Everyone knows and has realized that natural foods are the best thing you can have for yourself. Every living being lives a healthy life with chemical-free foods, and one cannot consider oneself living a healthy life with processed foods. They will have additives on them. It is the same when it comes to an aquarium. Your fishes as well deserve a healthy life. Feeding them natural foods is the best thing you can do for them. The flakes and pellets have all the nutrients in them that fish need. But these foods are manufactured by companies. So it is a given that they have additive chemicals. While feeding natural food to your fish, you need to ensure that they are gaining the proper nutrients.
There is a myriad of natural foods to choose from to feed your fish. From worms to shrimps to veggies, there are a lot of things that you can feed them. In this article, you will be taken through the best natural foods you can feed your fish.
1. Lettuce
Giving lettuce to your fish has no harm at all. It is a great source of vitamins and nutrients. The Leaf Lettuce, Romaine lettuce, and Butterhead lettuce are the best among the different kinds of lettuce you can feed your fish. Other kinds of lettuce contain a high amount of water and little to no nutrients.
Feeding lettuce to our fish will require blanching the lettuce leaves first or soaking them in boiling water for some time.
This will ensure that the leaves are soft enough for the fish to eat and will get rid of any kind of parasite in the leaves. So you must do it before feeding it to your fish. Do all the processes properly and it is alright to feed your fish lettuce leaves.
You can feed it to your fishes by anchoring them to the hood. Remember to let most of the leaves sink within the water.
2. Brine Shrimp
Brine Shrimp is a popular term in the world of aquariums. A lot of aquarists feed brine shrimp to their fishes. The reason to feed brine shrimp to your fish is no short of benefits. They serve as great live foods capable of providing the fish with the best nutrients.
Brine shrimp are easy to eat and gentle on your fish’s digestive systems. They may be used as food in marine and freshwater tanks due to their salinity tolerance. You don’t have to be afraid of the brine shrimp exposing diseases to your aquarium as they are free of it as opposed to other live foods.
Almost all the fish species eat brine shrimp, so you need not worry about your fish not eating it. The protein that the brine shrimp provides to your fish is adequate for your fish to grow and thrive.
3. Blood worms
Almost all the aquarists feed blood worms to their fishes. The fishes like them as well and might make it their favorite meal. Bloodworms are very nutritious and provide your fish with the necessary nutrients. The bloodworms are easily available in any aquarium store.
You can purchase live blood worms and feed them to your fish. Although frozen and dried bloodworms are also available.
If you have availed yourself of live bloodworms then you will have to feed them within five days for the larvae will begin to grow. In the case of frozen blood worms, cut a small piece and put it into the aquarium. Though remember to remove the water which will be released by the frozen worms.
For dried blood worms you will have to soak them in water for about 5 minutes. After soaking them you can give the worms to your hungry fishes.
4. Zucchini
Zucchinis are among the most popular food that you can give to your fish. Almost all the fish species like zucchinis and eat them vigorously. Especially the livebearers fancy the zucchinis. But before giving it to your fish there are certain things you will have to do. You can just simply buy a zucchini and place it in your tank.
You must thoroughly clean your zucchini first. Then cut them into cubes or any shape you like. After you’ve cut them blanch them.
This will soften up the zucchini and get rid of any kind of unwanted parasites from it. Then you can use forks or clips to make them sink in your aquarium.
5. Earthworms
Fishes fancy worms including earthworms. There is nothing wrong with feeding them earthworms and can provide the fish with certain nutrients. Before feeding earthworms to your fish you must clean them thoroughly. Get rid of all the dirt from the earthworm.
Chop them into small pieces and then spread them all over your aquarium. Your fishes will munch on them like there is no tomorrow.
6. Broccoli
Broccoli is a popular choice of fish food among aquarium owners. Broccoli has a lot of nutrients in it and the fish will thrive by eating them. This veggie can make the fish healthy and give it energy making it lively. Although before giving it to your fish you must make it convenient for them.
You will have to clean the broccoli and get rid of all the dirt stuck to it. Chop them to desired sizes and blanch them or soak them in hot water.
Doing this will make the broccoli soft so that your fish can eat them. The broccoli will become safe for eating as well. You can use clips to make them sink so that your fish can enjoy them. Remember to not give too much as well.
7. Green Peas
Green peas prove to be beneficial for us and fish as well. They are packed with vitamins and nutrients. In addition to it, green peas work as laxatives as well.
You can use frozen peas and buy fresh from stores as well. Just remember to look for organic ones as they won’t have any kind of fertilizers or any other chemicals used in them.
Put them in a bowl with boiled water and keep them soaked until the water reaches room temperature. Then get the peas and remove the outer covering of it. If the pea still feels hard or not soft enough then soak them in hot water again.
When they become soft then, it is ready for your aquarium. Give them to your fish and try not to leave leftovers. If your fish is not able to eat it then you can cut them into smaller pieces.
8. Brussel Sprouts
Brussel Sprouts are an ideal choice for feeding your fish. Particularly if you have plecos, Brussel sprouts are a great choice. They provide them with nutrients and are easy to prepare. Purchase some fresh Brussel sprouts from the market and then blanch them.
Blanching is necessary as it will make it soft and safe. Then just dump it into the aquarium. The sprout will float for some time but will eventually sink. Then just watch your fish munch on it.
9. Pumpkin
Pumpkins are a source of a lot of nutrients and vitamins. You can feed pumpkins to your fish without any worries but remember to not feed too much.
The process of preparation is similar to any other veggies on this list. After peeling and rinsing the pumpkin, you will have to blanch it. Then follows cutting them into small pieces so that your fishes can easily eat them.
You can use veggie clips to feed the pumpkin without any trouble.
10. Boiled Rice
Giving your fish boiled rice is the easiest type of food you can give. Why easy? Because it can be prepared quickly and easily, all you require is patience. It is also safe to feed as it becomes safe for fish as you boil it.
But the fact that it can be easily prepared doesn’t mean that you will feed only boiled rice and nothing else.
The boiled rice doesn’t have all the nutrients that your fish requires. You can feed boiled rice twice a week. Make sure to feed in a controlled manner.
You don’t need to feed your fish artificial foods. They do provide all the necessary nutrients, but there are a lot of natural foods that you can give your fish. They provide all the nutrients required by the fish. You have to be active and passionate enough to prepare the food for your fish. It is not that you have to prepare it every single time. You can make a batch ready and keep it in the freezer. Also, remember to not to give one type of food constantly. You will have to provide all the foods. For this you can make a routine. One day give lettuce, and the other day you can give brine shrimp. Make a routine this way. This way your fish will get a wide range of necessary nutrients.
