Page 50 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

48 FRESHWATER FISH: MAINTENANCE

Feeding the fish

Feeding time offers the best opportunity to see your fish
at close quarters and monitor their well-being. It is also
SPECIALIST DIETS
an opportunity to tame your fish, especially if you feed
Some prepared freshwater fish foods are specially formulated to
them at the same times each day. Freshwater fish can be cater to the dietary needs of particular groups of fish. Pellets for
carnivorous catfish, for example, contain more oil than foodsticks for
given a wide range of foods, but commercial products plant-eating cichlids. Aside from protein, oil (fat), and carbohydrates,
are the most convenient and also the safest option, since prepared fish foods also contain fiber. In the wild, fish inadvertently
consume a variety of indigestible items, ranging from plant matter
diseases may be introduced to the tank along with to fish scales. This roughage helps to prevent blockages in the
intestinal tract.
invertebrate live foods, such as tubifex worms.
15% Carbohydrates + moisture 11% Carbohydrates +
moisture
11% Ash
Fish require the same key food groups as humans—proteins,
carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Protein is vital for
healthy growth, especially in young fish. Raising the level of 13% Ash
protein in the diet—by providing more live foods, for example—
helps to bring fish into breeding condition. Carbohydrates fuel
the body’s processes, and fat forms a protective cushion around 2% Fiber
organs and acts as an energy store. Vitamins and minerals are 54% Protein
important for a fish’s metabolism and overall health. Vitamin 7% 52%
Protein
Fiber
C, for example, helps protect against infection, while calcium 13% Oil Cichlid sticks 22% Oil Catfish pellets
and phosphorus are essential for sound skeletal structure.
Vegetables, like the pea pod being devoured
by this Spotted Catfish, provide fiber as well
as vitamins and other nutrients. It is better
to use organic vegetables to avoid the risk of
introducing harmful chemicals to the tank.

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