no, when they go to the surface to eat, they gulp at the flakes taking in a lot of air. The air get's stuck in their bladders, causing them to float unnaturally. Sometimes, this cannot be treated and the fish dies or needs to be euthanized. If you are feeding flakes, be sure to take a pinch of the food and take it under the surface of the water so that it sinks so that this is not an issue.