5 High-Quality Fish Foods That You Have to Try
What do you feed your fish when it comes to pre-prepared fish food? Are you a Team Hikari fan or a DIYer from Team Repashy. Or are you like me, who has a serious case of fish food collectoritis and a fridge door filled with 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 fast does it get eaten – Ease Of Use – How much time does it take to prepare? Do you need to maintain the tank? 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. It can easily be crumbled into the desired size to feed small guppy fry and cichlids who need that extra color. We personally fell in love with this food feeding it to our livebearers and can’t recommend it enough!
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? That’s where Xtreme Nano really shines. 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. Its tiny size is ideal for tetras, rasboras, livebearers, corydoras, and most small community fish. 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. It has salmon, spirulina, kelp and high crude protein (55%) and crude oil content (18%). This makes it great for healthy fry. The squeeze bottle is what really makes this food stand out. Although you wouldn’t believe packaging could make such a significant difference, it is so simple to pour a small amount into each tank and quickly feed a lot of fish. 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. It would be great if there were a ready-to-eat food that could look and move in the water like frozen bloodworms. Enter Hikari Vibra Bites. These red food sticks resemble worms and are easier to consume for small fish like tetras. Plus, they’re packed with ingredients including fish, krill, cuttlefish, insects, and garlic for a great mix of nutrition and color-enhancing benefits. It’s possible for some people to refuse to eat these foods, but it can save you time and hassle.
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. Simply add the powder to boiling water and let it set up like Jell-O. Then cut into cubes or freeze it for later. 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. You can even dip driftwood or smooth rocks in the liquid before it sets, giving your algae and aufwuchs eaters a flat surface to graze off. 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).
Personal brand loyalty is not something I have with fish food. 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. My top five list will help you find the right fish food for you. You might just discover a new favorite fish food.