Posted by CD Aquatics on Nov 15 2021
Food is one of the most important parts of caring for your fish and is integral to keeping your fish healthy. However, there is no one size fits all rule when it comes to feeding your fish, especially in a mixed tank. What you feed your fish and how you feed your fish is important to keeping your fish tank healthy and happy.
Different types of fish will require different types of food to keep them healthy. Different breeds of fish will live in different areas of the tank and will gather their food in different ways, it is important to cater for this with food each type can easily access.
One of the best ways to ensure your fish tank fish are getting the right nutrients is to buy specially-created fish food from your local specialists.
The first indication of the type of food you should be feeding your fish is the type of fish they are. There are three main types of fish. Surface feeders or top feeders, mid-feeders and bottom feeders. Surface feeders often have an upturned mouth and will need food that float on the surface of the water. Mid-feeders have straight mouths and can eat food that slowly sinks through the tank and bottom feeders, as the name suggests, need food that sinks to the bottom of your fish tank and have a downturned mouth.
Some species of fish eat live foods whilst some are herbivores and will need fish food options to suit so it is important you check this when purchasing your fish.
How you feed your fish will also depend on the types of fish and feed you have. For example, fish who eat live food will be fed in a different way to bottom feeders who will feed on sinking pellets on the fish tank floor.
Flake foods are a great food source for surface feeders and mid-feeders as they drift towards the bottom and can be simply sprinkled on to the surface of the water. Pellet foods can also be distributed in the same way as they will sink quickly to the bottom of your fish tank to allow your bottom feeders to feed. Warmer water temperatures can also increase fish metabolisms meaning they may need to be fed more frequently.
One of the most important things to know when it comes to feeding your fish is portions. Feeding fish the correct amount is key as excess food is a sure-fire way to upset the healthy levels of your tank. Excess food can build up in your tank if left uneaten causing issues such as dangerous rises in ammonia and nitrate levels. Feeding once or twice a day should allow your fish enough food to keep them happy and healthy. Before feeding your fish in the morning, make sure that your fish tank light has been on for at least 30 minutes and leave the light on for at least 30 minutes after feeding in the evening.
An easy way to work out how much to feed your fish is to trial a small quantity of food and watch how long it takes to get eaten. Your fish should be able to consume what you have fed them within 2 to 3 minutes. Anything above this is too much and should be stripped back to avoid clogging up your fish tank water. You should aim to remove any uneaten food after around 5 minutes with a net or siphon hose.
If you are looking for quality fish food and feeders, our collection has everything you need to keep your fish healthy. We supply a wide range of fish flakes, pellet fish food, and holiday fish food blocks as well as automatic fish feeders.
Take a look at our range now or contact our team on 01922 416284 to find out more.
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