A varied and nutritious diet is key to healthy aquarium Fishes.
While convenient, commercial foods like flakes and pellets can be supplemented with natural food sources to significantly enhance a Fish’s health, vitality, and coloration.
These foods also stimulate natural foraging and hunting behaviors, making an aquarium more engaging.
NATURAL FOOD CATEGORIES
This guide explores several of the most common natural food sources, detailing their nutritional value and proper use.
LIVE
This category represents the most authentic form of a natural food source as the food is in their living state. This form most closely mimics a Fish’s wild diet, stimulating natural hunting behaviors.
Live food is considered by many to be the ultimate Fish food, offering a combination of nutritional, behavioral, and health benefits that other food types often can’t match. These benefits are listed below.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
Live organisms retain 100% of their natural vitamins, proteins, and essential fatty acids, which have not been degraded by processing, heat, or long-term storage (as can happen with flakes or pellets).
OPTIMAL SPAWNING
The high protein and lipid content in many types of live food, such as Microworms and baby Brine Shrimp, provides the necessary energy and building blocks for rapid growth in juveniles. This is also crucial for conditioning adult Fishes so that they can mate and produce offspring successfully.
GUT-LOADING POTENTIAL
You have the ability to “gut-load” the live prey (like Brine Shrimp or Daphnia) by feeding them highly nutritious supplements (such as spirulina or vitamins) just before feeding them to your Fishes. This ensures that the nutrients are delivered directly to your Fishes.
STIMULATES NATURAL INSTINCTS
The erratic movements of live food trigger a Fish’s natural predatory and foraging instincts, providing essential physical exercise and mental stimulation that can reduce boredom and stress.
APPETITE TRIGGER
The movement is often irresistible, making live food the best option for encouraging a strong feeding response in finicky eaters, newly acquired Fishes, or those who have lost their appetite due to illness or stress.
NATURAL COLORATION
The rich, natural pigments and oils found in live food, particularly Crustaceans (like Daphnia), can dramatically enhance the natural colors and vibrancy of your Fishes.
SUITABLE FOR ALL LIFE STAGES
Very tiny types of live food, such as Infusoria, Microworms, or newly hatched Baby Brine Shrimp, are perfectly sized and highly nutritious for the delicate digestive systems of newborn fry who are too small to eat prepared food.
VARIOUS SIZES
You can choose from a range of different kinds, from microscopic organisms to larger Worms or insects, ensuring you have an appropriate meal size for everything from nano Fishes to large cichlids.
LESS WASTE
Unlike dry food that can dissolve, sink, and decompose, uneaten live food (especially cultures like Daphnia or Moina) will often continue to live and swim until consumed, or may even help consume micro-algae or detritus in the tank. This can contribute to cleaner water parameters.
FREEZE-DRIED
This is a preserved form of a natural food source. The food itself is natural, but the water has been removed through a process that extends its shelf life and eliminates potential pathogens, providing a safe and convenient option. Its benefits are listed below.
NUTRIENT RETENTION
The process is excellent for preserving the nutritional value, color, and shape of the original food item, keeping most of the essential proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
LONG SHELF-LIFE
Since almost all the moisture is removed, they are shelf-stable and don’t require refrigeration, making them very convenient to store and use.
REDUCED RISK OF PATHOGENS
The freeze-drying process sterilizes the food, which removes the risk of introducing harmful bacteria or parasites that can sometimes be a concern with live food.
HIGH PALATABILITY
They are often irresistible to Fishes because they closely resemble their natural prey.
FROZEN
This is another preserved form of a natural food source. The food is flash-frozen at its peak freshness, locking in nutrients and possessing a texture close to live animals without the risk of pathogens.
It requires thawing before feeding and is a highly palatable option for many Fishes.
SUPERIOR NUTRITIONAL VALUE
The flash-freezing process helps to preserve a significant amount of the raw food’s vitamins, proteins, fats (especially beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids), and minerals, often more so than highly processed dry food.
They are less processed and closer to the original whole food source that a Fish would find in nature.
HIGHLY PALATABLE AND NATURAL
Frozen foods retain the natural texture, scent, and taste of live prey, which makes them highly appealing to Fishes.
They are great for encouraging natural hunting and feeding behaviors. This makes them especially useful for picky eaters, finicky species, or Fishes that are stressed or sick and have lost their appetite.
ENHANCED HEALTH AND COLORATION
Their high-quality protein and essential fatty acids promote strong growth and support the immune system, making Fishes more resistant to disease.
Many frozen foods, particularly crustaceans like Krill and Mysis Shrimp, are naturally rich in carotenoids (like astaxanthin) which help to enhance the vibrant red, orange, and pink colors in Fishes.
VARIETY AND DIGESTIBILITY
Many types, like Daphnia and Brine Shrimp (due to their shells), provide natural roughage or fiber that aids in digestion and can help prevent common issues like constipation and bloat in certain species (including Goldfishes and Bettas).
SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE
Freezing at commercial temperatures effectively kills most parasites and harmful pathogens that can sometimes be present in live food, making them a much safer alternative.
They are easy to store in a freezer and come in preportioned cube or blister packs, making feeding simple, though they do require proper thawing and preparation.
HOMEMADE
This is a combination of natural ingredients that have been processed and blended to create a complete and balanced meal. Homemade food offers the highest degree of customization for your Fish’s diet.
POPULAR LIVE FOOD
BRINE SHRIMP (ARTEMIA)
Available in various sizes, from freshly hatched nauplii to adult Shrimp, they are a staple for a wide range of Fishes (including marine species) and are easy to culture at home.
TUBIFEX WORMS
A classic Fish food, these Worms are very high in protein. However, they must be sourced from a clean, reputable dealer to avoid the risk of contamination.
WATER FLEAS (DAPHNIA)
These small crustaceans are high in fiber and excellent for cleaning out the digestive system of Fishes. They are good for smaller Fishes, such as fry, and can also be cultured at home.
BLOODWORMS
While they are often sold frozen, live Bloodworms are a nutritious option. They are actually the larvae of Midge Flies and a good source of iron and protein for a wide variety of Fishes.
MICROWORMS
These are extremely small Worms perfect for feeding very young Fry too small to eat other food. They are very easy to culture at home and are a staple for many homes who have an aquarium.
EARTHWORMS
Earthworms are a substantial and highly nutritious live food, particularly suitable for larger, carnivorous or omnivorous Fishes.
Like other live foods from the wild, they must be sourced from a clean, chemical-free environment to avoid contamination.
DUCKWEED
This tiny floating aquatic plant is a natural food source for herbivorous and omnivorous Fishes. It has a high protein content and is rich in vitamins and fiber.
It’s a great option for grazers like Goldfishes, but its rapid growth can require frequent management to prevent it from overwhelming the tank.
SWITCHING TO NATURAL
Making the switch to a more natural, varied diet is the best way to ensure that your Goldfishes live a long, healthy, and colorful life. Start experimenting with these types of food today, and watch your Fishes thrive!
These fresh options, from leafy greens to protein-rich treats, not only provide superior nutrition but also engage their natural foraging instincts. Whether you opt for the convenience of frozen cubes or the customization of homemade gels, integrating this variety is simpler than you might think.
The increased activity and brighter, more vibrant hues of your happy, healthy Goldfishes will be your immediate and rewarding confirmation.
