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Just like humans, fish need a balanced diet,
to stay healthy. Goldfish can never get all the
nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, lipids, vitamins,
minerals, fibre, and water) in just commercialy
prepared foods. This is why a varied diet is important
- staple commerical food, fresh food, frozen or
freeze-dried, and live food.
'Staple'
Flakes: There are many different types of flakes on
the market. Flakes are extreamly good because they
tend to float for a minute or two and then sink,
allowing your goldfish to eat in whichever level he
wants.
Pellets & Tablets & Granulars: These usually sink
quickly to the bottom, and the fish can pick them up.
There are also floating pellets, and they stay on the
top for a while. Some tablets can be stuck to the side
of the aquarium, for mid-water feeders. To avoid swim
bladder diease, it is a good idea to soak all pellets,
tablets, and granulars before feeding, because they
expand once they soak up water. If they expand in the
goldfish’s stomach then it may lead to swim bladder
disorder.
'Frozen and Freeze- Dried Foods'
Frozen foods, such as shrimp, krill, blood worms,
tubriex worms, etc. can be found in most pet stores.
Feeding frozen foods reduce the risk of transfering
dieases compared to live foods, because they are
processed, but they still contain a high nutrtional
value. Freeze-dried foods is not as high in nutrients
as frozen foods, but are still a good treat to a
varied diet.
When feeding freeze dried and frozen foods,
remember that they can absorb a lot of water, and
fill-up your fish faster than you think. It is
therefore, a good idea, to soak the food before
feeding them to your fish, and determine the exact
amount they actually need without making them sick
from overeating.
'Live Foods'
Live foods are a nutritional gain to your fish,
although it is easy to transmit dieases this way -
from the food to the fish. This commonly found when
feeding feeder fish, though.
I must admit, I have never fed my fish live food, but
I can’t actually say that this is healthy. My fish
have still gotten sick, without live foods helping
them along.
It is your choice whether to feed live food, but you
don’t have to, if you do feed commerical, frozen, and
fresh food.
Brine Shrimp
Blood Worms (use these very cautiously as they can
burrow into the aquarium gravel, quickly.)
Daphnia (Water Fleas)
Earth Worms ( Only Give if they are found in ground
without pesticides, and always wash in cold running
water before feeding or put in a paper towel for two
days and let the earth come out of it’s system)
Meal worms
Mosquito larvae (before they metamorphose into
blood-thirsty adult mosquitoes)
Tubiflex worms
Wax worms
'Fresh Foods'
There are a number of fresh foods out there, you can
feed your goldfish, sometimes they won't eat or like
them. But since there is so many, they are bound to
like some or learn to like it. Give them only as a
treat, because uneaten food will polute your aqaurium.
Remember: Wash all fruits and vegetables before giving
them to your goldfish. Boil vegetables, and peel any
fruit or vegetable with a skin (such as; peas, apples,
bananas, grapes..etc.). Feed in small quantities only.
Apple - chopped into small slices
Banana - lumps
Blackberries
Carrot - shredded
Chedder Cheese - finely shredded
Clam - cooked, chopped
Grapefruit - sections
Grapes - peeled
Green Peas - Boiled and Skinned
Hamburger - cooked well, chopped
Lime - sections
Lobster - cooked, chopped
Oat Flakes
Orange - sections
Rasberries
Romaine Letteuce - Washed ( No Peticides)
Shrimp - chopped
Spinach - boiled, small leaves
Strawberry - pieces (if possible, remove seeds)
Tangerine - sections
Watermelon - un-seeded
Wheat Germ
A varied diet is a wise choice towards your
fish's health. It will help them live a long, full,
and active lifestyle. Make sure to feed in small
quantities instead of large, once or twice a day.
~GoldfishGoddess
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