5 High-Quality Fish Foods That You Have to Try
What do you feed your fish when it comes to pre-prepared fish food? Do you love Team Hikari? Or are you a Team Repashy DIYer? Or, are you someone like me who suffers from fish food collectoritis? Your fridge is full of empty bottles. Today’s fish keepers have the option of hundreds of fish food products from all over the globe. I look for the following things when testing out new products:
– Ingredients – What is the food made out of and what nutrients does it contain? – Palatability – Are my fish crazy about it? How quickly does it get eaten? – Ease of Use – How long does it take to prepare? Is it likely to make the water a bit dirty or require additional tank maintenance? Price – Is it expensive? And is it difficult to find?
Here are some of my favourite prepared foods, which I believe are safe and easy to make.
Favorite Flake Food – Xtreme Krill Flakes
There are a lot of fish flakes brands on the market. So how do you choose a reliable brand that is safe and contains all the necessary nutrients? Xtreme Krill Flakes is a premium flake that uses krill as the main ingredient. The smell and taste of krill is irresistible to fish, and it’s a great source of protein that naturally enhances fish colors. Flake food can be easily crumbled to the correct size. This makes it great for small guppy fries or cichlids with a need for extra color. We fell in love with the food after feeding it to our livebears and cannot recommend it enough.
Favorite Pellet Food – Xtreme Nano
Flakes are great for fish that eat off the surface, but what about mid-water or bottom dwelling fish that prefer slowly sinking foods? Xtreme Nano shines here. The 0.5mm pellet food is high in protein from delicious sources such as fish, krill and squid. It’s also low on fillers so you only need a small amount. This tiny size makes it ideal for small fish such as tetras and rasboras. This is a great staple for feeding your fish every day if you are unsure of what to feed them.
Favorite Fry Food: Aquarium Co-Op Easy Fry and Small Fish Food
I’m really into breeding nano fish right now, so this fine-grained food is perfect for both the adults and babies in my aquariums. It has salmon, spirulina, kelp and high crude protein (55%) and crude oil content (18%). This makes it great for healthy fry. The squeeze bottle is what really makes this food stand out. You wouldn’t think that packaging would make such a difference, but it’s so easy to squirt a little in each tank and feed a ton of fish quickly and efficiently. I only own a few aquariums, so I can only imagine the time savings for people who own a fish room or work at a pet store.
Favorite Food for Finicky Eaters: Hikari Vibra Bites
Certain aquatic pets such as puffers, discus, and African dwarfs frogs are known for not taking frozen or live food. This can lead to them being discouraged from keeping them. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a prepared food that looked and moved in the water just like frozen bloodworms? Enter Hikari Vibra Bites. These red, worm-like food sticks are smaller and shorter than actual bloodworms, making them easier for little fish like tetras to eat. They’re also packed with ingredients such as garlic, cuttlefish and insects for great nutrition and color-enhancing properties. Yes, there are super picky eaters that probably still won’t eat this food, but give it a try and it could save you a lot of time and headache.
Favorite Food for Bottom Feeders: Repashy Gel Food
I had never heard of gel foods before, but now that I’ve started using Repashy Superfoods, it’s become a staple with my aquariums. Simply add the powder to boiling water and let it set up like Jell-O. Then cut into cubes or freeze it for later. Gel food won’t dissolve in water immediately and can last up to 24 hours. This makes it ideal for slow feeders like baby fry or nocturnal catfish. Driftwood and smooth rocks can be dipped in the gel food before it sets. This gives your algae and onwuchs eaters a flat area to graze on. It’s great to see so many different varieties, each with a specific diet for goldfish, herbivores or wood eaters. One warning: Repashy is a very unique scent that drives fish crazy.
In terms of fish foods, I don’t have a particular brand loyalty. As Cory (the owner of Aquarium Co-Op) puts it, trying out different fish foods is like Fantasy Football where you can pick the best players from each team. My top five list will help you find the right fish food for you. You just might find a new all-time favorite fish food!
