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At times, caring for a pet goldfish is not as easy as it might seem. For instance, how much is too much ~ or too little ~ food? Can’t our goldfish go a day or two without being fed?
Goldfish can survive without being fed for up to two weeks, depending on their environment. If you fail to feed them, they might scavenge the bowl or aquarium for algae; while in ponds they might subsist on insects and plant life they find.
So, if you forget a day (or more) of feeding your goldfish, don’t fret. More of a problem with pet goldfish is overfeeding.
Depending on factors like water temperature, you can feed a goldfish daily, or one to three times per week. Aiming for a feeding every other day is a safe bet.
It’s okay to feed your goldfish more than once a day, as long as the servings are moderately sized. Aside from keeping your pet happy from a food standpoint, remember that sprinkling food into a small bowl or aquarium eventually breaks down into tiny particles, which could leave a film or light cloud in the water.
A fairly popular feeding routine with goldfish is feeding a moderate amount once in the morning, and once at night.
Even though a goldfish could survive half a month without you feeding it, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Malnutrition opens the door for other health problems in almost every animal or fish.
What Goldfish Like to Eat
If you want to get away from the store-bought sprinkle-in fish food, treat your goldfish with finely chopped fruit or vegetables. Be sure to peel and cook them. While doing this, you might learn the favorite foods or meals of your pet!
Some say green peas are very good for goldfish, for nutrients as well as fiber. (Yes, goldfish can get constipated). Just make sure you boil the peas, or somehow make them very soft, so it’s easier for the goldfish to consume.
Remember to get rid of the skin around the peas as goldfish have a hard time digesting it. For the remainder, cut it into very small pieces before introducing it to the fish bowl.
Many goldfish owners keep freeze-dried vegetables and fruits handy. Digestive tract issues can make your pet seem confused, sometimes even causing it to swim upside-down!
When Your Goldfish is Hungry
Hungry goldfish will not float idly and let themselves starve. Hungry goldfish will move around in the bowl more than usual, including coming to the surface more often, looking for food.
In fact, if you see your pet fish active and constantly near the surface, it may be a sign of hunger, or even other problems like lack of oxygen in the tank. The latter is especially true when you see fish gulping at air from the surface.
Some say another sign that your goldfish is hungry is if it constantly pecks at the substrate, or the pebbles at the bottom. If this bottom pecking becomes a habit or seems too much, it may be a sign of other troubles such as quality of the water.
Do Goldfish Get Full from Eating?
Goldfish will indeed break from eating if they’ve had enough. In fact, all fish species do this except for the highest-level of predator like sharks.
However, if you choose to feed your goldfish often, like more than once a day, the period in between when the fish expect to be fed may become shorter. They can get used to the consistent feeding, kind of wait for it, and be expectant earlier than usual.
Goldfish are funny that way. Those who have never had fish as pets wouldn’t know this, but goldfish and other fish species have likes and dislikes, and habits. Some will even start to get excited as you approach the bowl, much like a dog might when you touch its food bowl or crinkle the packaging of a pet food container.
Watch closely and see if you can detect any in your pet or pets!
Related Questions
Question: What happens if you overfeed a goldfish?
Answer: Basically it makes it more difficult for them to swim ~ a reason overfeeding is not good. When they eat too much they can get bloated, or suffer through constipation. Overfeeding also means they defecate (e.g. poop) more, clouding the water.
Q.: Any other signs that my goldfish may be hungry?
A.: As stated above, carefully watching your pet can be revealing in terms of habits or needs. If your goldfish looks thinner than usual, or seems to be getting fat, it can be an indication of under- or overfeeding.