Fish Food Guide: Flakes, Pellets, Frozen and Freeze-Dried, by Fish

Feed a small amount once a day: RSPCA Australia says only what the fish eat in under two minutes. Bettas take betta pellets or flakes, goldfish a goldfish food, and tropical fish a flake or pellet sized for their mouths. Freeze-dried treats are fine in moderation, say University of Illinois vets. Overfeeding fouls the water.

Food types at a glance

RSPCA Australia suggests occasional frozen foods such as blackworms, brine shrimp and daphnia for bettas, alongside specialized pellets. Frozen foods need to stay frozen in transit, so they are easiest to buy at an aquarium shop.

Betta pellets, goldfish food and tropical flakes

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How much and how often should you feed?

Every guideline says small amounts; how often varies:

A single daily feeding fits the veterinary and welfare advice. If you follow a maker’s label with several feedings, keep each one small and remove what is left. The Marina manual also says not to feed new fish for their first 24 hours in the tank.

Food by fish

Bettas. University of Illinois vets call bettas carnivores and recommend a balanced pellet or flake every day, with bloodworms or freeze-dried brine shrimp as occasional treats. Hikari notes a betta may take up to five days to accept a new food. See the betta setup chapter.

Goldfish. The NC State vet quoted by Vetstreet recommends a high-quality food with variety, fed by the package directions, and warns that overfeeding contaminates the water. See the goldfish setup chapter.

Community tropicals. Choose a flake or small pellet sized for the smallest mouths in the tank, and a sinking wafer if you keep bottom feeders.

Why overfeeding is the common mistake

Leftover food breaks down in the tank. Aqueon names uneaten fish food as a source of ammonia, and ammonia is what cycling works to remove; see how to cycle a fish tank. Feed less, and siphon up what sinks during your regular cleaning.

Check the date on a food container before you buy, keep it closed and dry, and follow the storage directions on the label.

Feeding a mixed tank

In a community tank, floating food is taken at the top and sinking food reaches the bottom, and quick fish can eat more than their share. Watch the whole two minutes that RSPCA Australia allows, not only the first few seconds. If a bottom feeder is going without, add a sinking wafer rather than more flakes.

Bettas live alone, as the betta chapter explains, so there is no competition; Hikari still warns against overfeeding its betta pellets.

Treats, and where to buy them

Treats are extras, not the diet. University of Illinois vets say bloodworms and freeze-dried brine shrimp should be given in moderation, and RSPCA Australia describes frozen blackworms, brine shrimp and daphnia as occasional supplements for bettas.

Dry and freeze-dried foods ship well. Frozen foods need an unbroken cold chain from seller to freezer, so buy frozen and live foods at an aquarium shop if your fish’s diet calls for them.

Automatic and vacation feeders

An automatic feeder clips to the rim and drops a set amount of dry food on a timer. It is the usual answer for a trip away. Set it to the same small daily amount you would feed by hand, and run it for a few days while you are still home to check it dispenses the right amount and does not jam. Vacation feeder blocks release food slowly as they dissolve; check the maker’s directions for tank size.

Automatic and vacation fish feeders

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A feeder makes a useful present too; see gifts for aquarium keepers. The setup checklist lists the rest of the gear. Cycling and cleaning are in the tank care section.