Fish need nutritious food just like us humans and other animals, too. Unfortunately, most fish owners or parents are not paying attention to the label in the fish food container. As a result, they might not provide enough and appropriate nutrients for their fish.
As fish parents, you need to know what exactly you feed to your fish and whether they provide sufficient and proper nutrition for your fish. Feeding the right food for your fish, specifically the live ones will be beneficial to boost their life and also great for stimulating breeding process.
You can see nutritional food to feed your betta fishes as the example.
Let’s see all the nutrients your fish will need to stay healthy.
- Fat
Fish are required to have low-fat diet, even when they are carnivorous. They require a limit of fat not more than 8 to 10 percent in their diet, while the herbivores only need no more than 5 percent of fat.
Excessive amount of fat in their diet will lead to liver damage and even to death. There are some other reasons why your fish keeps dying. Make sure you don’t experience one of them.
There are two types of fat you also should pay attention to while feeding your fish. The fat types matter as it is difficult for fish to digest saturated fats.
The saturated fats are very harmful and better to be avoided. Meanwhile, polyunsaturated fats are beneficial for fish as they are the most digestible. You can find this type of fat in brine shrimp. This type of fat is also beneficial for the healthy fish growth. Â
- Carbohydrate
Fish don’t really need carbohydrate in their diet. Too much carbohydrate can deter the proper growth because they cannot digest carbs properly just like land animals. However, there are some other types of carbohydrates fish can tolerate.
The greatest danger of having too much carbs for fish is the reduction of the other essential nutrients in your fish diet. For instance, a young fish will need more proteins for proper development.
In contrast, adult fish will be able to tolerate 40 percent of carbs in their diet. Most carbs for fish come from the starches, specifically from grains.
- Fiber
Fiber is another form of carbohydrate that is not digestible. You should not feed too much fiber for your fish though small quantities of it will benefit the digestion. Carnivorous fish won’t be able to digest fiber well, so that’s why they shouldn’t be fed more than 4 percent fiber in their diet.
Herbivorous fish should be fed around 5 to 10 percent of fiber in their diet to remain healthy. Fiber is not only beneficial for fish, but it is also one of the essential nutrients your pets should have.
- Protein
The amount of protein needed by fish varies based on the fish species. It might cost more to provide good quality of protein in fish food. However, protein is the key factor of good health and growth for all fish species.
Herbivorous fish will need around 15 to 30 percent of protein in their diet, while the carnivores will need at least greater amount of protein, which is at least 45 percent. To have healthy growth, young fish will require a diet that consists of at least 50 percent of protein.
- Minerals
Healthy cells, immune systems, metabolic enzymes, bones, teeth and healthy scales are the good impacts of having good minerals. Calcium and phosphorus are the two minerals the fish mostly need.
Calcium can be found in hard water and absorbed through the gills, while phosphorus can be found in underwater plants. Fish also need some other minerals, such as iron, iodine, magnesium, chloride, potassium, sulfur, zinc and copper.
If you cannot provide aquatic plants in your aquarium, you can supply minerals for your fish by providing some food. Calcium and phosphorus can be found in bone and meat meal. Minerals can also be found in good quality pelleted and flake food.
- Vitamins
Almost all key vitamins are beneficial for the good health of your fish. For instance, vitamin C is very essential as it is rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Unfortunately, many fish owners are not aware of the importance of vitamins for their fish.
Lack of vitamins might lead to some serious and fatal problems, such as lack of vitamin A can lead to spinal deformities and stunted growth in young fish.
Providing all food in small quantities can be a good option for promoting good nutrition for your fish. You can also combine it with some well-fed live foods to make sure your fish will get all the nutrients need for long life and good health.
Also be aware of these common diseases of fish can have and the tips on how to keep your fish healthy. You are raising a living thing at home, so you will need extra care for it.