Wannabe fish owner confused by food options.

Hello everyone! I’ve gleaned a lot of information from this forum about owning fish, but when it comes to fish food, there are so many options that I’m not sure what to do. My husband has owned a few fish and small tank as a child, but doesn’t remember the details. I am completely new to it without even having friends with fish tanks, so I need a bit a help, please!

The fish I’ve picked out for us are as follows:
zebra danio
white skirt tetra
cardinal tetra
honey gourami
hillside loach

To make a long, confused, and frustrating story short, I’ve decided we might feed them New Life Spectrum Thera+A Small Pellet Enhanced food, as it says it’s good for all my desired fish as a daily food. However, I’m worried that the pellets will immediately sink to the bottom of the aquarium, and most of my fish choices, from what I understand, prefer to eat in the top and middle of the tank. So here are my questions:

- Will this food pellet sink too fast for them to eat?
- Does it come in flake form? I’m having a beast of a time finding this information.
- Will this food, in fact, be good for all my fish?
- I’ve seen on here that a lot of people use multiple types of flake and pellet food: are these for multiple tanks, or should I rotate their daily food with several brands/formulas? If I should, what else should I use?
- Should I include algae wafers/blocks in their treat rotation? I know about bloodworms and brine shrimp as treats.

Thank you in advance!

 

I am not sure if new life spectrum makes flakes, but your concern over how fast the pellets sink is valid.

Xtreme fish foods are pretty high quality as well, cost similar to new life spectrum, the community flake formula would work well. Also flakes like TetraMin teopical flakes would probably work well as well, and be a lot more affordable if that is an issue to consider.

 

This is a pretty deep rabbit hole with lots of options and opinions. I think fish eventually get used to what there getting fed and will adapt on feeding. I feed prImarily flake and do have some pellet I mix in occasionally but most of that seems to end up at the bottom since it sinks much faster than what their used too.

Like people, fish will benefit from a balance diet that can be achieved through good quality flood and variety. Even live foods if you have a source and desire to deal with that .

NLS is reputable brand that I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with. I personally recommend flake foods from Angels Plus. They have a large selection and I personally use “The Works” blend which is a combo of all their flakes. And I have always been very happy.

I know several members use Ken’s Fish private brand foods too an are very happy with that.

 

Wow, lots of good information in two responses! I was feeling quite lost and worried I’d choose the wrong thing, but I’m much more confident now. Thank you guys so much! I’ll look into the foods you mentioned and go with flakes—at least for a start.

 

I'd also suggest bug bites, seems to be the most natural food on the market based on ingredients. But literally any food will work.

 

I just recently responded to a similar question so I'll put the same thing here. Variety is the spice of life.
I will mention the odd one out in the hillstream loaches. Their preferred environment is substantially different enough from the other species that they might not be ideal. They lole fast, cool water. Cardinals on the other hand prefer something closer to 80°. So you have 1 fish that likes 65 and another that likes 80. That's a bit much as far as compatibility is concerned.

 

I just recently responded to a similar question so I'll put the same thing here. Variety is the spice of life.
I will mention the odd one out in the hillstream loaches. Their preferred environment is substantially different enough from the other species that they might not be ideal. They lole fast, cool water. Cardinals on the other hand prefer something closer to 80°. So you have 1 fish that likes 65 and another that likes 80. That's a bit much as far as compatibility is concerned.

I, and many other respected people in the aquarium industry have kept them in low flow and high temperature tanks and one even bred them.

 

Thank you for the help, everyone! I feel much more confident in feeding my future fish now.

 

I have kept both skirt tetras and danios in the past in 40 gallon tanks.
Both these species are fast eaters and will not have an issue eating anything from any level in a tank. They should finish all food before it hits the substrate, but both will eat off the substrate no problem.
Both these species are fin nippers. I can’t recommend them in small tanks of 20 gallons . I can’t recommend them with ANY other species. I can’t recommend them at all.
I would suggest cherry barbs as a peaceful fish that can handle most beginners water parameters. Not any other barbs though.
Ember tetras are one of the few peaceful tetras species.

I am serious about the nipping. It can easily lead to deaths.
The honey gourami are slow eating fish with small mouths needing small bits of food. The long colourful fins may be a target? They are so slow at eating. In my opinion they are not suitable tank mates for shirt tetras or danios.