Fish flake food is by far the most common food available on the market. They are designed as a floating fish food which will eventually begin to sink to the bottom. This characteristic makes it an ideal food for top and middle feeder fish.
Middle feeder fish need to wait a bit before the food gets to them, but this is not normally a problem. Often the fish feeding from the top will splash about when eating and cause the flakes to sink quicker than normal. Most bottom feeder fish will also have a go at this food if it makes it down to them.
If you do happen to notice that your middle feeders are not getting any food as it is getting eaten before it gets to them, you may need to help them out a bit. Try taking a pinch of the fish flake food and pushing it under the surface of the water. This should cause the flakes to sink straight away to where the middle feeders can get to them.
Some of your fish may have very small mouths; you can help them out by crumbling the flakes into smaller pieces that they can eat easier.
The simplicity in using this food also makes it very popular. It literally takes only a few seconds to take out a pinch of flakes and drop it into the water!
Choosing A Flake Food
Choosing a suitable fish flake food may seem a little daunting when you see how many options there are available. The truth is that with just a little reading and knowing the fish in your aquarium, you can be on your way to purchasing the correct food.
The aim should always be to provide your fish with a balanced diet. Now what this balance consists of depends on the requirements of your fish. Some fish only eat vegetable matter (herbivorous), others only eat animal matter (carnivorous), and there are some that need a mixture of both (omnivorous).
It is not uncommon to see carnivorous fish eating a piece of vegetable matter and vice versa. This is ok and will help them get any additional nutrients they may be needing.
Do a little research on the fish in your aquarium to find out which categories they fall into. Once you know this information you will be able to select the correct food for them.
The fish food manufacturers have made the next step quite simple. All the information you need will be on the label with regards to what the flakes contain. You will also notice in your search, that many flake foods have been designed specifically for a certain fish species. These are great as you know your fish are getting just what they need.
If you have a range of fish in your aquarium, you may just choose a general flake food that covers all of the food categories. Your fish will be ok with this, but to keep them really healthy you should supplement their diets. Occasionally feed them some extra vegetable matter for the herbivorous fish and some extra animal matter for the carnivorous fish.
Variety is the key to really healthy and happy fish. If you aquarium is kept in tip top condition and you fish are well fed, you will see that they not only grow well, but also have very good colouring.
Just a little note: Always keep your fish flake food stored in a cool dry place. Stale food will often lose much of the nutrients and vitamins over time when not stored correctly. Check the packaging for additional storage instructions.
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