Food for aquarium fish: varieties and choices

The health and life expectancy of aquarium fish largely depend on how competently the issue of organizing their nutrition is resolved. What should be taken into account when drawing up a diet for aquarium fish, what types of food exist, how to choose and store food for the inhabitants of a home reservoir correctly - we will consider in this article.

The assortment of modern pet stores includes the widest range of feeds that differ in organoleptic properties, energy value, and shelf life. Depending on how much a particular product should be stored, the following categories of feed are distinguished:

• with a long shelf life (dry feed mixtures);
• with a limited shelf life (live feed).

Experienced aquarists know that for the full development and well-being of the inhabitants of a home reservoir, not only a balanced, but also a varied menu is needed.

The diet of aquarium fish can include such basic types of food as:

• dry;
• alive;
• frozen;
• vegetable.

An additional part of the diet of the inhabitants of the home reservoir can be various useful additives and feeding. So, for example, predatory aquarium fish (astronotus, large catfish) are often fed by owners with seafood, pieces of raw meat, minced meat.Aquarists often use special water- and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as supplements containing amino acids and trace elements, as useful additives to the main food.

This category includes various types of dehydrated feed mixtures with a long shelf life. Products of this type are produced in the form of powder, granules, chips, tablets, flakes. The main ingredients in such feeds are usually:

• daphnia, cyclops, bloodworms, gammarus;
• dried and milled meat of shellfish, crayfish;
• flour (fish, squid, shrimp, krill);
• grain crops;
• oils and fats;
• herbal supplements (alfalfa, seaweed, nettle, parsley, soybeans);
• auxiliary additives (brewer's yeast, egg powder, sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids).

The rate of softening, disintegration and sedimentation in water depends on the size of the fractions and the composition of the dry feed. The appetite and speed with which the inhabitants of the aquarium will eat the treat offered to them also depends on these characteristics.

• Powdered. Powdered food is suitable for feeding grown fry and small adult fish. They are quickly soaked in water, after which they settle in small flakes at the bottom of the tank.

• Granular. This type of food swells gradually in water. Depending on the characteristics of the components included in the composition, swollen particles can sink to the bottom of the tank or remain on the surface of the water. After maximum saturation with water, the granules disintegrate into small fragments, which are eagerly eaten by even small fish.

• Flakes. Flake-like food has a fragile and rather loose structure. They are quickly soaked in water, after which they disintegrate into small, crumbly fragments. Usually, flakes are used to feed small-sized mobile fish.

• Crisps. This type of food has a lamellar round shape, dense and rigid structure. When they get into water, they swell very slowly, practically without breaking up into fragments. This option is recommended for feeding large predatory fish.

• Pills. Tabletted feed, when it gets into the water, gradually sinks to the bottom of the tank. For this reason, it is recommended to use them for feeding the inhabitants of the aquarium, leading mainly a bottom lifestyle (some species of fish, molluscs, crustaceans).

The main disadvantage of using dry food is considered fast contamination of water in the tank. To the greatest extent, this minus is characteristic of powdered feeds, which not only quickly pollute the water, but also clog filters, to the least extent - to tableted feeds.

Preparation and drying of raw materials in the manufacture of feeds of this category is carried out in various ways. The most useful are dry freeze-dried food, in which the maximum amount of nutrients, macro- and microelements is preserved.

In order for aquarium fish to fully develop, feel good and give healthy offspring, protein sources must be present in their diet. With a protein deficiency in the inhabitants of a domestic reservoir, there is a noticeable lag in development, weakening of immunity, and a decrease in reproductive functions.

The main sources of protein in the diet of aquarium fish are live food. The most famous varieties are:

• bloodworm;
• core;
• tubifex;
• gammarus;
• Cyclops;
• daphnia;
• rain worms.

Their characteristics.

• Bloodworm - a bright scarlet worm-like larva of a dergun mosquito that lives in the bottom silt of flowing and stagnant water bodies. The body sizes of the larvae vary from 1 to 2.5 centimeters. In the aquarium hobby, bloodworms are considered one of the most valuable and nutritious types of live food, containing a large amount of protein.

• Coretra - a translucent predatory larva of a harmless thick-lumped mosquito that feeds on zooplankton. Her body measurements range from 1-1.3 centimeters. In aquarium fish farming, the coretra is used as an easily digestible live food, slightly inferior in nutritional value to bloodworms.

• Pipe maker - a small filamentous worm of pale pink color that lives in the bottom silt of reservoirs with standing and running water. The dimensions of his body can reach 3-4 centimeters. Aquarists use tubule pipes as a nutritious live food that is high in essential amino acids.

• Gammarus - small herbivorous crustaceans of white-gray color, inhabiting reservoirs with fresh and salt water. The size of the body of an adult reaches 1 centimeter. In the aquarium industry, gammarus are considered one of the best live food with a high energy value.

• Cyclops - tiny predatory crustaceans that live in freshwater bodies. Their body size can vary from 1 to 5 millimeters. Aquarists use these crustaceans as food for grown young animals and small fish (up to 3 centimeters in size). In large fish, cyclops is not of interest due to its small size.

• Daphnia - tiny crustaceans that feed on unicellular algae and bacteria. The maximum size of their body is 5-6 millimeters. Aquarists raise Daphnia at home as live food for young and small fish.

• Raincoats (earthworms) Is another popular live food that can be used in the diet of large fish. Before feeding the inhabitants of the aquarium, the raincoats are thoroughly washed and sent to the tank either whole or in sliced ​​form.

It is important to note that poor quality live food can be dangerous for the inhabitants of the aquarium. To avoid contamination of fish with parasites or infectious diseases, it is recommended to decontaminate live food before serving. Usually, freezing is used to disinfect feed, as a result of which pathogenic bacteria and parasites die.

All of the above types of live food can be stored frozen for a long time. For convenience, they are frozen in the form of briquettes or flat cakes. Before serving the next portion the food can be completely or partially thawed.

Plant foods that are high in fiber are essential for aquarium fish for good digestion and normal metabolism. As a rule, industrial plant food consists of dry compressed algae (spirulina, kelp, fucus) with the addition of protein ingredients - fish meal, dried and ground seafood.

Experienced aquarists recommend feeding the inhabitants of the home reservoir with live algae. These can be aquatic plants such as:

• riccia;
• wolfia;
• elodea;
• vallisneria.

Many aquarium fish willingly eat other plant foods - lettuce, plantain and nettle leaves, cucumber slices, fresh cabbage, boiled zucchini, pumpkin. Before serving raw vegetables and herbs are scalded with boiling water and finely chopped.

Among professional aquarists, live and dry food from such well-known manufacturers as:

• Tetra ("Tetra");
• Hikari ("Hikari");
• Tropical ("Tropical").

Tetra (Germany) - one of the leading leaders in the global pet products market, the name of which is familiar to every professional aquarist. The range of products of this brand includes a wide range of high quality food for aquarium fish of various breeds.

Hikari (Japan) - the largest manufacturer of feed mixtures for aquarium fish of various breeds. The product range includes premium sinking and floating feed.

Tropical (Poland) - a well-known company specializing in the manufacture of inexpensive but high-quality feed for predatory and herbivorous fish. The company's product range includes over 200 types of feed and vitamin supplements.

When choosing live food for aquarium fish, you need to pay attention to such important parameters as:

• coloring of individuals;
• mobility;
• smell.

The color of a bloodworm suitable for feeding fish is bright scarlet (not pinkish or dark cherry). The coretra should be translucent, with a greenish, yellowish or reddish tint. The color of the tubule can range from pale pink to pale red. Earthworms suitable for feeding fish are dark pink or reddish brown in color.

High-quality live food has a specific aroma, slightly reminiscent of the smell of fish or algae. A sign of spoilage is a pronounced and pungent smell of rot, mold, decomposition.

When purchasing frozen food, you should evaluate its color. The coloration of frozen larvae or worms should be the same as that of live individuals (or slightly darker). A very light color of the frozen briquette indicates the presence of a large amount of water.

When choosing dry food, you should pay attention to its composition, shape and size of fractions, shelf life. Bottom fish require sinking food, and fish that prefer to stay near the surface of the water or in its middle layers - swimming.

The dry food should contain natural ingredients - fish or fish products, krill, shrimp or squid flour, oils and fats, plant products (algae, cereals). It is also desirable that the product be enriched with beta-glucan, which helps to strengthen the fish's immunity. It should be noted that high-quality hypoallergenic food does not contain third-party additives - food stimulants, dyes, flavors.

Experienced aquarists usually carry out the calculation of the daily feed rate in a practical way. For this, the fish are fed 2-3 times in micro portions for 7-10 minutes, assessing the speed of eating food. It is considered optimal when the inhabitants of the aquarium eat all the food practically without residue within 2-3 minutes. Once full, the fish become less mobile and lose interest in food.

You can calculate the approximate daily rate based on the weight of the fish.So, for adult sexually mature individuals, the daily feed rate is about 6-8% of the body weight.

Feeding the inhabitants of the home reservoir is recommended to be carried out twice a day. In the morning, the fish are fed 15-20 minutes after waking up (after dawn or after turning on the lights). The second time the pets are fed a couple of hours before bedtime. Fry 1-5 weeks old are fed 3-5 times a day.

Live food should be stored in a low-rise glass or ceramic container with a little water. After purchase, the food is placed in a container and placed at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment. From time to time, the contents of the container must be gently stirred with a clean spoon or glass rod. Average shelf life in this case is 1-2 weeks.

Dry feed mixtures are stored in a sealed package or a factory jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store the product away from sources of moisture and unpleasant odors. The shelf life in this case can vary from 6 months to 1.5 years.

If you suddenly run out of food, you can try alternative food options that you can easily prepare yourself. So, it is not forbidden to treat predatory inhabitants of a home reservoir with pieces of scalded lean beef, minced meat balls, chopped fillets of sea fish, chopped boiled squid or shrimps.

Herbivorous fish will gladly eat scalded lettuce leaves, rolled oats, semolina. You can also give your pets a chopped apple, with caution and moderation (remember that this fruit contains acid).

Leaving pets alone for a while (for example, on vacation or business trip), don't try to feed them in advance... Uneaten food will decompose, which will lead to deterioration of the water and, as a result, to a deterioration in well-being and even death of the inhabitants of the aquarium. The optimal solution in this case are the automatic feeders with program control. After setting the desired parameters, the device will dispense portions of food to the fish in the set amount and at certain times.

Another effective solution is weekend feed. This is the name of special tablet formulations that dissolve very slowly when they get into water. Possessing a neutral taste, they are not of great interest to well-fed fish, therefore, they will eat such a pill only when they are severely hungry.

For information on how to properly feed aquarium fish, see the next video.