Different Types of Foods:
Feeding Times and Methods:


  The Many Different Types of Foods:

Food, that marvelous stuff that provides us with energy and keeps us going, well your new fish need food just as much as you or I do. There are several different types and kinds of Fish Foods you can select from. I am sure you were amazed just as I was the first time walking into a LFS (Local Fish Store) and seeing the shelves upon shelves of different foods on display. Asking myself  “Why can't they make just one so I know what to pick?” the answer to that question is the fact that different species of fish have different nutritional needs, researching their needs before buying your fish is essential to selecting the proper food and helping to ensure a long and healthy life for your new pet.

The trick to proper feeding is not to over or under feed as well as finding which food your fish like best that is also healthy for them too. Treats are great, but you would not feed a child or even yourself a steady diet of just treats, it is the same way with your new fish. Fish can get just as fat and lazy as we can when kept on an improper diet, so fish food selection and amount to feed them is critical when keeping fish in your home or at the office.

Below are listed some of the more popular food types available for the wide range of fish in today's marketplace.  I will not be recommending one particular brand of food over another. Liability laws and all, don't you know, but I may mention a particular brand or type just as examples. Some of the fine food manufactures that have contributed to this research project are HBH, Hikari, Nutrifin, O.S.I. and Sera.

FLAKE:

Probably the most common of all Fish Foods is of the flake variety. There are many different specialty types of flake foods available. From a generic all-purpose flake to the flake specifically designed for certain breeds of fish, i.e. Goldfish Flakes, Cichlid Flakes, etc.

I like to look for a brand of Flake Food that is bright in varied colors vs. the bland coloring. My fish just seem to like it better not to mention bringing out better and more vibrant colors in my fish. But most of all I look at the Protein, Crude Fiber, Crude Fat and Maximum Moisture Content. The fresher the flake the better it is for your fish as well, you can even order bulk flakes from your LFS as well as from a wide variety of internet sites and make your own blend to suit the specific needs of the fish you keep.

Better than 45% Protein, greater than 6% Crude Fat (Especially for those of you who are into breeding), Less than 7% moisture and less than 3% Crude Fiber is optimum. Most of all remember that tropical fish need variety in their diet. Quite often I have several different varieties of flake foods near my aquariums and rotate them from day to day to promote growth, bright colors and overall good health.

Flakes are ideal for most species, especially those that swim at the middle to top layers of your aquarium.  Minnows, Tetras, Rasboras are all good examples of fish that love flake foods.


PELLETS:

As fish grow they need something more substantial; for fish larger than 2", pellets can fill this hearty hunger. Pellets are also the preferred choice for aggressive eaters that break pellets into powder before they can get a bite. Pellets are either of a floating or sinking variety. Again these are usually specialty foods designed for certain breeds of fish, i.e. Cichlids, Catfish, Goldfish...etc.

Pellets are can be enjoyed by a community tank but they should be mixed in with flake or other foods depending on the species you keep, Pellets certainly can add to the health of your fish by providing food at different levels of your tank to suit your particular fish. Floating Pellets are great for Pond KOI, Cichlids, Bettas and Goldfish just to name a couple. Sinking Pellets like Spirulina Wafers and Shrimp Pellets are superb for bottom feeders, algae eaters and scavengers such as the numerous breeds within the catfish and loach families.

FROZEN:

One of my favorite add-ons to Flake Food is that of frozen foods. Frozen Brine Shrimp or Blood Worms, Black Worms etc... really add to the health of your tank. A great number of species love worms and more meaty foods than flake and pellets can provide.  One big caution here with frozen foods, NEVER ever let foods thaw out and then refreeze and use them. It is one of the surest ways to kill an entire tank of fish in one afternoon. Due to the protein contents of brine shrimp and blood worms do not try to place your fish on a strict diet of frozen foods, instead vary your feedings with both frozen and flake and/or pellet foods day to day.

Another popular method for people that house larger species is to create their own mix of foods in a blender, like shrimp meat, beef heart, worms, etc.. along with vitamins like B-12. This liquefied blend is then poured into plastic ice cube trays and frozen into small cubes, which then can be dropped into a tank as needed. Do not attempt this method with out research or proper guidance, as this method can be very tricky and dangerous to your fish if not done correctly.


LIVE FOODS:

Not all fish take to flake, pellets or frozen foods; these more aggressive species demand live foods. This usually consists of live brine shrimp, infursoria or other fish; these fish are more commonly referred to as "FEEDERS". Feeders are usually plain goldfish, minnows or guppies available for a buck or two a handful. One has to very careful in not feeding a fish an exclusive diet of feeder goldfish. Due to the fact that an enzyme can build up in your fish over time from a strict diet of goldfish, which causes internal organs to shut down, mixing feeder goldfish with other feeders is highly suggested.

Another commonly given live food are simply earthworms dug up out of the garden. A growing trend in aquarium keepers' today is to create a small compost or worm bed filled with Red Wiggler worms. These worms are about 1/3 rd the size of your garden-variety earthworms/night-crawlers. In a prepared bed they will greedily dispose of table and paper scraps for you too, so you get 2 benefits for the price of one! You do want to make very sure if you decide to use worms that these are not obtained from a garden that has had pesticide or fertilizers used around the grounds, as these chemicals can enter your tank through the worms themselves, not a good thing! Make sure that if you decide you want to use earthworms, make sure that the pieces are not too large, as some fish cannot chew up their foods. If a worm or a piece of worm is too large for a fish, they can drown themselves by choking on their food, freshwater eels are famous for trying to do this!

VEGETABLES:

Specialty additions are also available for your tank from algae tablets to vegetables like lightly steamed cucumbers, zucchini, steamed shelled Peas, pumpkin, cantaloupe, banana, frozen spinach, apple, frozen pieces of Romaine Lettuce and spinach just to name a few. Many fish are vegetarians and love little distraction from the standard old flake foods from time to time. Providing a good vegetable supplement can also save your live plants from being destroyed by your fish. Experiment a little; you really can't go wrong as long as all uneaten foods are removed before they begin to foul the tank.


BLOCKS:

Feeding or Vacation Blocks are usually small, off white cakes made up in a various array of designs. i.e. treasure chest, seashell, etc.. They are not designed, nor should they be used for everyday feedings.




  FEEDING TIMES & METHODS:

Usually fish are fed from two to three times daily, the smaller the fish the more times in a day they need to be fed. This is especially true with fry (newborns), which may need to be fed very small amounts but 5 or 6 times a day.

Fish on average only need to be fed amounts that can be completely eaten within 2 to 3 minutes. If after that time anything is left over you are over feeding your fish and this excess food scraps can build up as deadly chemicals within the tank. Start by feeding your fish a small amount and watch to see how fast they eat it. If it only takes your fish less than a minute to completely consume the meal, then you should give them a little bit more. It is always a better idea to start with too little food and work up, than it is to start with too much food to begin with. After doing this a couple of times you'll have a good idea of how much is too much. If you are like me and tend to overfeed from time to time, add a bottom feeder or two to your tank if at all possible. Scavengers are excellent in helping to maintain a healthy tank for those of us who are not always too careful at when and how much we feed our fish.

Well, now you have your new aquarium all set up and plenty of fish to make your life happy, but you want to leave and go out of town for a few days or even a couple of weeks of vacation. What are you to do? There are a couple of different solutions for this problem.  If you are going to be gone less than four days, your fish (other than newborns) should be just fine without having to be fed, exceptions of course are aggressive setups where another member of the tank may be taken as a meal.

•   Blocks, these are usually small, off white cakes made up in a various array of designs. i.e. treasure chest, seashell, etc.. If you keep a goldfish or two these aren't a bad way to feed your fish while you are gone if you have absolutely no other way to get the job done. Immediately after coming home vacuum out the remaining bits of food and do a series of water changes. These blocks are a last resort for feeding only.

•   Timers, this simple and relatively low cost piece of machinery can really make your days away nicer. The timer feeding system is basically a hopper filled with your fishes favorite flake food and dumped into your tank at preset amounts and intervals. It is really handy.

•   Friends, this is my preferred method of taking care of my fish when I am away from home. Find a responsible neighbor or relative and have them come over 2 or 3 times a day. They can feed the fish; provide some activity around them, as well as turning lights on and off. Most importantly if any of your fish do happen to pass away while you are out, their decaying bodies can be quickly disposed of vs. remaining in your tank, possibly infecting your other prized fish.

•   Check your local fish store or yellow pages, there are many pet sitter style companies that will for a fee come into your house while you are away and tend to your pets. Always check to make sure they are licensed and bonded prior to allowing them free reign to your house or office.

Please do not use blocks for everyday feeding; these can cloud the water and as well as upset the water balance in your tank if used more than a temporary basis.

Remember if confused, you can always talk with your LFS specialist about the different types and styles of available foods or contact me directly at DaFishDude's Club with any and all questions.



See you next month, when we discuss illnesses, disease and other afflictions our fish can contract as well as a short article on heaters.


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