How to Feed Fish in a Tropical Aquarium

Tropical fish require careful attention in their feeding in a home aquarium. Any imbalance in their diet can be disastrous because they have no other way to get the nutrients they need. Finding the right amount and combination of food for your tropical fish can take some trial and error, but it will help keep your fish healthy in the long run. Although your fish supplier can provide information specific to the species of fish you have, there are some general principles that apply to feeding all kinds of tropical fish.

Things You'll Need

  • Dry fish food
  • Live or frozen fish food
  • Timer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Learn the kinds of food your tropical fish would typically eat in the wild. Fish have varied diets that include algae, plant material, plankton, insects, and worms, but most fish fall into a category of being either mostly carnivorous or mostly herbivorous.

    • 2

      Purchase a dry flake or pellet food to use as a base food for feeding your tropical fish. If your fish are mostly herbivorous, choose a plant-based food with a lot of fiber, but if your fish are mostly carnivorous, you will need food with a high protein content.

    • 3

      Purchase a variety of frozen, freeze-dried, or live foods to supplement the diet of your carnivorous fish. If your fish are herbivorous, you can supplement their diet with vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, or cooked zucchini.

    • 4

      Feed your fish with a small quantity of food. After putting the food in the aquarium, stay and watch your fish eat. If the fish finish all the food within two minutes, you can give them a little more. You should never give the fish more food than they can eat in about three minutes.

    • 5

      Repeat the feedings two to three times per day. Eating multiple small meals is better than one large meal.

    • 6

      Separate and feed any fish that are not eating while you feed the other fish in your aquarium. Some fish are more timid and may not have a chance to eat before all the food is gone.