Fish kept as pets need to be fed and taken care of properly like any other pet. Fish are normally kept in aquariums in houses and are fed fish food two to three times a day. But, there are different species of fish and not all the fish want the same kind of food and also not all of them want the same quantity of food. Let’s discuss the quantity and type of food to be fed to fish in detail.
How Often Can Fish be Fed?
Fish will probably ask whenever you come close to the aquarium with some food and throw it in. But, feeding them food so frequency can lead to overfeeding and this can ultimately make the fish sick. In the beginning, it will seem so confusing that how often you should feed your fish but eventually by understanding their behaviour and living and eating patterns, you will probably know what time is right for them to be fed and how much quantity is the most suitable for each kind of fish you have in your aquarium.
Most of the fish need food two or three times a day, small fish with smaller stomach sizes usually eat less amount of food and less frequently, growing fish need food almost three to five times a day and some predator fish have larger stomach size and they can survive by eating only twice or thrice a week. So, it cannot be precisely declared what is the right time and quantity of the food that you should feed your fish. It all depends on the age, type and species of the fish.
Like most of the other living creatures, fish also require a routine for eating in order to stay healthy. So, whether you feed them two or three or four times a day, the quantity of the food must be measured and the time at which you feed them one day should be exactly the same as if you fed them the previous day. Interestingly, the fish might be waiting for you at the time you often feed them.
What Should I Feed my Fish?
As discussed above, it all depends on the age and species of the fish, what quantity of food it needs and what time is correct for them to be fed, the type of fish food to be fed also depends on the type and age of the fish. Some fish are herbivores (that eat plants), some are carnivores (that eat other animals and other living things) and the others are omnivores (that eat both the plants and meat). So, the same kind of fish food cannot be fed to all kinds of fish. If the fish in your aquarium belong to different group of species then the food with different ingredients should be fed.
What if you Overfeed Your Fish?
While feeding the fish, it is important to take care that the fish must not be overfed because it can bloat the stomach of the fish. Bloating of the stomach makes the fish feel sick and unable to eat food properly and this leads to some other health issues also. So, it is important to take notice of the quantity of the food and not feed the fish so frequently.
What if you Underfeed Your Fish?
When the fish is not fed properly and on time, it will also make the fish sick. But, underfeeding is not as harmful for the fish as overfeeding. In fact, in the case when the stomach of the fish seems bloated, fasting is recommended for the fish. The time duration for fasting depends on the type and the age of the fish, it is normally one to two days for many kinds of fish.
The Bottom-Line
The number of times the fish should be fed per day depends on the type, species and age of the fish. For most of the fish, feeding two to three times a day is considered a healthy eating pattern. It is important to observe the behaviour of the fish in the beginning in order to understand how often they need food for a healthy living. The type of food to be fed also varies depending on the type of the fish.
