If you’re thinking about buying a goldfish, you’ll want to know what they eat. Or, maybe you already have goldfish, but you’re trying to make their daily diet more nutritious. Either way, you’ve come to the right place.
Goldfish are omnivores, and they will eat just about anything. Most goldfish keepers feed their fish a daily diet of goldfish flakes or pellets. This is a good staple diet. Still, you can and should feed them other things as well. Occasional treats of healthy greens and worms will make for healthier and happier fish.
[#1] Blood Worms
If you want to feed your goldfish live food, you should go for blood worms. They are easily digestible. So, they’re ideal for the goldfish’s complex digestive system.
Besides that, blood worms are rich in protein which is essential to your goldfish’s health.
[#2] Cooked Rice or Oatmeal
Goldfish that are overweight can eat a daily meal of cooked rice or oatmeal.
[#3] Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are the best thing that you can feed your goldfish besides pellets or flakes. They are rich in vitamins and minerals that your goldfish need to stay healthy.
You can feed them other kinds of greens as well, but red leaf lettuce is the best option. It’s easy to chew and digest, so it’s unlikely to cause any problems with your fish.
Lettuce is a wonderful source of these nutrients:
- Vitamins C, A, D, E, K, & B-12
- Calcium
- Iron
- Potassium
- Manganese
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Copper
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Folate
- Niacin
- Pantothenic acid
- Thiamine mononitrate
- Riboflavin
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride
Other popular greens to feed your goldfish include kale and spinach.
[#4] Other Vegetables
Leafy greens are one of the best things you can feed your goldfish, but they don’t have to be the only veggies.
Goldfish love a variety of boiled or steamed vegetables. Veggies and fruit are rich in nutrients and low in fat.
You can feed your goldfish vegetables 1-2 times a week.
Here is a list of vegetables that are good to feed your goldfish:
- Peas
- Brocolli
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Spinach
- Squash
- Sweet Potato
- Turnips
- Zucchini
Is your goldfish constipated or experiencing digestive issues? You should feed them cooked peas. Peas are rich in fiber and will help clear out even the most blocked fish.
[#5] Fruit
Like vegetables, fruits are very nutritious to feed to your goldfish. But, fruit is high in sugar, and shouldn’t be given in as large quantities as vegetables.
You should only feed fruit 1-2 times a week.
Here is a list of fruits that are good to feed your goldfish:
- Apples
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Watermelon
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Kiwi
- Pineapple
- Pomegranates
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
Daily Nutrition
Just like us, goldfish need to receive the proper nutrition to stay happy and healthy. But, what does that nutrition consist of? Let’s take a look:
- Protein: 45% of the daily diet (juvenile) or 30% of the daily diet (adult)
- Plant protein is more easily digested than animal protein
- Fats: 5-10% of the daily diet
- Animal fat is better than plant-based fat
- Vitamins should include vitamins A, D, & K
- Carbs & fiber: <10% of the daily diet (often listed as “bulk” or “ash” on food packaging)
How To Prepare Food Before Giving It To Your Fish?
Peas
Peas are a life-saver when your goldfish is experiencing constipation or digestive issues. Peas are high in fiber, so they can relieve constipation in no time. Constipation and swim bladder issues are very common in fancy goldfish. This is because their organs are so close together. So, peas can save your fish’s life.
But, it’s important that you prepare the peas properly.
First, the peas should be thoroughly cooked. The easiest way to do this is to boil the peas. Then, you need to make sure to peel the skin off the peas. Your goldfish should only be eating the flesh of the vegetable.
Peas are amazing for relieving constipation. But, you should not feed peas all the time. Peas essentially act as a laxative for goldfish. While consuming peas, they’re not absorbing nutrients from any other foods. A lack of nutrients will stunt your goldfish’s growth.
To prevent this, you should only feed your goldfish peas once a week. You can provide 2-3 peas per adult goldfish or 1-2 peas per juvenile goldfish.
If your goldfish is actively fighting constipation, you can feed them more often. You should give a constipated fish peas two times a day for three days. If there is still no improvement, then you can feed peas for an extra two days.
After this, no improvement likely means that your goldfish is not actually constipated. You should begin looking out for other signs of sickness.
Leafy Greens & Vegetables
It’s very easy to prepare vegetables for your goldfish’s consumption.
You should always blanch vegetables before feeding them to your goldfish. Blanching softens them up and makes them easier for your goldfish to eat. The extra heat may help to kill any bacteria that may be growing on the vegetables as well.
To blanch lettuce or other vegetables, submerge the food in boiling water for a few seconds. Remove the boiled veggies and immediately transfer them to ice water.
Then, clip leafy greens to the side of the tank. There are many clips made for use inside aquariums. These clips are useful because they make the food easy for your fish to find. It’s also easy to remove the uneaten food before it begins to decay.
You should chop other kinds of vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces. Pieces that are too large could cause your goldfish to choke and potentially die.
Rice & Oatmeal
It is important that you cook rice and oatmeal before feeding them to your goldfish. If it is raw or cooked improperly, it will expand inside your goldfish’s stomach. As you can imagine, this would spell disaster for your fish.
Simply follow the directions on your package of rice or oatmeal. Use the correct amount of water, and cook it for the allotted amount of time. Rice and oatmeal should be completely cooked before attempting to give them to your fish.
What Not To Feed Your Goldfish
1. Bread
You never want to feed your fish bread or breadcrumbs as it can make them very sick. They may become lethargic, lose their appetite, and eventually die.
The problem with bread is that it expands when it enters your goldfish’s stomach. This can cause constipation and swim bladder issues.
Plus, bread contains gluten which is undigestible for goldfish.
2. Raw Meat
Blood worms and some other kinds of worms are okay to feed to your goldfish. They have plenty of nutrients that are beneficial to their health. But, you should avoid feeding other kinds of raw meat like chicken or beef.
Raw meat is high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Too much of this can cause heart problems in your goldfish. It also lacks many of the essential nutrients that the goldfish will get from other food sources.
Conclusion
Goldfish pellets or flakes should make up the majority of your goldfish’s diet. Still, it’s important to feed them other foods so that they’re getting a variety of nutrients. Leafy greens and vegetables are the best options for a healthy diet. You can also give the occasional meal of cooked rice or oatmeal, fruit, or bloodworms.