Our goldfish and Koi love Live Fish Food
Pros
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Very natural food source
Great nutrition a part of a varied diet including plant matters
Promotes natural grazing
Encourages mental stimulation
Feeding goldfish live food
Cons
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Can cause diseases in fish
Needs separate container
Can be costly
Requires separate feeding and care
Breeding may not be easy
Live food, not for the squeamish
Black worms:
Black worms can be very iffy. I personally fed them but they came in contact with rotten food in my care and were flushed so as not to contaminate the fish. They are collected from the wild where I live though they are often bred in captivity.
Pros:
They are a relatively easily found food source
Not very expensive
Eats anything
Commonly ball together and make easy collecting
Cons
Fragile and breaks easily
Gets stuck in filter sponges
Hides very well in gravel
Care:
Food- Feeding your fish’s food will provide your fish with a more complete food though will eat anything
As Food- Not for the squeamish, best hand fed. Easily digested, not complete diet. Natural
Containment-Must stay in water. Any depth. Doesn’t really move all that much.
Special Requirements- Easiest with no gravel. Fragile and easily torn.
Breedability-Easy but takes time. Fishies might eat them before they can breed
Live fish food Tubifex Worms:
These are easiest found in freeze dried form though that can cause floating issues. Commonly bred in captivity.
Care:
Food- Fed dead leaves will let them live but a nutrition filled diet provides better quality food
As Food-Enjoyed by fish and easily digested.
Containment-2 or 3 inches of water in a bucket, they don’t move much
Special needs-Fragile and not for the squeamish
Breedabilty- Relatively easy, just takes time.
Live fish food Ghost Shrimp
I own these but not for fish food, I find them fascinating. The adults are large and could only be fed to large fish. Young would be preferred for growing fish.
Care:
Food-Like pellets or flakes for tropical fish.
As Food- Crustacean. Cousins consumed in the wild.
Containment- Any tank size will do. Hard to see.
Special Needs- None
Breedability- Medium. Telling the gender is hard unless a female is pregnant with eggs.
Availability- Commonly sold as feeders.
Live fish food Brine Shrimp (Sea monkeys)
These are easily cared for, you can buy eggs, hatch them and feed. They are small though. Best for fry or young fish however if you have the patience, they can grow about 1 inch.
Care: Place in a tank with a bubbler and remove molted shells from the bottom often.
Food-Yeast is easy. Soybean powder can also e fed. They filter food from the water.
As Food- Great fry food and good as an adult treat however frozen is much easier for adults.
Containment- Half a soda bottle, or a small tank.
Special Needs- Small and harder to raise then feed frozen
Breedability- Okay, easier to raise
Availability- Very easy. Sold under the name of Sea Monkeys
So while many think of feeding live as cruel, it can also be a way to help create a natural environment
Live fish food