The best fish food - Chicago Tribune
Fish are popular pets because they are relatively affordable and low maintenance, especially freshwater varieties. They also won't create a mess in the home and are good starter pets for children. However, just like any other pet, fish need proper nutrition to live a long and healthy life.
There are many things to consider when choosing a fish food, including the nutritional needs and natural feeding behavior of the species you own. You'll also have to decide what type of food to give them. Live foods are some of the most nutritious, but many people opt for dried and preserved options like Omega One Freshwater Flakes for the convenience they offer.
What to know before you buy fish food
Fish nutrition
It is important to understand the nutritional needs of your fish when picking out food. Certain species, such as cichlids, need foods very high in protein, while species like plecos need a diet high in algae and other plant matter. Most people keep multiple fish species in their aquarium, which means they may need more than one type of food to keep them all in optimal health.
Feeding habits
Along with different nutritional needs, fish have different eating habits. There are top-feeders, midfeeders and bottom-feeders. These terms relate to where they naturally prefer to eat their foods. For top-feeders, you'll need a food that floats, while midfeeders will need slow-sinking food. Bottom-feeders need food that sinks quickly so it doesn't all get eaten by the other fish before it gets down to them.
Types of fish food
Flakes
Flakes are one of the most popular fish foods because they are reasonably priced, last a long time and are available in a wide range of formulas to fit all species. There are also options designed for certain health benefits, such as enhancing color or reproductive capacity. Flakes are best for top- and mid-feeders since they either float or sink slowly.
Pellets
Pellets are another popular food type and for many of the same reasons as flakes. They are affordable, last a long time and come in a range of formulas. Unlike flakes, pellets are available in fast-sinking options in addition to floating and slow-sinking foods.
Crisps
To the untrained eye, crisps could easily be mistaken for flakes. However, they are slightly thicker so they dissolve slower. This can be very helpful for those with shy fish who don't devour their food quickly, because it means the food is less likely to go to waste and just end up dirtying your water. As with flakes, crisps are generally only available in floating and slow-sinking options.
Wafers
Most wafers are designed for bottom-feeders and tend to be made with a high content of algae and other plant-based ingredients. They sink quickly and dissolve slowly and come in small and large sizes.
Live
Live fish foods are most similar to what fish eat in the wild. There are many types of live fish food, but the most common are brine shrimp, tubifex, blood worms, black worms and small feeder fish. Though the most expensive and least convenient, live foods have the highest nutritional content. However, a major downside to live foods is that they can introduce parasites or diseases into your tank.
Frozen
Frozen foods are good because they are nearly as nutritious as live foods, but more convenient and have a very low possibility of introducing a disease or parasite to your system. Most frozen foods are composed of a single live food, such as brine shrimp, that has been frozen into cubes.
Freeze-dried
If frozen fish food wasn't quite convenient enough for you, but you still want to provide your fish with high-quality, single-source food without any fillers or additives, you can turn to freeze-dried foods. These have a long shelf life, don't require refrigeration and are suitable for many species.
Stick-on tabs
If you have shy fish that tend to wait for the food to come down to them, but you really want to see them eat, you can try stick-on tabs. As the name implies, you stick these tabs to the inside of the glass, so the fish are forced to swim out to eat them.
Slow feeders
Slow feeders or feeding blocks are intended for people who need a convenient way to feed their fish for a few days while they will be away from home. They dissolve slowly, with some lasting as long as two weeks.
Fish food cost
Like food for all other pets, fish food varies in price and quality. You can find low-quality options that cost as little as $1 an ounce and premium options that cost upwards of $10 an ounce. Live fish food tends to be the most expensive.
Fish food FAQ
How much should I feed my fish?
A. There is a bit of trial and error that goes into determining how much to give your fish in each feeding. It is recommended to only feed them as much food as they can consume within a couple of minutes. If it stays longer than that, it will wind up dissolving and dirtying your water. Start out just feeding your fish a small amount and if they eat it all immediately, you can slowly add a little more as needed. Eventually, you will learn the proper amount.
Does fish food go bad?
A. Like all other kinds of food, fish food can go bad. How long that takes depends on the type of food and how it is stored. Every food should have an expiration date on the package somewhere and it is important to adhere to it. Otherwise, you risk making your fish sick.
Which fish food should I get?
Best of the best fish food
Omega One Freshwater Flakes: available at Amazon, and Petsmart
Our take: These flakes feature a quality ingredient list that is high in beta carotenes and omega 6s for colorful and healthy fish.
What we like: The ingredients are sourced from sustainable fisheries and flash frozen to preserve the nutrients.
What we dislike: The flakes crush easily, which results in a lot of unusable dust in the bottom of the container.
Best bang for your buck fish food
Tetra TetraCichlid Floating Pellets: available at Amazon and Chewy
Our take: Cichlids are a popular fish in most aquariums due to their bright colors and hardy nature, and this fish food is specifically formulated for their nutritional needs.
What we like: It's high in protein and designed to dissolve slowly so it doesn't cloud your water.
What we dislike: The pellets are too large for fish under 4 or 5 inches.
Honorable mention fish food
Hikari Tropical Fancy Guppy Fish Food : available at Amazon and Chewy
Our take: These semi-floating pellets are good for top- and mid-feeders and rich in color-enhancing ingredients.
What we like: It features added vitamin C to support the immune system and iodine-containing seaweed for reproductive health.
What we dislike: It is higher priced than many other options and contains soy meal, which isn't an ideal food source.
Brett Dvoretz is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
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