It is very important not to over-feed your fish. Uneaten food and an excess of fish waste will pollute the water and eventually kill your fish.
Fish will eat a wide range of food, certain varieties will prefer different food to others. The core diet of your fish will be flakes. There are fish flakes available for both cold water and tropical fish. Only add as much as your fish will eat. Store your fish flakes in a cool dry place and remember to keep the lid on to keep the food fresh.
Pellets and algae tablets are available for your fish that dwell at the bottom of the tank. I have found that most catfish are partial to a bit of cucumber (cucumber floats by the way, so you will need to buy an aquatic clip to weigh it down).
Your aquarium retailer may be able to offer you live or frozen food such as bloodworm. They will advise you about which foods are suitable for which fish.
It may be tempting to feed garden insects to your fish. This is possible but I wouldn’t advise a beginner to try. Some insects will not suit some fish’s diets and some may even harm them.
© Fresh Water Fish Keeping.com 2006
