Live food has been part of how we keep fish at Byrkley since the shop first opened in 1987. Dad swore by it. He fed his breeding angelfish daphnia as often as he could get hold of it, and he could always see the difference in their growth, their colour and how quickly they came into breeding condition.
We still use live food in the shop today, and we get a fresh delivery every week. This guide covers the foods we stock, which fish each one suits, how often to feed it and how to keep it fresh at home. If you already know what you need, you can go straight to our live fish food collection.
Live Fish Food at a Glance
| Food | Where it sits in the tank | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Daphnia | Free swimming | Smaller fish, fry-raising adults, breeding conditioning |
| Brine shrimp | Free swimming | Most community fish (not very small nano fish) |
| Glassworm | Mid-water, twitching | Most swimming fish (not very small nano fish) |
| Bloodworm | Sinks to the bottom | A treat for bettas, cichlids and bottom foragers |
| Tubifex | Sinks to the bottom | Larger fish and bottom feeders |
| Copepods | Free swimming | Very small nano fish and marine tanks |
The Live Foods We Stock
Daphnia
Daphnia are small water fleas that swim freely through the water. They are smaller than brine shrimp, so they suit many of the smaller fish that would struggle with larger foods. This was Dad's go-to for his angelfish, and it is still one of our best sellers. Daphnia are also often fed to help keep digestion moving, which makes them a useful food for fish that are fed a lot of dry food.
Brine Shrimp
Brine shrimp are free swimming and suit a wide range of fish, from tetras and livebearers up to angelfish and gouramis. They are a little too big for the smallest nano fish. Brine shrimp are one of our three most popular live foods, alongside daphnia and bloodworm. One thing to note: they do not like being kept too cold, so we do not recommend keeping them in the fridge (see storage below).
Glassworm
Glassworm are almost see-through and hang and twitch in the middle of the water rather than sinking. That movement gets a strong feeding response from most swimming fish. As with brine shrimp, they are better for medium-sized fish than very small nano species.
Bloodworm
Bloodworm are small red worms (actually the larvae of a midge). Fish love them, but they are generally considered a bit fatty, so we treat them as a treat rather than an everyday food. They sink to the bottom, so fish have to root around to find them, which suits bettas, cichlids, loaches and catfish. We stock bloodworm in two sizes: small and large.
Tubifex
Tubifex are larger, longer worms than bloodworm. Like bloodworm, they head for the bottom of the tank, so they work well for bottom feeders and for larger fish that like to forage.
Copepods
Copepods are tiny crustaceans. They are often used in marine tanks, but they are also a good size for very small nano fish that cannot manage brine shrimp or glassworm.
Special Order Foods
We can also get live mysis and river shrimp on special order. Email us at info@byrkleyaquatics.co.uk for details.
Which Live Food Is Best for My Fish?
This is the question we get asked most often. The honest answer is that it depends on what your fish naturally eat, and on the size of the smallest fish in the tank.
- Meat and protein eaters (such as bettas and many cichlids) do best on live and frozen food, with only a small amount of dried food.
- Omnivores (most community fish) do well on live foods with some plant-based food alongside.
- Vegetarian fish do not need protein-rich or live foods.
- Pond fish will usually find some live food naturally in the pond, such as daphnia and bloodworm larvae.
In a community tank, choose a smaller food so everyone gets something. Daphnia or brine shrimp will feed most of the tank, while a large worm might only feed your biggest fish. For more specific advice, see our guides on feeding betta fish and the best nano fish for small tanks.
Live, Frozen or Dry Food?
A good dry food contains everything a fish needs to survive, but not all dry foods are equal, and cheap food is rarely good food. We do sell flake, but we do not recommend it as an everyday food. Too much dry food, flake in particular, can lead to constipation, and that can go on to cause digestive problems and internal infections.
What matters most is a mixed, balanced diet with the right nutrients for your species. Live food is excellent for growth, colour and getting fish into strong breeding condition, and some fish will only eat live food. Others can be tempted onto frozen food, which is a great alternative. The range of frozen insects is huge, so there is something for every size of fish.
How Often Should I Feed Live Food?
In the shop, we feed live food occasionally and frozen food at least twice a week, alongside a good quality dry food. For most home aquariums, that is a sensible pattern to follow. If you are conditioning fish for breeding, you can feed live food more often, as Dad did with his angelfish.
On the day you feed live food, skip the dry food. Feeding both at the same time is simply too much food for the fish and the tank.
Storing Live Food at Home
Most problems we hear about with live food come down to storage. Kept properly, in the cooler months you can expect it to last around 5 to 7 days.
- Keep all live food cool and out of direct sunlight.
- Daphnia, bloodworm, glassworm, tubifex and copepods can go in the fridge.
- Brine shrimp do not like it too cold, so keep them somewhere cool rather than in the fridge.
- Only take out what your fish will eat in a few minutes.
Mistakes We See Most Often
- Storing it wrong. Live food kept too warm, or brine shrimp kept too cold, will not last.
- Choosing the wrong size. Pick a food the smallest fish in the tank can eat.
- Feeding dry food and live food together. One or the other at each feed is plenty.
- Relying on one food. Bloodworm every day is too rich. Variety is what keeps fish healthy.
Where Our Live Food Comes From
Our live food comes from a specialist supplier whose whole business is live food. We check every delivery, and if anything has started to die off early, we will not send it out. During very hot weather we may pause shipping, because live food does not travel well in the heat.
How to Order Live Fish Food
Our live food arrives every Friday. Place your order by 10am on Monday, and we will post it out on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning that week. If you are local, you can choose click and collect and pick it up from the shop inside Byrkley Garden Centre.
Ready to order? Browse our full range of live fish food, or pop into the shop and we will help you choose the right food for your fish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which live food is best for my fish?
Choose by the size of the smallest fish in your tank and by what your fish naturally eat. Daphnia and brine shrimp suit most community fish. Bloodworm and tubifex suit bottom foragers, and copepods suit very small nano fish.
How often should I feed live food?
For most tanks, occasionally as part of a mixed diet, with frozen food at least twice a week. Feed more often if you are conditioning fish for breeding.
How long does live fish food last?
Around 5 to 7 days in the cooler months, if it is stored correctly.
Do you post live fish food?
Yes. Order by 10am Monday for dispatch on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. We may pause shipping during very hot weather.