Everything You Need to Know About Live Fish Food: A Guide for All Fish Keepers
Introduction
Feeding your fish isn’t just about keeping them alive—it’s about giving them a diet that mimics their natural environment and brings out their best health, colours, and behaviours. Live fish food is one of the best ways to achieve this. Whether you’re keeping tropical fish, goldfish, or pond fish, live food offers a wealth of benefits. But what exactly is live fish food, and how can you use it effectively? Let’s dive in!
What is Live Fish Food?
Live fish food consists of small, living organisms that fish naturally consume in the wild. These foods are packed with essential nutrients and provide enrichment by encouraging your fish to forage, hunt, or nibble, just as they would in their natural habitats. Popular types of live fish food include:
Daphnia (Water Fleas): Great for smaller fish like tetras and guppies.
Bloodworms: A favourite among bettas, cichlids, and other carnivorous species. Dwarf aquatic frogs also absolutely love bloodworms, making them an excellent choice for mixed-species tanks.
Brine Shrimp: Perfect for adult fish, providing a protein-rich boost.
Baby Brine Shrimp (Nauplii): Ideal for fry (baby fish) due to their smaller size and high nutritional content.
Tubifex Worms: A nutrient-dense option for goldfish and bottom-feeding species.
The Benefits of Live Fish Food
Live fish food isn’t just a treat; it can transform your aquarium. Here’s how:
Nutritional Boost: Live food is rich in protein, fats, and other essential nutrients that promote growth and health.
Natural Behaviours: Watching your fish hunt and forage adds excitement to your tank and reduces boredom for your aquatic pets.
Enhanced Colours: A varied diet with live food can intensify vibrant colors in species like neon tetras, discus, and bettas.
Improved Reproductive Health: Live foods are excellent for conditioning fish before breeding.
Digestive Benefits: Live foods like daphnia can act as a natural laxative, helping to alleviate constipation and promoting healthy digestion. This, in turn, can limit other gut and internal problems, ensuring your fish stay healthy and active.
Supports a Balanced Ecosystem: In new ponds, introducing live food can help establish a more balanced ecosystem by promoting natural behaviours and contributing to the biological diversity needed for a healthy aquatic environment.
Fish like bettas and angelfish thrive on the extra protein from live food, while even goldfish benefit from the variety and added nutrients. Pond fish, such as koi and goldfish, enjoy chasing live food, keeping them active and healthy.
How Often Should You Use Live Fish Food?
While live food is excellent for your fish, it shouldn’t be their only source of nutrition. Aim to use it as a supplement:
Tropical Fish: 1–2 times per week, alongside a high-quality pellet or flake diet.
Goldfish: Occasionally, to complement their primarily plant-based diet.
Pond Fish: Once weekly, particularly during warmer months when their metabolism is higher. This is especially beneficial in new ponds, where live food can contribute to a balanced ecosystem.
Things to Avoid with Live Fish Food
While live fish food has many benefits, there are some important considerations to keep in mind:
Avoid Overfeeding: Excess live food can pollute your tank and affect water quality. However, live food is not as polluting as dry food because it breaks down more slowly in the water.
Only Purchase from a Reputable Supplier: This guarantees disease-free food and ensures the highest quality for your fish.
Don’t Rely Solely on Live Food: A varied diet is key to balanced nutrition.
Storage Issues: Ensure live food is kept in proper conditions to maintain its quality and freshness.
How to Get Started with Live Fish Food
Adding live fish food to your routine is simple! At Byrkley Aquatics & Aquascaping Ltd., live food is typically sold in bags of various sizes to suit different needs. It’s important to store live food properly—refrigerate it and use it within a few days for maximum freshness.
We receive a fresh delivery of live food every Friday afternoon. You can place regular orders with upfront payment through our website or in-store. Orders must be placed by 10 am on a Monday morning for delivery or collection the following Saturday. This ensures you always have the freshest, highest-quality live food for your fish.
Not sure which live food to try first? Visit our online shop or stop by in-store, and we’ll help you pick the perfect option for your fish.
Conclusion
Live fish food is a fantastic way to improve your fish's health, encourage natural behaviours, and enhance their colours. Whether you’re feeding bettas, guppies, goldfish, or koi, live food can make a noticeable difference. Just remember to balance it with other high-quality foods and follow best practices to keep your tank healthy.
We are one of the only stockists in our area, and are always happy to place orders for customers. You can pre-order live food up to 10.00am on a Monday, for shipping or collection the following Saturday.