Feeding Time: The Culinary Part Of Your Aquarium Ecosystem
An aquarium is not a complete ecosystem in itself - it is, after all, not hermetically sealed off from the atmosphere outside - but the water itself is a place where there needs to be the right balance of temperature, light, currents and much else to provide the optimal aquatic conditions for its inhabitants.
A key element of the aquatic ecosystem you do need to consider, of course, is food. Out in the deep blue sea, your various specimens would be hunting, foraging, scavenging and grazing on the various flora and fauna of nature’s larder. The key as an aquarium owner is to replicate the food supply in a way that suits every fish you have.
The kind of food provided will help determine how it is provided, of course. Dried flakes may be sprinkled on the surface, while live food will drop faster. In many cases, an aquarium food dispenser will be an invaluable tool.
A key consideration is the fact fish will feed at different levels. Surface feeders will swim up and grab whatever has just landed, which means flaky dry food is great for them. Some of this will drift down to be gobbled up by mid-water swimmers, but little will reach the bottom.
Live food, such as bloodworms, will fall faster and a key consideration is the rate at which these are introduced into the tank. A small volume might enable surface feeders to devour the lot, but a high quantity will mean they cannot intercept all of them and more will drop to lower levels to keep those fish well fed.
Another issue to consider is just what each kind of fish you keep likes to eat. Some are carnivorous and will love live food. Others are omnivorous and will enjoy flakes of mixed food or even bits of vegetable. Then there are herbivorous fish.
It is important to have a mix of feeders to maintain the aquatic ecosystem. For instance, bottom-feeding omnivores like catfish and loaches are invaluable in preventing the build-up of decaying matter at the bottom of the tank, scavenging and cleaning up whatever has made its way down.
A particularly important kind of fish to have in this regard is something that loves eating algae. The last thing you want is the green stuff coating your tank glass, as, among other problems, it will inhibit visibility. The answer is to keep fish such as a rabbitfish, or certain kinds of angelfish, parrotfish, benny or guppy.
Algae also provide plenty to chomp on for many other creatures you can add to the tank: hermit crabs, sea snails, urchins and shrimp will all happily clear the green stuff away.
The other critical issue is to make sure you have read up on the guidance of how much to feed your fish. While there are kinds of fish that should not be kept together as they will fight and potentially predate each other, a common cause of fish chasing and trying to eat their fellow tank-dwellers will be underfeeding.
Just as in nature, it is all about keeping a balance in the food chain and ecosystem. With the right combination of fish and the correct types and amounts of food, you will be able to maintain a very healthy and well-fed aquarium.