Have you ever been to one of those carnivals where you can play games and win prizes? These prizes could be anything from a stuffed toy or any snack or sometimes even small beautiful goldfish.
Although I was never able to win any of these carnival games, some of you might have ended up getting those goldfish as a prize. You bring it home, you put it in a fish bowl, and now it’s time to feed the fish.
Unfortunately, you don’t know what a goldfish eats and how much they eat at a time. You ask a few friends, and they also have no idea. Now, what should you do?
Well, don’t worry, my friend, I have got you covered. Although I never won any carnival games, I sure did have a lot of pet goldfish, and I still do.
So today, I will be answering all your questions regarding what these goldfish eat, how much they eat, how often they should be fed, and much more. So stay with me till the end to learn how to take care of your goldfish.
How Much Does A Goldfish Eat?
One might think that all goldfish do is swim around and eat food all the time. But that is not the truth. Goldfish really do not eat that much. These fish only eat 2 to 3 times a day, but in very small quantities.
When feeding your goldfish, make sure you do not add too much food to their tank. This is because the fish will not eat the excess food, and it will collect in the tank as waste and it will decay in there and cause bacterial growth.
Just add enough food that the goldfish can eat within 2 minutes, or be more precise, just feed a quantity equal to the goldfish’s eye.
Some might need a little more food than others. For this, you can see if the fish is still looking for food and then give them some more to eat.
What Foods Do Goldfish Eat?
You might think that these little fish would be picky eaters, but to your surprise, they aren’t. Goldfish will eat just about anything that you have to offer. These fish are omnivorous in nature, which means they enjoy eating plants as well as insects, worms, and other animals.
If we talk about what foods goldfish eat in their natural habitat, then, in the wild, goldfish like to eat algae and some aquatic plants from the vegetarian pallet. They also enjoy eating aquatic insects such as bloodworms, tadpoles, or even fish that are smaller than them.
Now let’s talk about what you can feed your pet goldfish. Well, the easiest answer to this is to get your hands on the things that these fish eat in the wild and feed them their natural diet.
But that is a difficult task and will require a lot of hard work. So I will tell you about some of the human foods that can be given to these fish.
As I mentioned earlier that goldfish are omnivorous, so you can give them both vegetables as well as small insects. Among the vegetables, you can feed your goldfish some peas, lettuce, potatoes, spinach, kale, cucumber, and other different vegetables.
The only thing that you need to keep in mind while feeding these vegetables to your goldfish is to make sure that you boil them and crush them. This is because goldfish have very small mouths and would not be able to eat larger chunks of these vegetables.
You can also feed fruits, such as watermelon, grapes, mangoes, apples, and other fruits, to your goldfish. Again be sure to boil and crush these fruits as well for your little buddies.
If you’re not in the mood to do all this work, you can always rely on the commercially available fish food that you can buy from any pet store near you.
These fish foods contain all the necessary nutrients required for the proper growth of your goldfish. You can also buy some bloodworms from your local pet stores to give your fish some protein in their diet.
How Often Should Goldfish Be Fed?
How often you feed your goldfish greatly depends upon the age of your goldfish. A young goldfish that is still in its growth and development phase should be fed around 2 to 3 times per day.
This ensures that your fish are properly fed and get all the necessary nutrients that are needed for their proper growth. Feeding them more than this might lead them to overeat and become constipated, or the excess food might sit in the tank and decay, causing bacterial growth and other health issues.
It is advised that you feed older fish only once or twice a day. This is because they do not need any extra nutrients for growth purposes as they have already reached their full potential. So giving them extra food will result in overeating and the health issues that come along with it.
If you see that your fish are still looking for food after you have fed them, then you can add a little more food for them. Otherwise, adding extra food will be harmful to them.
What Do Fish Eat In The Ocean?
The oceans are filled with many different types of fish, and each one has a different diet. Some completely rely on plants, while some only eat meat, and then there are some that eat both.
Usually, the smaller fish are herbivorous and have a completely plant-based diet. They prefer to eat different aquatic plants, such as seaweed, algae, or other underwater plants.
Some of these smaller fish are omnivorous, and they mix up their diet with a variety of plants as well as small aquatic insects and other smaller fish.
The larger fish, such as whales, sharks, and other fish, usually eat other smaller fish and mammals to complete their nutritional needs. Orcas like to hunt and feast on seals and penguins.
In the oceans, there are some creatures that cannot be classified as fish but can be found in the deep oceans. You would be surprised to know that some of these creatures do not eat either plants or other animals but rather totally depend on sunlight to fulfill their nutritional needs.
How Often Do You Feed Goldfish Every Day?
The frequency with which you should feed your goldfish depends upon the age of your goldfish. As I mentioned earlier in the blog, you should feed your younger goldfish 3 to 4 times a day, whereas you should feed your older goldfish only 1 or 2 times per day.
I personally feed my younger fish 3 times a day and my older ones only once a day. I usually prefer giving them the fish feed that is usually available on the market. Occasionally I give them fresh fruits and vegetables and sometimes some tadpoles.
Do Goldfish Eat Betta Fish Food?
Betta and goldfish have a very similar diets. Although bettas are tropical fish and goldfish aren’t, their diet is more or less the same. Both of these fish are omnivorous and enjoy eating plants as well as aquatic insects.
Bellas are slightly larger in size compared to goldfish and therefore require a little more food than goldfish. Other than this, there is almost no difference in the diet of both of these species. So yes, goldfish can easily eat betta fish food.
How Long Can Goldfish Live Without Food?
Goldfish can easily survive for 8 to 10 days without getting any proper food. If these fish are kept in an aquarium, then initially, they will search the aquarium bed for some food residue that can be found there.
After this, they will start feeding on the algae that have accumulated on the walls of the fish tank. They will also lower their activity to conserve energy and will swim less and stay put in one place for a longer period of time.
Final Verdict:
In the end, I would conclude by saying that goldfish are one of the easiest fish to take care of and are an amazing must-have pet. These fish will add amazing colors to your aquarium and will enhance the beauty of your aquarium.
Just make sure that you feed them properly and do the basic maintenance; use filters; change tank water regularly, and you will be good to go. I hope everything that I shared today proves helpful to you guys.
Frequently Asked Questions
#1 – What Can Goldfish Eat Instead Of Fish Food?
Although fish food is a very good option as it provides all the necessary nutrients to the fish, you can also give them vegetables and fruits. Be sure to boil and crush these vegetables and fruits before giving them to your goldfish.
#2 – What Do Goldfish Naturally Eat?
In their natural habitat, goldfish are omnivorous, which means that they enjoy eating plants as well as aquatic insects.
Goldfish enjoy eating algae, seaweed, and other aquatic plants, as well as plankton, tadpoles, and some other varieties of aquatic insects.
#3 – Can Goldfish Eat Lettuce?
The answer to this is yes. You can definitely feed lettuce to your goldfish. You will be surprised to know that goldfish really enjoy eating lettuce. Just make sure you boil and chop the lettuce before giving it to your goldfish.
#4 – Can I Feed My Goldfish Banana?
You most certainly can feed bananas to your goldfish. Just like any other fruit or vegetable, boil the banana, chop it up properly into smaller pieces, and feed it to your goldfish.
#5 – Is It Ok To Feed Goldfish Once A Day?
The frequency with which you feed your goldfish depends on the age of your goldfish. Usually, the younger goldfish are fed 3 to 4 times a day because they need more food for their growth.
Whereas the elder goldfish are fed 1 or 2 times per day because they need less food. But as long as the fish are not hungry, you can restrict yourself to feeding them once a day.
#6 – Can Goldfish Eat Cheerios?
One might think that these breakfast cereals are not made to be fed to goldfish. But you would be surprised to know that cheerios make a great Koi snack for the goldfish. In fact, cheerios can be considered a healthy food for goldfish due to their low nitrogen levels.
#7 – Do Goldfish Eat Bread Crumbs?
Goldfish absolutely love eating bread crumbs. These are the easiest food options when it comes to feeding your goldfish. Although they have very low nutrient levels, your goldfish will love eating bread crumbs as a midday snack.
