Diet of the Goatfish

Named for the two sensory whiskers which hang from the lower jaw like a goat's beard, goatfish are native to tropical areas of the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. The goatfish is a bottom feeder, deriving the majority of its diet from small fish and crustaceans along the sea floor.

  1. Feeding Habit

    • The goatfish spends all of its time foraging for food along the sea floor, or the bottom of your aquarium, using its two whiskers to help detect buried and camouflaged prey.

    Captive Diet

    • Naturally, goatfish prefer to eat fish from the bottom of the aquarium or live, fresh, or frozen food. Some may eat marine pellets, but this is not often the case and is not recommended.

    Habitat

    • It is ideal to have an open area available in your tank for foraging, as this is part of the goatfish's instinctual behavior. Use a small to medium rock substrate in the tank to help prevent clouding from the constant digging and turning over from the goatfish.