5 High-Quality Fish Foods That You Have to Try
When it comes to prepared fish foods, what do you feed? Are you a Team Hikari fan or a DIYer from Team Repashy. Are you like me? Do you have serious fish food collectoritis or a fridge full of half-empty bottles? In today’s world of fish keeping, we have the luxury of choosing from hundreds of fish foods produced by companies all over the world, so when I test out a new product, I generally look for:
– Ingredients: What materials are used to make the food and what nutrients do they contain? – Palatability – Are my fish crazy about it? How quickly does it get eaten? – Ease Of Use – How much time does it take to prepare? Does it make the water dirty and require extra tank maintenance? Price – Is it expensive? And is it difficult to find?
With those criteria in mind, here’s a list of my favorite prepared foods that are proven, easy to use, and a little unusual in some cases – foods that your fish need to try!
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 Flanks is a premium flake with high-quality food that includes krill. Krill’s delicious taste and smell is irresistible to fish. It’s also a good source of protein, which naturally enhances the fish’s colors. As a flake food, it can be easily crumbled up to the right size, making it ideal for feeding small guppy fry or cichlids that need that extra pop in color. This food is a favorite of ours, and we can’t wait to feed it to our livebears.
Favorite Pellet Food – Xtreme Nano
Flakes are great if you fish eat only the surface. But what about fish that live in mid-water and bottom? What about fish that prefer slow sinking foods? Xtreme Nano excels in this area. This 0.5 mm pellet food is packed with protein (from delicious sources like krill, fish and squid) and low on fillers, so a little bit goes a long way. 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. I like that it contains salmon, spirulina, and kelp with high percentages of crude protein (55%) and crude fat content (18%), which is great for growing fry big and healthy. What really sets this food apart is the squeeze bottle. 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.
Hikari Vibra Bits is Finicky Eaters’ Favorite Food
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 wonderful if there was a pre-prepared food that looked and behaved in the same way as frozen bloodworms? Enter Hikari Vibra Bites. These red food sticks resemble worms and are easier to consume for small fish like tetras. 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. Add the powder to boiling water, allow it to set like Jell O, then cut it into cubes for your fish to eat or freeze. 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. There are many options that cater to specific needs, such as baby fish, herbivores and wood eaters. Word of warning though: Repashy has a particularly unique scent (which 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. So, if you’re looking for a little more variety, need better nutrition, or just want to spoil your fish, give my top 5 list a try. It’s possible that you will discover a new favorite fish recipe!