| There is more to feeding fishes than just | | | | |
| putting food into the aquarium. Not only will | | | | There are also great advantages with dry |
| you find it enjoyable, but it will also give | | | | foods, they are always available, they can be |
| you an insight into each fish's normal | | | | easily stored; which saves on regular trips |
| behaviour pattern. In time to come you will | | | | to buy them, although it should be noted that |
| be able to spot any differences in behaviour, | | | | the vitamin content does have a limited |
| which could indicate a possible health or | | | | shelf-life, vitamin content is usually |
| aquarium problem. | | | | guaranteed until the best before date, this |
| | | | will be on the container. |
| Your fishes should be interested in the foods | | | | |
| that you offer them, and should not hesitate | | | | On the other hand, minerals and trace |
| in consuming it readily. Indeed, all of my | | | | elements, do have a long shelf-life, and are |
| fishes come to the surface as soon as they | | | | not adversely affected by prolonged storage. |
| see me approach the tanks with their food. | | | | The risk of disease or parasites being |
| The most important point to be made is not to | | | | introduced into the aquarium with food is |
| over feed. The more food the fishes eat the | | | | completely eliminated with dry foods. |
| more waste they will produce, this may sound | | | | |
| obvious, but when this is combined with any | | | | It should however be remembered that not all |
| uneaten food that is undoubtedly left over | | | | fishes will thrive if fed on the same diet. |
| from feeding too much, it causes a problem. | | | | For example, you wouldn't think of feeding a |
| | | | cat with lettuce, or a rabbit with beefsteak, |
| All of this waste will fall to the aquarium | | | | it's much the same with fishes. Some species |
| floor, and start to decompose, in turn this | | | | of fish require a vegetable diet, while some |
| will produce pollutants that fishes can't | | | | need live food, on the other hand there are |
| tolerate, and could ultimately lead to | | | | species that do well when fed on both. |
| fatalities. In simple terms, the easiest way | | | | |
| to aquarium mismanagement is through | | | | Meat-eaters are referred to as Carnivores |
| overfeeding. Another important factor is | | | | |
| diet; it is a fact that a poor balanced diet | | | | Vegetable-eaters are referred to as |
| will be responsible for a fish's inability to | | | | Herbivores |
| fight off diseases. If a fish is to live a | | | | |
| healthy life it must have a well balanced | | | | Fishes that eat a general diet, i.e. a little |
| diet. | | | | of both, are referred to as Omnivores |
| | | | |
| There was a time when dry foods were only | | | | Mud-eaters are referred to as Limnivores |
| used out of necessity, because its grade | | | | |
| could not always be assured. Even now modern | | | | There are many different types of dry foods, |
| flake foods are all too often ignored or | | | | such as: tablets, sticks, granules, wafers, |
| dismissed as being less than a complete diet. | | | | and of course flakes, as well as others. All |
| It's also surprising that many fishkeeping | | | | of these dried foods can be bought in various |
| books seem to take a sceptical view of dry | | | | compositions, depending on the type of fishes |
| foods. | | | | you want to feed. |
| | | | |
| There's no need for this negative attitude. | | | | For example, I use sinking algae wafers, or |
| Nowadays it's not too difficult to provide | | | | plant chips, for my Plecostomus (mainly |
| good quality flake food, most flake foods now | | | | Herbivore, although they will eat various |
| are of unquestionable origin, they are | | | | worms etc.), and the surface feeders such as |
| scientifically developed, and are without a | | | | my Gouramis, are fed on a high quality flake |
| doubt a complete diet. | | | | food, whilst at the same time, my Green |
| | | | Terror (Cichlid, usually Carnivore) likes to |
| Commercial foods have progressed to the point | | | | feed on the algae wafers and the flake, as |
| now were most species can live a lifetime on | | | | well as live food. |
| a varied diet of high quality dry foods. | | | | |
| Indeed, if it weren't for the readily | | | | So, there is a vast choice of foods available |
| available range of staple flake foods, | | | | for your fishes, make the most of them and |
| today's fishkeepers would find it a great | | | | keep your fishes healthy, colourful and |
| problem to feed their fishes. | | | | happy. |