Just as there is no one nutritionally complete food that we feed to our dogs, are children or our cats, the same holds true for our salt water fish. Considering the depth and breadth of the ocean it is no surprise that although the fish may get along in the same tank, they don’t all eat the same foods.
For instance, there are fish who are carnivores, omnivores and herbivores. Feed an herbivore meat and the fish will refuse to eat. Non-eating fish may exhibit this issue for a variety of reasons, but one of the more common after introduction to a new tank is that their dietary needs aren’t being met. Some fish filter their nutrients from the microscopic organisms in the tank while others scavenge. Some fish are aggressive eaters while others are shy.
So, if you thought that you could just dump a pinch of flakes in the tank twice day – think again. It’s important to discover the type of food to feed the entire community while meeting the individual needs of the fish.
Overfeeding is another problem that can poison the water, causing an increase in nitrates and phosphates as well as throwing off the pH balance. Try to watch how much the fish eat with each meal so you don’t add too much at once. You can always add more later – but don’t add so little that the dominant fish is the only one satisfied at the end of the meal.
A good rule of thumb is to not feed any more food than can be consumed in five to seven minutes. Then, once the fish have stopped feeding, the uneaten food should be removed if possible to reduce the amount of decomposition and nitrate build up.
Many saltwater fish prefer to eat some of the same foods they would have hunted in nature. One of the preferred live foods are baby brine shrimp. These are easy to raise at home, and as babies are high in fats and good to feed to young fish. As the shrimp become older they are high in protein, necessary for adult fish. Baby fresh water fish, such as guppies, are also a good live food for the saltwater fish. However, because fresh water fry don’t live long in saltwater it’s important to accurately judge how much to add for a feeding.
Tubifex and white worms are also a popular live food but they will burrow into the substrate of the tank and die. Their decomposing bodies will pollute the tank though so hobbyists should be wary when using them.
But, live foods aren’t enough to keep the fish healthy.
Variety is, after all, the spice of life – and your pets get bored with the same food, just as you would. Lean white fish meat and shellfish are another favorite of many marine fish. If you are using fresh frozen food be sure it is 100% thawed before it enters the tank.
The fish which are omnivores and herbivores will also require plant life. The majority of these will graze on algae. Most tanks have algae and require help controlling it. Just ensure that the algae in your tank is being controlled by your fish and crustaceans and you are starving your pets.
The most convenient, and often the mainstay of your fish diet, is manufactured foods. They are prepared from a variety of ingredients, dried and pressed into flakes or pellets. Freeze-dried foods can include tubifex worms, blood worms and daphnia. Store the dried foods properly or they lose their nutrients. Keep them dry, away from light and heat and preferably in the refrigerator. Use them within 4 months of purchase.
Your pets require a variety of foods from live to freeze-dried, algae and manufactured. Remember to stay away from floating variety of foods for saltwater fish because they are not usually surface feeders.