Food variety recommendations

Hello! I currently feed my babies (gourami, platies, danios) TertraMin tropical flakes twice per day, along with algae wafer for my pleco. My fish have been showing more interest lately in the algae wafers, and I think this is due to the boredom of their current food.

What other things should I feed them? Stuff that isn't too costly, since I just threw my budget at a rescape.

Live food? Freeze dried? Fresh cut vegetables? I feed veggies to my birds.

Thank you!!!

Edit: I can also try for more costly foods once I financially recover.

 

Frozen brine shrimp always seems a good option. I find sliced cucumber or zuchini sometimes a fun treat as well. Especially with plecos around.

 

Frozen brine shrimp always seems a good option. I find sliced cucumber or zuchini sometimes a fun treat as well. Especially with plecos around.

I've thought of cucumber! Would I need to take any precautions prior to adding it to the tank? (Washing w/ tank water, deseeding, etc)

 

Mine go crazy for frozen cyclops.

 

I've thought of cucumber! Would I need to take any precautions prior to adding it to the tank? (Washing w/ tank water, deseeding, etc)

I typically wash it, slice then boil, same with zuchini. I just leave the seeds in.

 

If you don't wanna buy frozen foods that will take up freezer space, what I do is get Hikaris freeze dried brine shrimp and daphnia (I find this more easier)
Also, something new I'm trying (fish go NUTS) is the Repashy gel foods, I have the community plus and the vegan mix. I typically make a portion then freeze it, just let it sit on a paper towel for a few minutes then throw it in the tank!

I know you didn't say dry food but a brand I think is fantastic but not very costly is the Fluval Bug Bites line, my fish especially like the color flakes!

 

I fed my fish finely chopped up raw fish (filleted) and shrimp from the grocery store before. Someone else I talked to even did mussels.

I was not gonna spend like 10 dollars for those small packets of brine shrimp or blood worms you get at the pet store.

 

As you were feeding twice a day I am not surprised the fish have lost interest in food.
Instead of feeding 14 times a week cut that back to 6 times with the individual proportions remaining the same.
Yes buy different brands of dry food and mix it up a bit. But don’t think something is wrong because you the fish don’t eat all the food you are adding when feeding multiple times a day

Frozen pet food is more expensive than human fresh seafood. Human food is made under much more sterile conditions. Buy 100grams / a few ounces of mussels or white fish. Cut that up and grind that into a paste. Freeze small individual portions.

 

I alternate one day each week to I feed a slice of cucumber or a small amount of Repashy Morning Wood - Isopod Gel Food to my fat 5-inch Bristlenose pleco.

I scrape the skin off the cucumber just to minimize the risk of chemicals.

For Repashy, I use the unit dose blisters that some prescription meds come in.

I want a well rounded diet but not so much that he forgets the reason he's in the tank.