When choosing a food, the first thing you need to know is what type of diet is natural to your fish. All fish fit into one of three categories:
- Herbivore a plant eater
- Carnivore a meat eater
- Omnivore a consumer of both plants and meaty foods (the vast majority of aquarium fish fit into this category)
Many of the staple diets do a very good job of providing a broad range of essential nutrients required for good health. Variety in the diet is important to good nutrition and the well-being of your fish. Offering supplementary foods in addition to the 'staple' diet assures better nutrition, and enriches the diet of your fish with more tastes and textures.
While there are many high-quality foods available, we have had particularly good results with those foods and brands listed below. The chart indicates whether that fish is classified as a herbivore (H), carnivore (C) or omnivore (O), and offers good choices for both the staple diet and supplementary diet. Some fish, such as Blennies, are listed as belonging to more than one category, depending on the particular variety. Make sure to research the dietary needs of the specific variety of fish you own.
| Species | Staple Diet | Supplementary Diet |
|---|---|---|
| Angels, Dwarf (O) | Hikari Mega-Marine Angel Ocean Nutr. Formula Two Flake | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutrition Green Seaweed Leaf |
| Angels, Large (O) | Hikari Mega-Marine Angel Ocean Nutr. Formula Two Flake | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutrition Green Seaweed Leaf |
| Anthias (C) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | Freeze-Dried Plankton Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Flakes |
| Basslets (C) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | Freeze-Dried Plankton Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Flakes |
| Batfish (O) | Mysis Shrimp TetraMarine Marine Granules | Hikari Krill Frozen Freeze-Dried Plankton |
| Blennies (H) (C) (O) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Formula Two Flake | TetraMarine Marine Granules Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Frozen |
| Boxfish (O) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Formula Two Flake | Freeze-Dried Plankton Cockle in Shell |
| Butterflyfish (C) (O) | Mysis Shrimp Whole Cockle in Shell | TetraMarine Marine Granules Ocean Nutrition Formula One |
| Cardinalfish (C) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | TetraMarine Marine Granules Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Frozen |
| Clownfish (O) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | TetraMarine Marine Granules Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Frozen |
| Damselfish (O) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | TetraMarine Marine Granules Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Frozen |
| Eels (C) | Gamma Shrimp Aqua Yums Squid Flat Pack | Live Ghost (Glass) Shrimp |
| Filefish (O) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | TetraMarine Marine Granules Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Frozen |
| Gobies (C) (O) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | TetraMarine Marine Granules Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Frozen |
| Groupers (C) | Whole Cockle Freeze-Dried Krill | Aqua Yums Squid Flat Pack Gamma Shrimp |
| Grunts (C) | Whole Cockle Freeze-Dried Krill | Live Ghost (Glass) Shrimp |
| Hawkfish (C) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | Freeze-Dried Plankton Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Flakes |
| Hogfish (C) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | Freeze-Dried Plankton Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Flakes |
| Lions (C) | Frozen Krill Freeze-Dried Plankton | Live Ghost (Glass) Shrimp |
| Parrotfish (O) | Formula Two Freeze-Dried Krill | Whole Cockle SeaVeggies (leaf with clip) |
| Pseudochromis (C) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | Freeze-Dried Plankton Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Flakes |
| Puffers (C) (O) | Cockle in Shell Aqua Yums Squid Flat Pack | Live Ghost (Glass)Shrimp |
| Rabbitfish (Foxface) (H) | Life Line Herbivore Minced SeaVeggies (leaf with clip) | Life Line Green Shredded O. S. I. Spirulina Flakes |
| Squirrelfish (C) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | Freeze-Dried Plankton Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Flakes |
| Surgeons/Tangs (H) | Life Line Herbivore Minced SeaVeggies (leaf with clip) | Life Line Green Shredded O. S. I. Spirulina Flakes |
| Sweetlips (C) (O) | Life Line Carnivore Minced Ocean Nutr. Formula One | Live Ghost (Glass) Shrimp |
| Triggerfish (C) | Cockle in Shell Aqua Yums Squid Flat Pack | Live Ghost (Glass) Shrimp |
| Wrasse (C) (O) | Mysis Shrimp Ocean Nutr. Prime Reef Flakes | Freeze-Dried Plankton Ocean Nutr. Brine Shrimp Plus Flakes |
| **(H) Herbivore | (C) Carnivore | (O) Omnivore** | | |
Article by: Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith