How to Feed Goldfish

By eHow Pets Editor

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Funny how the simplest procedure - feeding your fish - can be so easily botched. For proper feeding, consider the following.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Aquarium Fish Nets
Goldfish Food Packages
Brine Shrimp
Weekend/holiday Fish Food

Step1

Purchase the right kind of food for your fish. Goldfish need protein and a wide range of vitamins and carbohydrates, so choose a nutrient-rich food specifically for goldfish. Use either flake-form or floating pellets. Ask at the aquarium store for food recommendations for the specific type of goldfish you own.

Step2

Consider occasionally offering snacks, such as leafy vegetables (lettuce and spinach) or live food (brine shrimp and mosquito larvae), for variety.

Step3

Feed your fish once a day by adding one small pinch of food to the tank at a time. In general, provide as much food as the fish will consume in 2 minutes. (Vary this accordingly for larger fish.) Remember to offer just a tiny amount in each pinch.

Step4

Remove excess food with a net after the feeding session, to avoid polluting the water.

Step5

Consider using a feeding ring, which attaches to the side of the tank and allows better control, thus reducing the risk of overfeeding your fish.

Tips & Warnings

Buy a vacation food block if you are going to be away from the tank for more than a weekend.
Overfeeding your fish will pollute the tank, which could easily endanger your fish's life. Err on the side of caution.

Comments

Anonymous said

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on 8/6/2007 If you want a beautiful, planted tank (without your goldfish eating the plants), try planting Egeria densa (Anacharis, elodea). For some reason they never like to eat this, but don't worry-- it's perfectly safe.

Anonymous said

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on 8/6/2007 Fish need vitamin C for a good immunity system, and either a type of fish or seafood should be listed as the first ingredient. If not first, then second is fine, if the first is a wheatgerm food. Make sure that corn is not one of the first four ingredients. It isn't easily digested. Corn Gluton is acceptable as fourth or later. It is the most easily digested part of corn. Cooked-non salted, non buttered rice or peas is a good snack. Grapefruit, dark lettuce (not iceberg) or an orange are good vitamin C supplements.

Anonymous said

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on 8/6/2007 Center your decors in the middle of the bowl because goldfish like to swim in circles.

Anonymous said

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on 8/6/2007 Freeze dried treats are the way to go if you want to avoid bacteria from frozen or live foods. Other treats that you can feed your goldfish include hard-boiled eggs, which is high in protein, and boiled peas with the skin removed. Boiled peas may help your fish's digestive system, especially if he is constipated or has swim-bladder disorder (characterized by swimming on his side or upside down).