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Guide to getting healthy fish
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Food for your fish

Most types of fish food belong to one of four main categories:

In the first group you will for instance find flakes, granular, and floating and sinking pellets. Manufactured foods are very practical and if you chose a high-quality food recommended for your particular species, you will provide your fish with a wide range of important nutrients. Flake food is usually given to fish that live in mid-water or close to the surface. Bottom feeders will instead prefer sinking pellets or pre-soaked flake food. Large fish will appreciate larger food, and large pellets and granular food is therefore better than flakes. Always choose a prepared food recommended for your particular species. Herbivore fish should be given prepared foods with a high amount of plant matter and/or algae, while carnivore fish usually need a lot of protein in their diet.  

In the second group, you will find meaty foods that have been freeze dried or frozen. Freeze-dried or frozen food is a good choice if your keep predatory fish but dislike cultivating your own live food. If you choose freeze dried food, you do not have to devote freezer space to the fish food. In this group you will for instance find brine shrimp, krill and worms. You can create your own frozen food at home. Grounded beef heart mixed with flavor-free gelatin is a favorite among many predatory fish species. 

In the third group we find live foods, from maggots, insect larvae and tiny brine shrimp babies to large feeder fish. Many predatory fishes are hard to train onto accepting dead food, and feeding your predatory fish live food is also very interesting since it will trigger a wide range of natural behaviors in them. Some fish will grow bored and listless in the tank if not allowed to hunt. You can cultivate your own live food at home or purchase it from a pet shop.  

In the fourth group we find food for herbivore fish. Many fish species that feed on plants and/or algae in the wild, will also appreciate vegetables. Cucumber, aubergine and blanched lettuce leaves are popular. Boiled peas are recommended for fish prone to digestive problems, e.g. goldfish. Keep in mind that even a vicious predator can need some plant matter in its diet. In the wild, fish tend to gulp down algae and plant matter now and then, and some fish species can become malnourished when kept in an aquarium without any plants or algae.