This is not going to be a simple answer due to the number of factors within this question. You will need to consider how big the goldfish are and how big the goldfish flakes are that you purchase and feed to your goldfish.
Another factor to consider is their habitat: Are they in a pond or indoor aquarium? There are so many variables that it’s going to be tricky to answer. But here goes.
Goldfish should be given as many flakes as they can consume within 90 seconds without leaving excess flakes to fall to the bottom of the aquarium. If your goldfish live in a pond, we suggest using a brand of floating goldfish stick that will make it easier to observe when the food is all eaten. Never overfeed any pet fish including goldfish. This will lead to poor water conditions and unhealthy fish.
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Balanced Diet
The key to keeping healthy goldfish can simply come down to two factors. The first is their environment i.e. The amount of water they live in. So, a pond for example is best suited for fish if it’s more than 200 Gallons. A home aquarium will need to be 50+ Gallons to comfortably house your goldfish (Carassius auratus).
Remember the common goldfish can live between 10-15 years and grow to 10-12″ and that’s just the common goldfish. Other varieties like Koi Carp can grow much bigger!
The second factor to consider and one you have total control over is their diet. Providing them with a carefully chosen balanced diet will prolong their life and help to ensure their good health.
Choosing a Balanced Diet for Your Goldfish
Most retail pet stores are very good with offering advice on what to feed your beloved Goldfish. But just in case you can’t get to speak to them in person, here are a few foods you should consider adding to your goldfish diet plan.
| Suitable Foods for Goldfish | |
| Floating Pellets | Flake foods |
| Freeze-dried Bloodworms | Live foods |
| Freeze Dried Shrimps | Pond daphnia |
| Garden pea | Chopped Worms (Washed) |
| Algae Tablets | Live plants |
| Green Veg | Spinach |
How Often Should You Feed Your Goldfish?
2-3 times a day as much as they can eat within 90 seconds is the industry standard taught to most fish owners. I believe this can change depending on the type of fish that live within the same aquarium.
Not all cold-water fish feed at the same pace and same water level throughout the tank or pond. You may be best adding diverse types of foods at the same time to the tank. As an example: Feed a few sinking pellets for the lower or bottom feeders whilst at the same time add some floating flakes. Then you may want to add a teaspoon of live daphnia to the tank. This will allow all the inhabitants to get their share of this healthy Goldfish food.
All freeze-dried foods should be soaked for a few minutes first to avoid upsetting your goldfish’s digestive system.
When Not to Feed Goldfish
You’ll need to reduce the amount of food and often even stop feeding your Goldfish if the water temperatures fall below 8° Celsius because, being homoeothermic, most cold-water fish are unable to digest food when the water temperature falls below 8°C.
Don’t worry, they will not starve. If the water temperature stays this low for extended periods of time, add some live daphnia to the water. This will live in the water until the fish are ready to eat again without harming the water quality.
Obviously, in a home aquarium, this should never happen as you can add a small and automatically regulated aquarium heater to stop the temperature dropping this low.
Suitable Goldfish Foods
- How many eggs do Koi lay? How many and how often
- How long are Koi fish pregnant? Live Spawning or egg Layers
- Do Koi fish Eat Mosquito Larvae? Cool Facts!
- Can Goldfish eat worms? Garden or other types of worms!
- Can Goldfish eat Bloodworms? Are they safe to eat!
I have been working in the tropical fish industry for over 30 years now and I’m still learning. Everyday is a school day in this hobby. In my spare time I play golf very badly!