Feeding Goldfish
Although goldfish are fairly easy pets to take care of, there are still many responsibilities you must take on including feeding them daily. Goldfish always appear hungry and will automatically eat if you constantly feed them. Overfeeding can lead to discomfort and illness for your little fish. If you notice a string of feces trailing behind your fish as it swims, this is a sign that you are overfeeding it. Only feed them twice a day at the very most and only put in as much food as they can consume within five minutes. Goldfish are cold-blooded creatures so they don’t need to metabolize a huge amount of food to create energy.
So what exactly should you feed your new goldfish? This is an extremely simple question to answer because goldfish love variety. They are considered to be omnivores. This means that they will eat anything they can find. The most common foods can be picked up at any local pet store. Dry pellets are a fine choice but you should remember to soak them in the tank water for about 5 minutes to let them expand before the fish eat them. If you don’t, then they will expand inside the fish and this could cause constipation. It is recommended that you feed your fish approximately 5-10 pellets per day.
Dry pellets can also cause problems with the fish’s swim bladder. The swim bladder is an organ that fills with air that allows a fish to rise and sink in the water. Dry food pellets can block the swim bladder and cause the fish to swim sideways or upside down. Most fish foods come in the form of flakes and the
Goldfish also enjoy dining on frozen, live, and gel based foods. Blood worms and brine shrimp are tasty treats that your goldfish will. You should not feed your fish these delicacies too often as they are very high in protein and could cause digestive problems. Also opt for the freeze-dried varieties portions rather than fresh as there is less chance of introducing parasites into your fish’s environment.
Vegetables are a favored cuisine as long as they are blanched. This means that they should be partially cooked or steamed and then cooled before feeding them to your pets. Romaine lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, peas, and carrots are some healthy choices to add to your fish’s diet.
A fish’s digestive system is not equipped to break down foods containing lactose, such as cheese. Other foods like ground beef are also not a good food choice as it doesn’t contain the necessary nutrients for your goldfish. If this is what you decide to feed your fish it will become malnourished and then eventually die. Even if your fish don’t eat this food, they can develop infections by the bacteria and germs that are introduced into the water.
Providing your fish with a proper diet will allow them to live longer and ensure that they are healthy. You will be able to enjoy observing your beautiful pet for many years to come.