What is the best food for goldfish?

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

katschamne

AC Members
Feb 3, 2008
437
0
0
Geneva, IL
I work for a pet store and I had a customer with a question that he was looking for the best jar of goldfish food. I know I don't care for Tetra goldfish flake food. I prefer pellets myself. I thought that I would ask you guys. I like to make sure that I tell my customers the right things. I told him to call me or when he comes in to look for me and I told him that I would have an answer for him. Thanks in advance for your help.
 

THE V

Hiding from my children
Nov 25, 2007
1,931
2
38
Washington
Real Name
Mr. Incognito
For any fish larger than 3" pellets. No flakes.
Everybody has there favorite brands but I've never seen any real difference between the types. I personally go to the pond supply section when I run low and pick up some Koi food. Goldfish requirements are the same as Koi. I will make a 20 mile drive to visit a really cool pond place and pick up some food.
Here's some basic guidelines of what the food needs. It is quite different from tropical fish food. Flaringshutter posted these a while back. Here's hoping I remember them.

Lower protien 38-42%, Higher ash 10-15% and lower fat 4-6%. Look for a good list of fortified vitamins as well. I found that spirulina enhances color and wheat germ leads to weight gain and rapid growth. Floating pellets are fine for Shubs, comets and commons but fancies need sinking pellets.

Pellet size depends on the smallest fish in the tank although there is nothing wrong with feeding two different sizes.
 

Inka4040

O_o
Mar 31, 2008
3,441
1
38
38
Real Name
The Silver Slanket
:iagree: That about sums it up. I find that its good to make sure that there's some vegetable matter in their diet too, but many fish do fine without it. It can help to avoid some complications in fancies though.
 

RodInCALIFORNIA

EBAY ADDICT !
Aug 5, 2008
2,007
0
36
CALIFORNIA
Real Name
ROD
I feed the goldfish in all my 12 tanks tetra goldfish sticks they are made in germany and the fish just love it.
 

reptileguy2727

Not enough tanks, space, or time
Jan 15, 2006
1,799
0
0
Northern Virginia
There are differences between the brands, most of them at least. The only thing any of my fish get is New Life Spectrum. On this diet exclusively my goldfish have not had any issues. They even leave the plants alone. Goldfish get cravings for food just like we do. If they need more of a certain nutrient they will crave a food that has it. Since almost all goldfish are more than happy to eat plants but mine on NLS will not bother them (except duckweed) this tells me it really is giving them everything they need. I have only talked to one other person whose diet was good enough to get them to stop feeding on plants and she made her own gel food for them. Mine color up very fast on this food, plump out, then start growing like weeds. Check out my Photobucket page for pics of them.
 

katschamne

AC Members
Feb 3, 2008
437
0
0
Geneva, IL
Thanks guys I knew that I could count on you. The customer was looking at the goldfish flake and said he had read somewhere that it was no good for goldfish. I tried to explain the differences between tropical and goldfish flake food but he keep insisting that he bought something from Aqueon but it was a different color. I bet he had bought spirulina. For some reason we don't seem to carry any spirulina at the moment in any brand :confused:.

I know that I had bought koi pellets myself last year when I had feeders in my little pond until the wildlife decided to have a buffet and eat them all and something even got into the plastic jar and eat all the pellets. Koi pellets are a lot cheaper then goldfish food.

I agree that NLS is really good food unfortunately we don't carry it at our store.
 

dixienut

AC Members
Jun 15, 2006
2,322
0
0
57
Hookstown/Georgetown area pennsylvania
i feed my goldies hikari lion head formula its the only hikari brand that sinks so they don't gulp air at the surface,..
 

crimsonmoon

Gotta love those cories...
Aug 31, 2008
1,360
0
36
32
Memphis
I feed NLS goldfish sinking pellet and absolutely love it. im pretty sure the goldies do too.
their colors have also improved a GREAT deal. i have never tried any other brand of pellet however so i cannot be the judge of if it is better than other pellet brands
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store