What natural food to choose for your fish?
How to make the right choice?
Natural food is far superior to industrial food for our fish.
But when we know it, we still have to choose which creature will be the best or the easiest to raise to change the daily lives of our residents...
Should we opt for the daphnia, the Blackworm, the enchytraeids, the Grindal worm ?…
Apart from the smaller species that are mainly intended for fry, such as vinegar eels, micro worms, or even springtails, we already have a good selection of appropriately sized critters suitable for almost all of our aquarium fish.
Not everyone has the desire or the space to start all types of farming, so on what criteria should one choose the best species to cultivate at home?
Of course, there is the nutritional criterion, and the attraction of our fish to this or that creature. But the ease and productivity of a breeding also count.
"To give you all the keys, I will try to detail the strengths of the main species appreciated by fish and accessible to the amateur aquarist."
They are crustaceans. The nutritional composition of daphnia varies greatly depending on what they eat! For example, the protein content of daphnia can range from 40 to 70%, partly due to their diet, but also depending on the oxygen levels in the environment. Indeed, they are capable of multiplying their hemoglobin levels by 13 if needed!
Let's say that the daphnia generally contain 60% protein (on a dry matter basis, of course).
Their fat content is sometimes high (11... to 27%), making it a rich food, as fats are important in the metabolism of aquatic animals.
"As it is a shrimp, it is covered with a thin shell made of chitin. Chitin is not digested (like fiber for humans) and is therefore very useful for goldfish. Indeed, the goldfish has a particular digestive system that requires 'ballast' provided by plants (fiber) or by crustaceans and insects (chitin)."
The daphnia is therefore the ideal food for the least carnivorous fish, such as goldfish, swordtails, platys, etc.
Breeding daphnia requires a bit of space: at least 10 liters (a bucket, for example) if possible near a window or outside if the weather is nice. 18 to 20°C is the ideal temperature.
Feeding is simple with fresh live plankton or pure micronized spirulina. The imperative rule is to feed little, but often. Especially with dry powders that should be consumed quickly and not pollute the water.
In short, raising your own daphnias involves having a small tank or bucket and regularly ensuring the cleanliness of the environment.
On the other hand, we have an excellent basic diet available all year round, as fish are extremely attracted to the jerky, almost bouncing, swimming of this planktonic crustacean.
The daphnia is to freshwater what artemia is to seawater.
The Blackworm (Lumbriculus variegatus) are related to earthworms, and therefore belong to the world of annelid worms. It is quite a balanced food for fish, as it contains 65% protein and 12% fat. A sort of ideal mix.
Unlike Tubifex, this worm is not polluted and therefore does not pose health problems for fish.
Raising this very beautiful brown-red worm by yourself is possible. The same conditions as the daphnia are suitable: a container of at least 10 liters at 18-20°C.
But this worm also needs a substrate to partially bury itself in. Sand is perfect, even a simple well-washed masonry sand.
And above all, the most important thing: the Blackworm needs oxygen, otherwise it dies. An air pump is therefore essential.
Feeding it is simple: pure micronized spirulina (ideal size for its tiny mouth), or dead plant fragments (cooked vegetables) on which the bacteria it consumes will develop. Any food given in excess risks rotting and depriving the water of oxygen (hence the importance of the aerator).
"It is an interesting breeding, producing quality worms, but a little less productive in quantity than the daphnia."
The enchytraeids and the Grindal worm
I grouped them because these farms are quite comparable.
The difference between the enchytraeids and the Grindal worm is mainly their size. They are really very close cousins, as both species belong to the same genus Enchytraeus.
The enchytraeus is a fairly large white worm suitable only for adult fish, while the Grindal worm is small enough to feed juvenile fish or small species (guppies, tetras, etc.).
For the rest, they have exactly the same nutritional value.
"Contrary to a persistent legend, these worms are not fatty. They are even, with only 14% lipids, a little less fatty than the daphnia!"
On the other hand, their protein content is among the highest, at 70%...
Their nutritional contribution is therefore of high quality and very appreciable, especially since they are clearly very appreciated by the fish.
Last point: their astonishing richness in vitamin A and carotene.
Above all, their breeding requires little space and little care.
The enchytraeids are content with a pot containing a substrate (potting soil and a little sand may be enough), with a lid to prevent gnats from invading them. Keeping the substrate moist and cool (below 18°C if possible) is enough for their happiness. Some give them oatmeal flakes, others banana peels: they are not too difficult and can sometimes be found in our compost piles in the garden! It's really simple and low-maintenance. And the breeding can last several years.
To simply and cleanly raise enchytraeids, the easiest way is to turn to the Zollabox Poisson L, a complete kit that includes the pot, the worms, the special food for enchytraeids, all the equipment, and a complete and clear instruction manual.
As for the Grindal worm, a simple container that previously held margarine, butter, or an ice cream tub will do the trick! It's hard to get more compact than that... The substrate is commonly made up of sphagnum.
The lid, as for the enchytraeids, is necessary to prevent pests or drying out.
For more ease and success in breeding Grindals, simply order the Zollabox Fish S, a complete kit that contains all the necessary equipment, food, the strain, and especially a complete step-by-step manual.
Grindal Grindal worm do not like light: some therefore store the breeding box in a drawer or a cupboard, or even under the aquarium.
Grindal Grindal worm take a while to get started (count a few weeks), but after that, it’s a very regular production of small worms suitable for all sizes of fish!
"It is generally unnecessary to redo the culture before a good year."
Personally, I obviously have these 4 farms at home. This allows me to vary the menus of my fish infinitely (variety is important for them), but above all, I never run out: if one farm produces less for a few weeks, another comes to replace it.
We are far from the monotony of industrial glitter!
Matter, May 12, 2023
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