Freshwater

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Part II: Fish and How to Care for Them
Feeding your fish can be a really relaxing activity and also provides an excellent
opportunity for you to check them for any signs of illness. What’s more
entertaining than observing a bunch of animals pigging out? Watching your
aquatic pets interact socially (pushing each other out of the way, stealing
food from each other, hoarding the choicest items, turning their noses up at
others) can be very educational. If you’re like us, you probably see the same
thing at your own dinner table. At least you don’t have to cook for your fish.
What your fish need
What you feed your fish should contain the following components:
Carbohydrates: These provide energy for your fish and also help them
resist disease.
Proteins: These help your fish build strong muscle and tissue. Fish
obtain proteins through a diet that includes meat, fish, insects, and manufactured
foods. Proteins are an important factor in promoting physical
growth, so it is important to remember that younger fish need a little
more than full-grown adults.
Vitamins: These are vital to your fish’s good health. A balanced diet that
combines live and processed foods easily supplies the necessary vitamins.
A balanced diet includes vitamin A (egg, greens, crustaceans),
vitamin B (fish, greens, algae, and beef), vitamin C (algae), vitamin D
(worms, algae, shrimp), vitamin E (egg, algae), vitamin H (egg, liver),
and vitamin K (liver, greens).
Experienced hobbyists realize that feeding their aquatic pets can be an art in
itself (especially if you own an overgrown piranha). With so many different
natural and prepared foods to choose from, not only in fish shops but on the
Internet as well, beginning hobbyists can easily get confused about nutritional
issues. Just remember that no one product can satisfy every fish in
your aquarium. Variety is always good. But as this chapter shows you, learning
to feed your fish properly is not as hard as it first seems. A little experience
and practice can make all the difference in the world.
Overfeeding
You want to make sure that your tropical fish receive all the nutrition they
need. However, it is easy to make mistakes until you get the hang of a new
feeding routine. Many new hobbyists tend to overfeed their fish. Overfeeding
can lead to obesity and other health problems. If your fish resemble overinflated
tires, cut back on the grub. Too much food in an aquarium tank can
also build up and foul the water or increase the risk of disease.