Not all fish are the same, and you will want to research the correct type of food to buy for your fish. Obviously, you will purchase different foods for freshwater versus saltwater fish, but fish differences don’t stop there. For example, a plant-based product would be perfect for the omnivores such as angelfish, but your carnivorous beta isn’t going to appreciate anything made of greens. A good practice is to research what your fish eat in the wild, and then compare that with the ingredients in the different foods to make sure they contain the nutrients advertised. Also, you want to pay attention to what size food your fish normally eats. A fish that eats large insects in the wild isn’t going to notice tiny pellets, and it is dangerous for a small fish to try to swallow a large chunk of food.
There are two main types of dry food- sinking and floating. Which type you choose primarily depends on the species of fish you own. Bottom-feeders such as catfish aren’t going to eat floating flakes, because they scour the bottom of the tank for food. Top- and middle-dwelling fish can sometimes eat both floating and sinking pellets, but some will ignore food on the aquarium floor. Additionally, if you have an overflow filter, you probably should only use sinking pellets so that the fish can eat them before they get sucked into the filter.
You also want to consider providing your fish with some frozen food in addition to dry pellets or flakes. Frozen fish food is less processed and can contain ingredients such as shrimp or insects, which more closely resembles what fish would eat in the wild and contains many essential nutrients. However, frozen food doesn’t provide every nutrient either, so it is a good idea to provide a combination of different foods for your fish.
It is very important not to overfeed or underfeed your fish. For that reason, auto feeders are generally not recommended because the auto feeder can’t tell how hungry your fish is. A general rule of thumb is to only feed your fish as much as they can eat while you are feeding them. However, you should still do some research for your specific breed to make sure you’re feeding them appropriately. If your fish looks too skinny or too fat, that is a sign you are not feeding it properly. At first, you may need to pay close attention to how much your fish is eating, but after a while, you should be able to get used to how much they need without always having to time it.
