Freshwater

140
Part II: Fish and How to Care for Them
Vacations and automatic feeders
When you go on vacation, try to find a trustworthy
person to feed your fish while you’re away.
A relative or mature neighborhood kid is usually
a good choice. To make sure that they feed your
fish properly, place individual servings in plastic
bags so that your substitute knows exactly
what to put into each tank. This may sound like
a hassle, but it’s better than returning home to
find your prize goldfish, the size of a basketball,
beached on a mountain of uneaten food.
Another option is to purchase an automatic
feeder from your local fish shop. These units
automatically dispense a certain amount of food
(you can choose the amount) at daily intervals
that you preset. Models can be purchased that
hang on the aquarium rim, whereas others are
free standing. Dispensers run on either batteries
or AC power, and some models offer both
options. Automatic feeders are a great way to
feed your aquatic pets the proper amount of
food regularly.
Never add a bunch of extra food to the tank
before going on vacation. Your fish won’t eat the
extra food before it starts rotting, and by the
time you get home you may have a serious
water problem.
What Type of Eater Do You Have?
One reason many aquarium species face starvation and poor health is
because hobbyists who are unfamiliar with a particular species fail to provide
the proper nutrition for individual needs. If you take the time to do a
little research into a fish’s natural habitat and feeding patterns, you gain a
better understanding of their individual dietary requirements.
For example, danios need to be fed often because they have high metabolism
rates. Their high activity level burns off food quickly. If you have a very clean
system, there may not be adequate amounts of natural foods, such as algae,
to provide the fish with something to tide them over until their next scheduled
feeding. Give danios an extra feeding every day. Here are a few examples
of how some species eat (remember, this may vary slightly depending on the
age and temperament of your fish):
Heavy eaters: tiger barb, swordtail, oscar, convict cichlid
Medium eaters: guppy, gouramis, angelfish, cory
Light eaters: balloon mollies, bubble eye goldfish, betta, pencilfish
Never feed your fish cat food, dog food, or other types of animal feeds. Nonfish
manufactured pet food is difficult for your fish to digest properly, and it
doesn’t provide the essential amino acids and nutrients they really need.