Page 220 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

218 MARINE FISH: MAINTENANCE

Food and feeding

Providing your fish with a balanced, healthy diet
demands a little research. It is vital to establish not only
FEEDING INVERTEBRATES
the dietary preferences of each species but also the way
in which it feeds. Some, for example, feed only on SESSILE FEEDERS
Some invertebrates, such as the Flowerpot
floating foods, while others will feed exclusively from Coral shown here, spend their lives
the substrate. Today, there are commercially prepared attached to rock and cannot move to
reach food. Consequently, they must be
marine foods that suit all feeding styles and meet the offered food in their immediate vicinity.
requirements of almost every species. MOBILE FEEDERS
Invertebrates that can move to seek food
will eat a varied diet, and even scavenge
Marine fish naturally seek food at different levels in the on food provided for aquarium fish.
water. In the surroundings of the coral reef, this prevents The starfish pictured here has
direct competition for food from other fish and allows each engulfed a pile of mussels.
fish to occupy its own space without conflict. Some species
are confident and will feed in open water or on the seabed.
Others eat algae from the rocks or hide within crevasses day. These diverse feeding strategies are also evident in the
waiting for an opportunity to emerge. Herbivorous fish aquarium and must be addressed if the fish are to thrive.
spend much of their time browsing to meet their Suppliers of aquarium fish are able to offer advice on the
nutritional needs, while optimum feeding strategies for each species.
predatory species, such as
eels, may not feed every Sources of food
Some reef fish are opportunistic and eat a variety of foods in
the wild. This is useful to the aquarist because these species can
also be persuaded to eat a varied diet in the tank. However,
their diet should be underpinned by a commercially prepared
staple food, which will ensure that they get the correct mix of
vitamins, minerals, proteins, and carbohydrates that is

Sea horses are specialist feeders and
need to be provided with a regular supply
of live brine shrimp larvae (shown here)
in aquarium surroundings.

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