Feeding your Tropical

Approved by

Tetra (UK) Limited, PO Box 271, Southampton SO18 3ZX Email: [email protected]

For more information: www.tetra.net The importance of a good quality diet

Feeding a good quality Tetra food is important because it will improve your enjoyment of your : • It keeps the cleaner and clearer, and makes the aquarium easier to maintain, by reducing production. In their natural environment • It keeps the Feed your fish 2-3 times a most fish consume a wide fish healthier and day, only as variety of foods, such as more colourful, by much as they algae, , crustaceans, providing better quality can eat in a insects, and other fish. This nutrients in the correct few minutes. ensures they receive a concentrations. balanced diet, which needs • It helps to control to be replicated in algae, by reducing the to keep them healthy. production of dissolved Thanks to Tetra this is nutrients. easy, as every one of our foods has been carefully Tetra foods are formulated formulated and tested to and tested to minimise waste ensure it supplies exactly production, ensuring that the the right quality and quantity fish receive more nutrition of nutrients that fish need. and that the aquarium is In fact, Tetra developed the easier to look after. very first complete tropical food – TetraMin – over 55 years ago. 2 Different feeding needs There is a wide range of is forward-facing they are fish available for tropical mid-water feeders; and if it is , many of which downward-facing they feed have different feeding from the bottom. needs. Generally fish tend to feed at the surface, in mid- To ensure that all of your fish water, or from the bottom get the nutrition they need, of the aquarium. If you take it is important to feed foods a close look at your fish that are appropriate for their you can often identify their feeding behaviour. Because feeding preference from of this, Tetra has foods to the position of their mouth. cater for all of If it is upturned then they your ’ feeding are surface feeders; if it preferences.

Shape of Mouth Types of food

Upturned • Flakes/Crisps (Surface feeder) • Sticks (larger fish)

Forward facing • Flakes/Crisps (Mid-water • Slow-sinking feeder) Granules

Downward-facing • Slow-sinking (Bottom Granules feeder) • Tablets/Wafers

3 Complete daily foods

TetraMin Flakes For clear water and healthy fish, TetraMin contains all the vitamins and other nutrients fish need, in a highly digestible format. TetraMin is the world’s best- selling food, and is the product of over 55 years of research and development.

TetraMin Crisps The main part of your fishes’ Foods correctly For an aquarium that is even formulated for diet should be made up of tropical fish will a complete food such as healthier and easier to care significantly TetraMin. Tetra’s main daily for, Crisps represent the next improve their foods have been formulated generation of fish foods. health to cater for the nutritional needs of a wide range of Crisps offer a number of species, typically found in advantages over flakes: aquariums. They should be • Even cleaner, clearer fed 2-3 times a day giving water, and reduced as much as the fish can eat maintenance, thanks to a within a few minutes. patented low- extrusion process that All TetraMin results in less waste foods contain compared to flakes. patented ActiveFormula, • Improved fish condition, to maintain due to low-temperature a strong and healthy immune cooking process that system. preserves more vitamins and nutrients.

4 Feed TetraMin Crisps instead particle. It contains additional of TetraMin Flakes, as the proteins and energy to main part of the diet. promote excellent growth, and is ideal for feeding to TetraMin Baby fish up to 1cm in length. After TetraMin Baby offers very this they should be fed on small fish all the benefits of crushed or whole TetraMin TetraMin in a finely milled Flakes or Crisps.

TetraPro Premium Daily Foods TetraPro Colour If you want to give your fish Premium daily food with the very best food available, concentrated carotenoids TetraPro then choose TetraPro Crisps to strengthen the natural foods result in for their main daily diet. As colours of your fish. Improved cleaner water, well as all the benefits of colouration is noticeable after healthier fish, plus Crisp Technology, including just two weeks feeding. they deliver clearer water and healthier a specific fish, TetraPro offers fish a TetraPro Vegetable concentrated ‘two-in-one’ food. Each crisp Premium daily food with benefit delivers a complete diet with concentrated Spirulina algae everything your fish need, and vegetable proteins, to plus a concentrated additional maintain a healthy immune benefit. Feed TetraPro instead system. Also ideal for feeding of TetraMin Flakes or TetraMin to fish that enjoy Crisps, to provide your fish with some vegetable the very best diet possible. matter in their TetraPro diet, e.g. , Premium daily food for mollies, excellent health and condition, barbs and with Energy Crisps containing gouramis. a concentrated source of high quality proteins and healthy omega-3 fatty .

5 Treats for your fish

Just like all , fish TetraTreats Tablets enjoy the occasional treat TetraTreats Tablets are made to add variety to their diet. using a variety of natural These should be fed 3-4 foods, including , times a week, in place of your Brine , Gammarus, fishes’ normal food. With and Bloodworms. They are Tetra treat foods you can a nutritious treat that can deliver this variety in a format be stuck onto the aquarium that they enjoy, and that is , enabling you to enjoy also good for them. watching your fish feed.

Tetra FreshDelica Tetra FreshDelica is a fresh, • Convenient – does not natural treat food that fish need to be kept in the love, in a format that is fridge or freezer, and has convenient and easy to use. a long shelf life for easier storage. • 3 varieties – Bloodworms, Daphnia, • No mess – portion-sized and Brine Shrimp sachets can simply Feeding time be squeezed into the provides • Fresh, healthy treat aquarium an ideal preserved in a vitamin opportunity enriched gel. to observe your fish and check they are healthy

6 Going on Holiday

Fish require a regular supply will not alter the chemistry of of food to remain in good the aquarium water. Simply condition, and many people put the required number worry about how to provide of holiday blocks into your this when they are not at aquarium to feed fish for up home. Fortunately, Tetra to 14 days. has developed a number of convenient holiday foods, TetraMin Weekend Sticks to keep fish healthy until – for short breaks your return. Simply add the A 100% edible food that required amount before provides all of your fishes’ leaving, and your fish will nutritional needs during short need no additional food while breaks. Unlike plaster-based you are away. holiday foods, they will not cloud the water or alter its TetraMin Holiday – for chemistry. longer breaks A patented gel-based holiday food containing Daphnia with added vitamins and minerals. Unlike plaster-based holiday foods, it is 100% edible and

7 Foods for different fish

water column. It is likely that your aquarium will contain a mixture of surface and mid-water feeders, which means you should feed a combination of a staple flake or crisp (e.g. TetraMin Crisps), and a slow-sinking granule (e.g. TetraPrima).

Food for bottom feeders To cater for the wide range Your aquatics Most aquariums contain outlet can give of feeding preferences some bottom-feeding you more advice and behaviours found in fish, such as on the right fish, Tetra has developed a , Clown loach, and type of food for range of special tropical fish different fish. Plecostomus catfish. These foods. These should be fed fish do not rise to the surface in addition to a daily food to feed, and therefore require such as TetraMin, depending a sinking food. on what types of fish your aquarium contains. For active bottom-feeding fish, such as Clown loach, Food for mid-water feeders TetraPrima can provide a suitable diet. However, it Fish that feed in mid-water is important to make sure prefer a sinking food. If your that they receive enough aquarium contains small mid- granules, as other fish will water fish, such as Tetras and consume them as they sink. Harlequins, they will benefit from slow-sinking TetraPrima For most bottom-feeders, it Mini Granules. will be necessary to feed a tablet or wafer food. These For larger mid-water feeders, are designed to sink rapidly, such as Angelfish, feed and provide food in a compact TetraPrima. These provide format that the fish can graze a larger granule which also on. This prevents other fish sinks slowly through the from eating it first. 8 Tetra TabiMin Tablets and Food for large tropical fish Tetra Variety Wafers both Larger tropical fish prefer provide a complete diet for a larger food type, as it bottom feeding fish. Variety is easier for them to consume. Wafers are ideal for fish that Tetra DoroMin provides are shy and not as quick a complete diet in stick to feed. format, for larger species such as Oscars, Tinfoil barbs, For Plecostomus catfish and Severums. DoroMin can (“sucker-mouth” catfish, be fed to large fish instead e.g. Ancistrus) it is of a staple important to feed a food flake or crisp. containing vegetable ingredients. This matches their natural diet which is rich in algae. Tetra PlecoMin tablets are ideal for active species of Plecostomus, whilst Tetra PlecoWafers are perfect for shy or nocturnal individuals. The right Tetra PlecoWafers are selection designed to remain in-tact The correct mix of for a long period of time, foods for your fish will and allow Plecostomus to depend on the species you graze naturally. have. You will probably find that you need to Sinking wafers or tablets feed a combination of should be used alongside flakes / crisps, granules, other types of food. For very and wafers / tablets at each shy or nocturnal species, they mealtime. This will ensure can also be added after the that all the fish get a lights have been turned out. balanced diet.

9 Stocking & Feeding Examples

Part of the enjoyment of of these fishes are also owning fish is that your tolerant of different water aquarium is unique, as it conditions, meaning that is based on your personal they can be kept in most choice of décor, fish and aquariums. When creating plants. When deciding your , what to keep in your it is important to ask your aquarium, it is important aquatics specialist for to ensure that the fish mix advice on suitable fish and well, that they are kept in plants, and what foods they the correct numbers, and require. In this section we that any special water give you some ideas about chemistry requirements possible combinations and are met. Fortunately, this is what foods are needed straightforward, especially to keep them healthy. You if you choose ‘community’ can either follow these or fishes – i.e. those that live choose your own, it’s up peacefully together. Most to you!

10 Community Aquarium (Asia) Suggested fish species Shoaling fish add life and movement to the aquarium, 1 Zebra Danio whilst colourful Dwarf (Danio rario) gouramis and Siamese fighting fish provide a focal 1 Lively shoaling fish point. Kuhli loach add interest to the base of the aquarium. 2 Siamese 2 Fighting Main Foods Fish (Betta TetraMin Flakes or Crisps. splendens) 3 Only keep one Other Foods male, as two TetraPrima Mini Granules will fight 4 Tetra TabiMin 3 Dwarf Gourami Treat Foods (Colisa lalia) Tetra Fresh Delica Usually bought Bloodworm, Daphnia, or in pairs (male & female) Brine Shrimp 4 Harlequin Rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) Colourful shoaling fish 5 5 Kuhli Loach (Pangio kuhlii) Colourful, shoaling bottom- feeding fish

11 Suggested fish Community Aquarium species (South America)

1 Ram Most of the fish we keep ( originate from the tropical ramirezi) regions of South America. Colourful species These include lively, shoaling with lots of tetras, colourful cichlids, and character; keep 1 interesting catfish. in a pair Main Foods 2 Angelfish (Pterophyllum 2 TetraMin Flakes / Crisps scalare) Impressive focal Other Foods point for larger Tetra PlecoWafers aquariums; keep 3 in small groups Tetra TabiMin Tablets or Tetra Variety Wafers 3 Pristella tetra TetraPrima (Pristella maxillaries) Treat Foods Lively, peaceful shoaling fish Tetra FreshDelica Bloodworm TetraTreats Tablets 4 Royal Panaque 4 (Panaque nigrolineatus) Colourful and impressive Plecostomus for larger aquariums 5 (90cm or more)

5 Corydoras catfish (Corydoras spp.) Lively, shoaling bottom feeders

12 Aquarium Suggested Fish Species If you have some experience with community 1 Discus fish, and want more of (Symphysodon a challenge, Discus are aequifasciatus) extremely impressive Large, colourful fish. They require softer, cichlids for more acidic water, and a larger aquariums temperature of 27-29˚C or (120cm or more). higher. You should ask your 1 Keep in groups. aquatics specialist about creating the right water 2 Cardinal tetras conditions to keep them (Paracheirodon healthy. 2 axelrodi) Small, colourful Main Foods shoaling fish. TetraPro Colour 3 3 Blackline TetraPrima Penguinfish (Thayeria Other Foods boehlkei) Tetra TabiMin Tablets or Peaceful Tetra Variety Wafers shoaling fish Treat Foods 4 Corydoras Tetra FreshDelica catfish Bloodworm (Corydoras spp.) 4 Lively, shoaling bottom feeders

13 Suggested fish Live-bearing fish species These fish are generally 1 (Poecilia peaceful, and come in a reticulata) huge range of bright colours and patterns. They give Highly colourful birth to live young, and will shoaling fish, available in often breed prolifically in many forms an aquarium. It is important 1 to keep more females than 2 Platy males (at a ratio of at least 3 (Xiphophorus to 1), or to only keep males maculatus) on their own. Highly colourful shoaling fish, Main Foods available in 2 TetraPro Vegetable as many many forms 3 live-bearers are herbivorous 4 3 Black Molly TetraPro Colour to maintain (Poecilia stunning colours sphaenops) Peaceful Other Foods shoaling fish Tetra TabiMin or 4 Swordtail Tetra Variety Wafers (Xiphophorus helleri) Treat Foods Tetra FreshDelica Colourful shoaling fish. Bloodworms, Daphnia, Only the males 5 or Brine Shrimp have swords.

5 Corydoras catfish (Corydoras spp.) Lively, shoaling bottom feeders

14 Cichlid Aquarium Suggested Fish Species* For more experienced fishkeepers, a cichlid 1 Firemouth aquarium can be very cichlid rewarding. Many of (Thorichthys the medium to large meeki) cichlid species have lots Colourful cichlid, of character, and can keep as a pair become real . It is important to seek advice 1 2 Tropheus on the care of individual (Tropheus spp.) cichlid species, as often Herbivorous they can only be kept cichlid with singly. 2 interesting social behaviour, Main Foods keep in large groups TetraPro Colour for 3 smaller cichlids 3 Uaru (Uaru amphiacanthoides) TetraPro Vegetable for smaller herbivorous Large, colourful cichlids 4 cichlid up to 30cm long

Tetra DoroMin for larger 4 Oscar cichlids (Astronotus ocellatus) Tetra PlecoWafers for larger herbivorous cichlids 5 Large cichlid with interesting Treat Foods character. Up to 30cm. Tetra FreshDelica Bloodworms 5 Red Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) *These fish will not mix together Variety of Oscar & should be kept individually

15 Feeding your Tropical Fish

Approved by

www.sparsholt.ac.uk

Tetra (UK) Limited, PO Box 271, Southampton SO18 3ZX Email: [email protected] FTF1

For more information: www.tetra.net For more information: www.tetra.net