What Fantail Goldfish Eat

Fantail goldfish need a balanced diet to stay healthy, and commercial fish foods are the easiest way to make sure your pet is getting the most out of meal times. Flakes are low-protein, low-fat and vegetable-based, which is perfect for a goldfish’s delicate digestive system and huge appetite. Too much protein causes bloating, but a pinch of flake two or three times a day is enough to keep hunger at bay and satisfy your fantail’s need to graze for food.

Pellets have the same basic ingredients as flakes so it doesn’t matter which type of commercial fish food you choose; goldfish really don’t seem to care as long as you feed them something tasty at regular intervals. Fantails tend to eat from the surface simply because that’s where the food lands. However, they’re also more than happy to rummage through the gravel scouting for leftovers, so sinking or floating pellets are equally suitable.

Fantail goldfish love a weekly treat of bloodworm or brine shrimp, but food as nature intended isn’t always the healthiest option. Although live food is bursting with protein, which is excellent in small doses, a goldfish’s digestive system isn’t capable of processing large quantities of the stuff on a daily basis. If you don’t want to feed live, wriggling food to your fish, freeze-dried and frozen versions are equally tasty and much easier to deal with.

Commercial fish food contains everything your fish needs to stay healthy, but there’s no substitute for fresh veggies with plenty of natural vitamin C. Peeled peas and shredded lettuce are a tasty treat relished by goldfish, but remember goldfish don’t have teeth, so you’ll have to chop your fish’s salad into manageable pieces. A slice of orange is also a nutritious addition to your fantail’s diet, but there’s no need to chop it up; simply drop the sliced orange into the water and let your fish nibble away at the soft flesh. Don’t leave orange pieces in the water for more than a half-hour or so or the juice may start to pollute the tank water.