What Do Fish Eat? Curious Know-It-All Fish Food Facts For Kids

What type of food you feed your aquarium fish depends largely on the species of fish.

The diet for herbivorous fish will vary considerably from omnivorous fish or carnivorous fish, so you must know what type of food to feed your fish. You must keep your aquarium fish well-fed with help of a combination of live food and freeze-dried fish.

There are various types of fish like catfish, feeder fish, or goldfish found in different marine conditions of nature. Some may be freshwater fish while some are a kind of different fish found in the wild like sea fish.

Fascinating creatures with shiny and delicate skin, different shades of colors, and versatility in shape and size capture the attention of both kids and adults alike.

There are more than 35,000 species of fish that exist on this planet. All of these species occupy different parts of the earth depending on their characteristics. This is probably the reason that aquariums came into existence so that everyone can explore the beauty, distinctiveness, and individuality of the different species that in day-to-day life we rarely come across.

After reading about the differences between the diet of omnivorous fish, carnivorous fish, and herbivorous fish species, do read about Marlin facts and what do animals need to survive?

What do fish eat naturally?

There are a variety of things that a fish consumes in order to survive. But these supplements are limited based on the natural environment that the fish of a particular species is a part of; fishes can usually go for three days to a week without food.

Some of the things that the fishes usually consume include the intake of phytoplankton, zooplankton, annelids, worms, insects, mollusks.

There are usually three categories that the fish species falls into; carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore. Just like humans, fishes also require proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals for their survival.

And this intake is usually based on the natural environment that they belong to. Apart from this, the amount of these nutrients that the fishes require varies depending on the various species.

Additionally, the kind of food that the fishes need to consume depends on whether they are carnivorous, herbivorous, or omnivorous. Fishes are filled with proteins which are really necessary for a healthy body.

All three categories of fish have certain requirements that are common in them. For instance, all fishes require the intake of vitamin C to promote the growth of healthy bones and digestion.

Apart from this, they also require vitamins B2 and B6 as they help with the enzymes. In the case of minerals, every fish requires a minimum amount of carbohydrates, phosphorus, and manganese.

In case the fish is a carnivore, it will require a protein-rich diet, and this can be attained in the form of meat. The species that fall under this category include the Pipefish, Killifish, Bettas, Arowanas, Cichlids, and Piranhas. They are usually natural predators.

They have distinctive features which are recognizable through their large mouths and pointed teeth. This allows them to easily rip and tear their prey. Apart from this, they have short digestive tracts and large stomachs.

Other recommended foods for these scavengers include the diet of insects, such as blood worms, white worms, or micro worms. These are available in both live and frozen forms.

Other than that, this sea animal can also be eaten alive, like frozen foods, or cooked fish to eat.

The other category of fish is herbivores. This sea animal is known to consume foods that are plant-based, as they cannot digest meat. Their main diet included the intake of fiber. And in order to digest this, they have larger digestive tracts.

The foods that herbivores mostly feed upon include fruits, vegetables, algae, and plants. The lack of the existence of a true stomach and its function is taken up by the intestine. It is here that the food breaks down.

In comparison to carnivores, they have relatively flat teeth. This is because it helps the carnivorous fish to grind the food before swallowing.

They play a very prominent role in maintaining the ecological balance in the coral reefs.

Some examples of herbivore fishes are the surgeonfish and parrotfish.

If you have a fish in your aquarium that is an herbivore these are the plant diets that you can feed them. Covering your tank with various plants and algae is a very good option to look after the fish.

Apart from that, you can also feed them fruits and vegetables, as they are abundant in vitamins and minerals, which will help in the healthy growth of the fish.

Omnivores consume both plants and meat. This is the reason that they exhibit both the digestive tracts the omnivores and the herbivores endorse. The best example of an omnivorous fish species is the batfish.

These species are the easiest to look after, as they can be fed a combination of both plant-based foods and meat. These fish species will enjoy frozen food as well as live food, such as shrimp, bloodworms, plankton, small fish, prawn, krill, or mussels.

What do betta fish eat?

Betta fishes are mostly found in the shallow waters of Asia. Betta fishes are carnivores and prefer eating insects and insect larvae.

The intake of only plant roots can add to their existence only a few more days, but since there is a lack of the proper nutrients that the betta fish requires, it can eventually make this fish species sick resulting in their death.

In recent times, the horrendous pet trades have led to severe consequences on the lives of the betta fishes. The people continue the purchase of these fishes, unaware of the destruction that it causes.

These fishes are forced to live in confined spaces.

Betta fishes are built in such a way that they find it difficult to survive in an environment that does not offer them the caves, plants, rooms under the rocks, that they usually find the water bodies. This places a restriction on them to explore, which thereby leads them to feel stressed and frustrated.

Apart from this, the betta fishes also find it difficult to adjust with other fishes in the aquarium tanks. Although the female betta fish may usually live peacefully with the other groups, the male betta fish finds it difficult to adjust. They may fight with other male and similar-looking species that might eventually cause a disturbance in the tank.

What do baby fish eat?

There are many instances when parent fish eat their own babies. And if the parent fish does not, the other fishes might find the chance and feed on them. To avoid this, it is advisable that the baby fishes are scooped out of the tank and put in some other water body.

The food that the baby fishes eat is completely different from the food that the adult fishes consume. They are to be fed infusoria, a liquid fry food. This can be done with the help of an eyedropper.

Apart from this, you can also take some flake food and crush it into powder before feeding it to the baby fish.

Once the fish is grown, you can also feed them brine shrimp eggs.

What do goldfish eat besides fish food?

Goldfish is the most popular pet fish that most people love to look after since they are small fish. And therefore, it becomes important that one is aware of what the diet of the goldfish needs to include.

Goldfishes are known to be big eaters. They can keep munching on food as long as it is available to them.

And due to this, many times, they may encounter problems related to the digestive system. Thus, it is very important to keep the diet of the goldfish in control.

Apart from the fish food that is normally fed to the goldfish, there are other foods as well that can be given to them. These include Shelled peas (skins removed), Mealworms (live, frozen, or freeze-dried), bloodworms (live or frozen), crickets (live or frozen), brine shrimp (live or frozen), fruits such as orange, grapes, banana, or watermelon.

Often we notice people throwing bread crumbs into the water to offer to the fish in. This has become a common practice and people fail to realize that this can prove dangerous to the fish.

The consumption of the bread crumbs can lead to a swelling inside their intestines leading to constipation or even death. Even human foods like egg yolks and greeny vegetables can be given.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy!

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