When purchasing fish, amateur aquarists often do not know the features of feeding. The only thing they ask the seller: which fish food is better? Of course, the quality of food is extremely important, but it is also necessary to adhere to strict rules for its intake. Fish should not be overeating, since obesity leads to an early death of the inhabitants of the aquarium. It is important to provide a varied diet. There are fish that eat food from the bottom because of their mouth structure. But there are those who are able to capture food only from the surface. This and much more is worth considering when buying feed. Then you do not have to complain about the manufacturer. What are the feeds?
Dry
The choice of such food for fish is very large. According to reviews of most buyers, manufacturers monitor its quality. Pets like them, contain plant and animal components. When purchasing such a product, it is important to pay attention to the composition and for which groups of aquarium inhabitants it is suitable.
So, food for goldfish should contain less protein and more plant components. There is a separate food for males, guppies and other pets. Although there are many universal products.
Dry food is good for fish that are just growing up, and fry. For example, it is enough to rub the flakes with your fingers to a state of dust, then the fry can swallow it.
Disadvantages and advantages of dry nutrition
Dry food for aquarium fish attracts with its versatility. And it’s quite easy to store it - keep it closed in a bank. Most inhabitants of the aquarium like it. In addition, it practically does not pollute the water in the tank.
The disadvantages include the uniformity of nutrition. Some owners note that their fish are interesting to hunt, and the floating pellet is not very similar to a worm. Also, such a diet often leads to obesity. It is important to monitor the dosage and not exceed it. It will not be superfluous to spend one day a week without food. Fish will not be worse from this.
Food for enhancing color brightness
Varieties such as fire barbs, swordsmen, guppies, red neons and others need special food for fish. They contain carotenoids. These natural substances will increase the brightness of the color of the fish. Many speak well of the Tetra manufacturer, which produces a product to enhance color. It acts on orange and red. However, this is not the only color company on the market.
Natural
Certain types of fish need to add vegetation and green vegetables to their diet, such as lettuce or cucumber. It is equally important to include live food for aquarium fish in the diet. This highly nutritious product contains many vitamins and minerals. Live feeds include insects, their larvae, worms, small crustaceans. Frozen fish food is now quite popular. It is sold with tiles that need to be stored in the freezer.
The disadvantages and advantages of natural products
Live food for aquarium fish, in addition to its nutritional value, still attract animals with the opportunity to hunt. But it can contain dangerous microbes, as it is caught from open water bodies. It is advisable to soak it in clean water for three to seven days before serving. But this does not give a full guarantee.
You can not be afraid of the presence of microbes or parasites in frozen food. Manufacturers in the process of forming tiles irradiate living creatures, and it becomes safe.
Vitamin Supplements
There are situations when one varied diet is not enough. For example, during an illness or a stressful situation, it will not be amiss to add vitamins to water or food. They are available in the form of drops.
Some aquarists advise adding them to dry food, which has been open for quite some time. Dosage depends on the specific situation. Typically, manufacturers clearly describe everything in the instructions.
Fish and vacation
Separately, it is worth mentioning the situation when all family members leave for several weeks. Of course, you can ask a loved one to come to feed the fish. But often people complain that upon arrival they discover the death of most pets. It’s hard to figure out the reasons. But sometimes they lie in the improper provision of food by a temporary "master". Out of ignorance, people often overfeed other people's pets.
For such cases, there is a special feed for fish. It does not turn sour and stays in water for up to ten days. Fish cannot eat it right away. It does not pollute water. You can also put an automatic feeder in the aquarium.
Storage of different feeds
Manufacturers usually indicate the rules and shelf life of their products. On average, dry food needs to be fed for two to six months after opening. It should not be exposed to heat or sunlight. From this, it will be oxidized, and vitamins will be destroyed. It is better to purchase such a container so that the fish ate food for three months.
Live food for aquarium fish can not be stored for long. So, bloodworms should immediately be washed in running water, remove garbage with dead larvae. Then it is packaged in portions. Each piece is stored in wet cloth in the refrigerator. The bloodworm is washed twice a day.
Frozen food can lie in the freezer for up to three months. It is important that it be transported in compliance with all conditions.
Popular feed manufacturers
The market is filled with a variety of feeds. Some of them belong to the premium class, others to the budget series. If you look at the variety of reviews from the owners of the aquariums, we can distinguish "Tetra", "Sulfur" and "Zoomir". But this list can be expanded.
The best feed for fish (list of manufacturers):
The largest number of positive reviews can be found on products for fish from the company "Zoom". These feeds are loved not only by fish, but also by their owners, since they are budgetary. Small aquatic organisms, algae, and insect larvae are taken to produce the product. The aquarist can find lines of multicomponent feeds, mixtures, food in the form of granules and flakes. All of them are fortified. The manufacturer produces food for certain types of fish and a universal option for mixed aquariums. He also has a “weekend food,” which will provide the fish with food for two weeks. The company is engaged in the production of food for rodents, birds, reptiles. Products for fish can be recognized by the inscription in red letters, which is located at the top of the box "FISH".
Feed manufacturers are one of the most popular among aquarists. At least that's what the reviews on the Internet say. He is engaged not only in food, but also in water care products, medicines, aquariums, and goods for tanks. The manufacturer was one of the first to produce a product in the form of flakes. The owners of the fish note that they can be used for pets of any size. In addition, they practically do not pollute water. The company also produces food in the form of chips and granules. It includes several dozen components. There are specialized feeds for cichlids, guppies, labyrinth fish, discus. Predators and herbivores will not be left without their own food.
The company produces food for fish from fresh water, sea depths, as well as ponds. The manufacturer has created an option for many individual pets. It matches their ideal diet in a natural environment. Basic nutrition can be divided into three types: vegetable, for saturated color, universal. Products differ in their location in the water. There is food that floats on the surface, falls to the bottom or stays in the water column.
The Italian manufacturer has created many series of feed for aquarium inhabitants. Products take into account the size of the fish, its type and special needs. The food is produced in the form of sticks, granules and flakes. It is fortified, contains the optimal combination of fats, proteins, fiber.
The German manufacturer specializes in various products for aquariums. Their feed line is designed for all kinds of fish groups. There are separate products for fighting, herbivorous, bottom, gold species. All of them are fortified.
The Russian manufacturer creates a product from natural components. He enriches it with vitamins. The product is suitable for daily nutrition. It stimulates the brightness of the color, making it saturated.
The Japanese manufacturer specializes in natural aquariums. Its premium products. The feed is made in the form of granules. It is suitable for animals that have been caught from natural reservoirs.
However, there are situations when fish eat without much desire. In this case, it is worth arranging a hungry day, and maybe two days, or diversify the diet.