Goldfjsh Diet
Goldfish are omnivores, they eat insects and fish and a significant amount of plant matter/vegetables. They are primarily bottom feeders and are opportunistic, they won’t stop eating until all the food is gone. Goldfish don’t have stomachs as we know it, so a constant food supply is needed to enable adequate nutrition. They have teeth located in the back of their throats, which they use to crush food, this enables them to chew through insects and other, harder foods.
Whilst a diet of prepared foods is handy for us, it can cause issues, if fed exclusively, with the swim bladder of Goldfish, particularly fancy varieties. They have deep bodies and constipation is a common issue, this can apply pressure onto the swim bladder and cause long term issues, so a varied diet is essential to their health and well being.
Overfeeding is a common problem with Goldfish. There are lots of reasons overfeeding can lead to issues. The main ones being;
- The more food the Goldfish eats, the more waste it produces.
- There is more chance of food fouling the water, if there is too much put into the tank.
- Goldfish don’t have stomachs, so constipation is likely after large feedings.
Whilst a diet of prepared foods is handy for us, it can cause issues, if fed exclusively, with the swim bladder of Goldfish, particularly fancy varieties. They have deep bodies and constipation is a common issue, this can apply pressure onto the swim bladder and cause long term issues, so a varied diet is essential to their health and well being.
Overfeeding is a common problem with Goldfish. There are lots of reasons overfeeding can lead to issues. The main ones being;
- The more food the Goldfish eats, the more waste it produces.
- There is more chance of food fouling the water, if there is too much put into the tank.
- Goldfish don’t have stomachs, so constipation is likely after large feedings.
What should I feed them?
It is vital that Goldfish have a varied diet. It is a good idea to have a staple food, which you feed on a regular basis and supplement with vegetables, live/frozen foods, plants and treats.
Invest in a high quality food as your staple. This is the food your Goldfish will have most often and will provide it with lots of the elements it requires in the diet.
There are three main categories of prepared foods which you can choose to feed your Goldfish; flakes, pellets and gel food. Choose a food designed specifically for Goldfish. Ideally, we don’t want fillers in the first five ingredients listed, this includes wheat, rice, yeast and all sorts of other things, used to bulk out the food. A good protein content to aim for is 35+%. Repashy, Azayaka, Saki Hikari, NLS and Omega One are all popular brands in the Goldfish community.
Remember to replace any dried foods every three months and discard any left overs. It goes stale very quickly once opened and begins to lose its nutritional value.
Another option is to make your own food. Gel food is easily prepared in the home, from things you probably have lying around. Cooking for your Goldfish may seem like an odd thing to do, but it’s easy, cheap and means you can fill your Goldfish with lots of fresh noms!
Plant matter is very important for Goldfish. This can be fed in the form of plants, algae and vegetables. They will eat pretty much anything, though it may take them a while to recognise foods.
Planted Goldfish tanks are thought of as a big no-no, as Goldfish are said to eat all plants. I personally have lots of planted Goldfish tanks and can tell you that this isn’t entirely true. Some Goldfish are hell bent on destroying even the hardiest of aquarium plants, some are not. The most commonly eaten plants are Elodea and Duckweed. Duckweed is a popular laxative food, as well as being a nutritious snack! They are both easily cultivated, low light plants but I do recommend cultivating separately. A bowl or jar in the window will suffice, but if your Goldies are as mad for duckweed and Elodea as mine, a 20 Litre tank or small outdoor pond (or bigger still!) may be necessary.
Vegetables such as Kale, Spinach, Courgette, Carrot, Bell Peppers and Cabbage are all highly nutritious and tasty. You can leave vegetables in the tank for a few hours before they begin to foul the water, so they are not only a great supplement but allow easy grazing for Goldfish and also mean the slower eaters get a look in on the goods.
Fruit should be fed sparingly; Oranges, Apple, Melon, Strawberry, Grapes and Banana are all enjoyed. They are considered a treat and as such, should be fed a couple of times a year.
Seaweed sheets are a popular treat for Goldfish. You can buy dried sheets from the supermarket which you can cut a portion off and attach to a clip, or use a rubber band and a pebble and feed. Ensure the seaweed contains no flavourings or salt prior to feeding.
Meat from warm blooded animals, such as beef and pork should be avoided as they aren’t easily digested by fish, the same goes for chicken, though it is slightly more easy going on the fish, but not by much. Should you be feeding any of these foods, feed sparingly and not exclusively.
Live and frozen foods are great for Goldfish. They contain lots of protein and are highly nutritious. Bloodworms, Daphnia, Tubifex, Mosquito larvae, Earthworms, Tubifex and Brine Shrimp are all firm Goldfish favourites!
Your Goldfish may not dive straight in and enjoy a new food. It can take them a while to recognise it as a food at all. Some are picky eaters and it can take them a few tries before they decide if they like it or not. Some are a bit slower than others at figuring out what to do. Don’t be disheartened, just clean up and try again another day!
Invest in a high quality food as your staple. This is the food your Goldfish will have most often and will provide it with lots of the elements it requires in the diet.
There are three main categories of prepared foods which you can choose to feed your Goldfish; flakes, pellets and gel food. Choose a food designed specifically for Goldfish. Ideally, we don’t want fillers in the first five ingredients listed, this includes wheat, rice, yeast and all sorts of other things, used to bulk out the food. A good protein content to aim for is 35+%. Repashy, Azayaka, Saki Hikari, NLS and Omega One are all popular brands in the Goldfish community.
Remember to replace any dried foods every three months and discard any left overs. It goes stale very quickly once opened and begins to lose its nutritional value.
Another option is to make your own food. Gel food is easily prepared in the home, from things you probably have lying around. Cooking for your Goldfish may seem like an odd thing to do, but it’s easy, cheap and means you can fill your Goldfish with lots of fresh noms!
Plant matter is very important for Goldfish. This can be fed in the form of plants, algae and vegetables. They will eat pretty much anything, though it may take them a while to recognise foods.
Planted Goldfish tanks are thought of as a big no-no, as Goldfish are said to eat all plants. I personally have lots of planted Goldfish tanks and can tell you that this isn’t entirely true. Some Goldfish are hell bent on destroying even the hardiest of aquarium plants, some are not. The most commonly eaten plants are Elodea and Duckweed. Duckweed is a popular laxative food, as well as being a nutritious snack! They are both easily cultivated, low light plants but I do recommend cultivating separately. A bowl or jar in the window will suffice, but if your Goldies are as mad for duckweed and Elodea as mine, a 20 Litre tank or small outdoor pond (or bigger still!) may be necessary.
Vegetables such as Kale, Spinach, Courgette, Carrot, Bell Peppers and Cabbage are all highly nutritious and tasty. You can leave vegetables in the tank for a few hours before they begin to foul the water, so they are not only a great supplement but allow easy grazing for Goldfish and also mean the slower eaters get a look in on the goods.
Fruit should be fed sparingly; Oranges, Apple, Melon, Strawberry, Grapes and Banana are all enjoyed. They are considered a treat and as such, should be fed a couple of times a year.
Seaweed sheets are a popular treat for Goldfish. You can buy dried sheets from the supermarket which you can cut a portion off and attach to a clip, or use a rubber band and a pebble and feed. Ensure the seaweed contains no flavourings or salt prior to feeding.
Meat from warm blooded animals, such as beef and pork should be avoided as they aren’t easily digested by fish, the same goes for chicken, though it is slightly more easy going on the fish, but not by much. Should you be feeding any of these foods, feed sparingly and not exclusively.
Live and frozen foods are great for Goldfish. They contain lots of protein and are highly nutritious. Bloodworms, Daphnia, Tubifex, Mosquito larvae, Earthworms, Tubifex and Brine Shrimp are all firm Goldfish favourites!
Your Goldfish may not dive straight in and enjoy a new food. It can take them a while to recognise it as a food at all. Some are picky eaters and it can take them a few tries before they decide if they like it or not. Some are a bit slower than others at figuring out what to do. Don’t be disheartened, just clean up and try again another day!
Nori tucking into a seaweed sheet
How often should I feed them?
Goldfish don't have stomachs as we know it. Instead food continually passes through their digestive tract and their intestines do all the jobs that a stomach would usually do. As they have less time than other fish to digest the food and absorb the nutrients, we must ensure we provide a steady supply of food.
It is much better to feed your Goldfish three to four small meals per day than to feed one big one. As they have no where to store their food, big meals can cause issues with constipation, which can affect their swim bladder. Feed as much as your Goldfish can eat in a minute and feed in regular intervals throughout the day.
Provide your Goldfish with fresh vegetables to graze on daily. Simply boil, blanch or steam them and weigh them down with a fork. Harder vegetables, such as carrot should be par boiled and grated, to aid digestion.
Freeze dried foods should be soaked prior to feeding. The air trapped inside such foods can cause bloat, constipation and swim bladder issues, so soaking for 10-15 minutes before feeding is recommended. I soak my pellets in Vitazin or Vitachem with a little Garlic Guard, to add to the nutritional value. Some say that soaking prior to feeding enables the nutrients to start to leach prior to feeding, soaking in a vitamin supplement negates this risk.
Feed live/frozen foods at least once a week, two or three times is a good place to be. Younger goldfish and juveniles should be fed live/frozen foods more often, as they require more protein in their diet.
It is much better to feed your Goldfish three to four small meals per day than to feed one big one. As they have no where to store their food, big meals can cause issues with constipation, which can affect their swim bladder. Feed as much as your Goldfish can eat in a minute and feed in regular intervals throughout the day.
Provide your Goldfish with fresh vegetables to graze on daily. Simply boil, blanch or steam them and weigh them down with a fork. Harder vegetables, such as carrot should be par boiled and grated, to aid digestion.
Freeze dried foods should be soaked prior to feeding. The air trapped inside such foods can cause bloat, constipation and swim bladder issues, so soaking for 10-15 minutes before feeding is recommended. I soak my pellets in Vitazin or Vitachem with a little Garlic Guard, to add to the nutritional value. Some say that soaking prior to feeding enables the nutrients to start to leach prior to feeding, soaking in a vitamin supplement negates this risk.
Feed live/frozen foods at least once a week, two or three times is a good place to be. Younger goldfish and juveniles should be fed live/frozen foods more often, as they require more protein in their diet.
The Tanks & Tantrums staple pellet collection
How much should I feed them?
Temperature plays a major role on the metabolism of the fish, but generally speaking we want to feed our fish 1-2% of their body weight daily. If you take a bowl of tank water and zero a set of digital scales, then gently move your fish over, you will be able to weigh them relatively accurately. Juvenile Goldfish should be fed around 2% of their body weight per day, Mature Goldfish should be fed around 1% of their body weight per day.
If you don't have access to scales, give the fish enough so that they have 3-4 good mouthfuls each, per
If you don't have access to scales, give the fish enough so that they have 3-4 good mouthfuls each, per