Choosing the right type of fish food for your fish can be quite difficult, especially since there are so many different types of fish food formulas available for purchase. When considering fish food formulas, it’s important to be familiar with all of the different preparations of fish food, since it can help you to provide better pet care for your fish. Pellet fish food is simply another type of food preparation, though it may not be suitable for all fish. Being informed about the properties of pellet food is a very important part of overall fish care, since it will allow you to decide if pellet fish food is best for your pet fish.
Shelf Life
Pellet fish food tends to last just about as long as flaked fish food formulas, depending on the ingredients contained in the food. Many fish food formulas contain artificial preservatives (such as BHA and BHT) in order to ensure that bacteria does not begin to develop. However, it’s still very important to note that pellet fish food formulas tend to lose some of their nutritional value after approximately one month, and may not be able to provide for the dietary needs of your fish. Some fish food formulas are marked with an expiration date, after which it is best to dispose of any remaining pellet food formula.
Types of Fish
Pellet fish food is generally suitable for mid-water feeding fish and bottom dwellers. Mid-water fish usually prefer to swim in the middle area of the tank, though they may occasionally also investigate the bottom of the tank. Most mid-water fish prefer to have their food delivered to them in a highly visible form, such as that of fish pellets. Pellet fish food formulas usually sink quite rapidly, and will be able to be consumed by mid-water fish as they drop. Since pellets often descend to the bottom of the fishtank, they are also suitable to be used as a food source for bottom-dwelling fish. Most bottom-feeding fish prefer to browse the bottom of the tank for their food-based needs.
An advantage of pellet based fish food formula is that it does not tend to deteriorate as rapidly once submerged in the water of the fishtank. Most flake fish food formulas break apart once they reach the bottom of the tank, and may slip underneath sand or gravel. This promotes growth of bacteria, as bottom-feeding fish may not be able to reach the food particles. Pellet fish food formulas are better able to retain their shape, and are more readily consumed by bottom-dwelling fish.
Special Pellet Fish Food
Certain types of pellet fish food are designed to be suitable for top-feeding, mid-dwelling and bottom-feeding fish. These types of pellets are designed to float for a short period of time, during which an outer layer of food is released from the pellet. As the pellet sinks, it releases a second layer of food while it descends to the bottom of the tank. After the pellet descends, the remainder of the food returns to the surface.
