Fantail goldfish are among the hardiest goldfish varieties. Omnivorous scavengers, they will eat a wide variety of foods. While goldfish can subsist on fish flakes, they thrive when they have a varied diet -- and fresh treats will improve your goldfish's health.
Live Food
Live food such as brine shrimp and daphnia are highly nutritious for goldfish. Avoid taking these food items from the wild, though, as they can carry diseases. Instead, purchase your brine shrimp and daphnia at a pet store. Some pet stores sell frozen or freeze-dried shrimp and similar foods. These are less nutritious than live food, but they work well as occasional treats.
Table Scraps
Because goldfish will eat almost anything, they enjoy an occasional piece of cooked chicken or beef. However, fantail goldfish should not eat sweets or highly processed foods. Bread and crackers are unhealthy treats for goldfish. Remember that goldfish will eat anything, and the fact that your fish eats something does not mean it is OK.
Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables such as turnip greens, mustard, lettuces, dandelion greens and zucchini are excellent choices for goldfish; they should constitute the majority of treats you feed. Fish can eat a few fruits in smaller quantities; those that are safe include raspberries, oranges and strawberries. Avoid overfeeding fruits, as they can cause intestinal problems. A small piece of fruit once or twice a week is sufficient.
How to Feed
Feed fish as much as they can eat in 10 to 15 minutes. Overfeeding can result in a variety of health problems as well as dirty water that will ultimately kill even a fish that hasn't been overfeeding. You can feed treats along with fish flakes, or feed them apart from meals to encourage your goldfish to come to the surface of the water any time you approach.
References
- Fancy Goldfish; Erik L. Johnson et al.
- The Essential Goldfish; Maddy Hargrove
Writer Bio
Brenna Davis is a professional writer who covers parenting, pets, health and legal topics. Her articles have appeared in a variety of newspapers and magazines as well as on websites. She is a court-appointed special advocate and is certified in crisis counseling and child and infant nutrition. She holds degrees in developmental psychology and philosophy from Georgia State University.