Swordtail fish are small freshwater tropical fish that enjoy varieties of food. We have always talked about how appropriate water parameters and a balanced diet are crucial to keeping any aquarium fish healthy. I have discussed the ideal parameters for swordtails before. Now, what do swordtail fish eat?
Swordtail fish are omnivorous and naturally eat anything they find in the wild. Insect larvae, plant debris, microorganisms, algae, dead fish are usually a treat. However, in the aquarium setting, swordtails do best with a varied diet of commercial food, occasional high-protein snacks, live or frozen worms, and homemade veggies.
You can feed them frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp; live food such as daphnia or earthworms; egg yolks, beef heart, blanched vegetables (boiled); or commercial fish food flakes mixed with an algae-based supplement such as spirulina. Commercial flakes and pellets are fine for swordtail fish, but they should be supplemented with live food whenever feasible.
In this blog post, we will talk about properly taking care of the swordtail fish diet by answering questions like what do swordtail fish eat?, How much should we feed them? And as such.
What Do Swordtail Fish Eat In The Wild?
In the wild, swordtail fish are found along the tropical rivers, streams, and creeks of Central and Northern America. Swordtails eat small aquatic invertebrates like daphnia, plankton, and plant detritus from their environment.
Swordtails can also eat algae that grow on rocks or plants in the wild. However, they mainly feed on insects, worms, crustaceans, and larvae. They eat tiny crustaceans like shrimps, snails, brine shrimp, daphnia, etc.
Swordtails hunt and eat anything that fits into their mouth in the rivers, but we cannot do the same in an aquarium.
Wild swordtails have stronger immunity and can eat anything. But, it is not the same in-home aquarium. So, you need to take proper care of your pet’s swordtail and avoid feeding them anything in nature, like in the wild.
Swordtail Fish Diet
Swordtail fish are omnivorous, meaning they eat a wide range of foods. However, these fish should eat a balanced diet of protein-rich foods and vegetables. Swordtails eat algae by default, but you can boost their diet with peas once or twice a week (peas contain high amounts of plant fiber).
You should not feed meat to your swordtail unless properly cooked (uncooked meat can be dangerous for swordtail fish and cause them to become ill).
Furthermore, the optimal diet for swordtail fish is determined by the age of the fish. Young swordtails can get away with eating only vegetables, algae, or plant matter, whereas older swordtails should eat more protein and meat.
It’s vital to note that swordtails, like people, require a diverse diet. You wouldn’t want to eat the same thing every night for supper for the rest of your life, so why should your pet fish? As often as possible, feed them a combination of veggies, meat, and plant stuff.
What Should You Feed Your Swordtails?
Although swordtails will accept a wide variety of food, you must provide them with a properly balanced diet rich in nutrients. It may not be enough for their proper growth and development if you are feeding them commercial flakes.
Food that you can feed your swordtails are:
Vitamin Supplements
Vitamins are required for the survival of swordtail fish. A supplement like TetraMin Tropical Medley, which aquarium fish keepers frequently use, is a fantastic approach to provide swordtail fish vitamins.
Live Food
For swordtail fish to develop strong, they require a consistent amount of protein in their diet. Therefore, swordtails should eat live foods like daphnia, blackworms, or blood worms, mosquito larvae, and other live grubs regularly for optimal health and growth.
Frozen Food
Because swordtail fish are challenging to catch and eat live food in a tank environment, frozen foods like brine shrimp or daphnia are ideal. However, if you don’t want to risk your fish’s health, you can use frozen fish food instead.
Most frozen foods harm the sensitive stomach of swordtails. On the other hand, Swordtail fish benefit from freeze-dried worms or shrimp, which supply ample protein.
Veggies
Swordtail fish are omnivores who require both plant and animal stuff in their diet. So, for example, if algae wafers were still available at the pet store, swordtail fish would eat them, but you could try zucchini or cucumber instead.
Flakes and Pellets
Commercial foods like algae flakes, shrimp pellets are a favorite of swordtail fish, and they eat them up quickly. Even though swordtails require a variety of foods, crackers, flakes, and pellets can be a staple in their diet. If you can’t afford numerous types of food for your swordtail fish, this is the best option.
How To Prepare Food At Home For Your Swordtail Fish?
Making your fish food is one way to ensure that you’re providing them with the best diet possible.
There are a variety of recipes to choose from. However, knowing which ones perform best can be challenging, mainly if you aren’t used to cooking or don’t have much experience in the kitchen.
You must not use artificial preservatives in homemade foods; the best option is to use our all-natural and organic swordtail fish food.
You can also feed your fish blanched zucchini, cucumber, romaine lettuce, peas, or boiling spinach. However, it’s crucial to note that wild plants should never be used as food because they may contain harmful compounds to the fish!
Another benefit of creating your pet food is leaving out any potentially dangerous ingredients or preservatives, such as garlic or live plants.
Here are different foods and ways to prepare them at home for your swordtails:
Brine Shrimp
Brine shrimp is one of the most popular and straightforward homemade dishes.
You’ll need some untreated salt water from your local fish store to make the brine shrimp. After that, fill a big pot halfway with seawater and heat it to roughly 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once you’ve reached this temperature, add some pure brine shrimp eggs (available at your local pet store) and wait for them to hatch (this can take anywhere from 12-48 hours). The water temperature should be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit at this point.
To keep hatched brine shrimp from sticking together, pour them into a colander and rinse them with cold tap water for about 30 seconds. This food can be fed live or freeze-dried so that you can save it for later use.
Frozen Bloodworms
Frozen bloodworms, which may also be purchased at your local pet store, are another food that works well as a DIY swordtail fish meal. However, if you feed bloodworms that have been flash-frozen, you run the danger of making your fish sick.
To prepare the bloodworms, place them in a colander and run them under cold tap water for 30 seconds to prevent them from adhering together; then, like with brine shrimp, feed either live or freeze-dried worms preserve them for later use.
Micro Worms
Micro worms are another popular sort of homemade swordtail fish food. Unfortunately, this isn’t the simplest thing to produce and necessitates far more effort than simply purchasing brine shrimp eggs from your local pet store.
Egg Yolk
Egg yolks are another excellent source of protein for your fish, and they are simple to slice into tiny pieces and sprinkle over the surface of their water.
Daphnia
“Daphnia is just a glorified mosquito larva,” but if your swordtail fish hasn’t eaten in days, this could help.
Blanched Vegetables
If you’ve ever wondered how to feed vegetables to your swordtail fish, the answer is simple: cook them! However, rather than serving the vegetables raw, as most people do with their pet fish, blanching will help remove any toxins inherent in particular plants, which could harm your fish.
Food You Should NOT Feed Your Swordtail Fish
Swordtail fish can eat a variety of foods, but they can’t eat everything. Because swordtails have a delicate stomach, it is better for them if they do not eat anything than eat the wrong kinds of food.
It would help if you did not offer your swordtails to the following people:
Increased Protein
Swordtail fish can consume a small amount of protein. However, they are unable to digest a variety of high-protein meals, such as shrimp or worms. As a result, they may become ill and constipated, eventually losing their appetite.
Foods High in Sugar
Swordtail fish may consume sugary meals, but it’s crucial to track how much they drink—overfeeding and contamination in the tank result from swordtails’ preference for sweet foods.
Gluten
Gluten is also dangerous for swordtails. It contains a lot of carbohydrates and fat that your swordtail fish cannot digest.
Gluten-rich foods like bread can cause stomach problems for your swordtails and also contaminate your tank. Hence, you should avoid them as much as possible.
Caffeine
Swordtail Fish should not consume caffeine. These fish have a sensitive stomach and will become ill if given caffeine-containing foods or beverages.
Partially-Eaten Foods
Swordtails may consume partially digested meals. However, keep an eye on how much they’re eating and remove any uneaten food from the tank after a couple of hours to avoid their being ill.
How Often To Feed Swordtail Fish?
Swordtails are omnivores, so provide them with a well-balanced diet that includes both greenery and protein.
You should feed adults small amounts of food two to three times per day at the most. This is because swordtails have a ravenous appetite. As a result, if you give them a lot of food, they will eat it all at once, which might be dangerous.
Feed your swordtail minor amounts of food that will fit in their mouth. Every other day, you can give them commercial fish pellets or plant-based flakes, freeze-dried bloodworms, and little blanched zucchini pieces.
Is it Possible To Overfeed A Swordtail Fish?
Yes, you can overfeed your fish, mainly if you feed them too much at once or more than once a day.
If you’re currently feeding your swordtails the recommended quantity, there’s no need to be concerned about overfeeding them because doing so can be difficult, if not impossible.
Use a feeder block for fish food instead of loose flakes or pellets if you’re concerned about overfeeding. These blocks sink almost instantly after being dropped into the tank, which might help minimize excess waste in your water if your fish don’t eat all of the food you’ve put in.
FAQs
How Long Can Swordtail Fish Live Without Food?
Swordtails can go for several days without food, but you should feed them at least twice a day.
If they aren’t given enough food, they will become frail, slow down, and lose their coloring.
On the other side, excessive feeding might cause your fish to become obese, which can harm their health.
Small amounts of food should be fed to swordtails twice a day. You can provide them once in the morning and once at night, or twice around midday if that is more convenient for your schedule.
Conclusion
Finally, there are a variety of meals that you can give your pet swordtail fish.
In the wild, swordtails feed insects, crustaceans, and plant materials primarily. However, when algae are accessible, they will use it to enhance their diet.
As a result, you should provide your pet swordtail with a range of foods to maintain optimum nourishment!
We hope our blog entry about the swordtail fish diet provided you with helpful information. Thank you for taking the time to read this!
