Page 51 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

FEEDING THE FISH 49

Special color foods
in the form of flake
may be used to TYPES OF FOOD
enhance the intensity
of coloration in red Commercially prepared foods sometimes need to be supplemented
fish, such as this with fresh items and live foods. Freeze-dried live foods tend to be
Red-Eyed Red less palatable to fish than thawed live foods, because they have
Swordtail. a lower water content. Some live foods can be cultured at home:
a container of water left outdoors in summer will attract breeding
midges and mosquitoes, and their larvae can be removed with
a sieve. The way in which food is presented to the fish is also
important. The means of delivery should take account of the fish’s
normal feeding habits. Bottom-feeding catfish, for example, are
unlikely to be tempted by flake floating on the surface.
Quantity and frequency
Most fish-food packaging gives few details about PREPARED FOODS
the quantity that should be used, largely because
this depends on the number and size of the fish in the
tank. As a rule of thumb, feed fish little and often—offer
food three or four times a day, providing no more than will
be eaten within two or three minutes. In a mature tank, there
will be edible items, such as algae, for the fish to browse on Pellets are good Granules are more Flake floats, so it Tablets are useful
outside of their set feeding times. for large fish, such dense than pellets will attract fish for group feeding.
as pacus, which
They are too large
to the surface to
and sink rapidly to
Avoid overfeeding—unwanted food scraps will pollute the can swallow them the floor of the feed. Suitable for to be swallowed
water, impairing the health of the fish. Providing an unbalanced whole. They may aquarium, making smaller fish, it can whole so give the
also be powdered
them ideal for
fish time to take
float for a time
diet also causes problems: an excess of fat, for example, leads before sinking. bottom dwellers. and fed to fry. several bites.
to obesity, shortening a fish’s life and possibly causing sterility.
Guard against underfeeding, too. Fry, which need to eat more
regularly than adults, may become stunted or deformed if they LIVE FOODS
are underfed. Using dedicated fry foods will ensure that they
get the nutrients they need. In a community aquarium, make
sure nervous fish get a chance to feed; otherwise, they, too, may
become malnourished. A number of catfish are night feeders,
so drop food into their tank just before lights-out.
Brine shrimp in Daphnia (“water Chironomus worms, Mosquito larvae
their larval form, fleas”) are a good also known as are eagerly eaten
called nauplii, are conditioning food bloodworms by many surface-
ideal for rearing for smaller fish. because of their dwelling fish. They
VACATION SOLUTIONS fry. They can be These crustaceans color, are actually may also help to
hatched from can also be used to the larval form of a stimulate breeding
Automatic battery-operated feeders of the type shown below can be eggs at home. enhance color. type of midge. behavior.
set to dispense measured amounts of food at regular times, ensuring
that the fish do not go hungry when you are away. Another long- FRESH FOODS
term option is a food block placed on the aquarium floor, which
will not pollute the water as other foods would if left uneaten.

Carrot was used as Sliced cucumber Shelled peas, both Beef heart,
a natural coloring and zucchini are fresh and thawed, trimmed of fat,
agent before there a good source of are a good dietary should be used
were commercial vitamins and supplement for sparingly, since it
color foods. It is roughage for bottom dwellers; pollutes the water
high in fiber and herbivorous catfish avoid using salted and may cause
may aid fertility. and some cichlids. canned peas. obesity in fish.

US_048-049_Feeding_Fish.indd 49 29/08/18 4:08 PM