Like other animals, certain fish are designed to eat certain foods. Whether
the fish is an herbivore (plant eater), a carnivore (meat eater) or an
omnivore (plant and meat eater), all fish require a variety of vitamins to
stay healthy. Unfortunately, unbalanced nutrition often occurs as a result
of feeding the wrong foods.
With the development and widespread availability of dried flake, granular
and pelleted foods, feeding fish has never been easier, quicker or more
mess-free. However, many fish, especially omnivores, suffer from the
effects of an unbalanced diet that is excessively plant or meat based.
It is impossible to mimic exactly what your fish would eat in their natural
environment; however, with a little research you will be able to learn what
your fish should eat, and where and how you might need to supplement their
diet with vitamins to pick up the slack.
All fish require the following vitamins:
Vitamin A: found in crustaceans and greens
Vitamin B Complex: found in eggs, fish and greens
Vitamin C: found in algae, fish eggs and greens
Vitamin D: found in earthworms, shrimps and snails
Vitamin K: found in greens and liver
A good place to start is by checking the labels of the fish food you are
currently feeding. If the food contains all of the previous vitamins and
your fish are healthy, not losing weight and acting well, their food is
probably a sufficient source of nutrition. If you are unsure whether they
are getting all the necessary vitamins, a commercially available vitamin
supplement may help.