# Ideal food to feed Rainbow Fish for Optimal health.



## Nathanh2150 (22 May 2021)

Hi All,

I recently purchased Some Beautiful Rainbow Fish in my local aquarium shop I did a lot of research into caring and getting everything ready for them before going ahead and picking out the ones that caught my eye. As anyone may know doing hours and hours of research online gets a little confusing with so many different website's recommending different foods and habitat's these amazing fish live. I'm reaching out to anyone on this form room that has experience on the correct foods to feed them as I am aware that to keep them happy and have a long life span.

My Rainbow Fish Are:
3x large yellow/blue rainbow 
2x medium yellow/blue rainbow 
1x Red rainbow (Medium) 
2x Jewel Rainbowfish(Medium)

I have seen online that one website is recommending
1, Vegetable's such as Aubergine, Pumpkin and other Squashes, and Peas (What's your thoughts on this?) should I feed daily or once every other day?

2, They also state that it is a good idea to actively encourage algae growth within the aquarium either on the side of the glass of the tank not the front as that will block the front view to seeing the fish.

3, They have also stated that for meaty food's to included mosquito larvae, shrimp and other morsels (What would you recommend) should I feed daily or once every other day?

4, This is currently what I am feeding my Rainbow Fish and they seem to be loving it!
Tetra Pro Menu Fish Food Complete Premium Food.
(Once a week) Frozen Blood Worm & Frozen Daphnia
(Once a week) Live Micro Worms 
Below is food that the Rainbow fish also seem to enjoy. but this is mainly food for my cory's that was recommended from Maidenhead Aquatics in my local area information on the product and what it contains.
*Premium Formula AquaCare Tropical Tabs:*
A complete tablet food crammed with goodness for all tropical fish. The new AquaCare Tropical Tabs are a healthy tablet food containing mealworm, shrimp and garlic. With natural ingredients that promote vibrant colours, the new formula, also helps to make the food closer to a fish’s natural diet. The addition of garlic can also help to actively and directly kill parasites. Stick to the glass to start a feeding frenzy!

Information on my set Up
I own a Aquascaper 900 
its run with an external filter (biomaster thermo 600) temperature of the tank hitting 25'c 
inline Co2 full rig setup (on an auto-mated dimmer) (4am-9pm)
twinstar light unit (on an auto-mated dimmer) (8am-on the lowest setting around 9pm turn off 10pm)
fully carpeted and planted setup  
weekly maintenance (Every Sunday) that includes 35% water change also the filter sponge wash. Then at the end of the month a filter wash of the compartment's inside the external filter. leaving the pre start filter with bacteria.

Current House Mates
6x Corydoras Sterbai
1x torpedo barb
6x cardinal Tetra 
1x Bulldog Pleco
1x female Siamese fighting fish (Super Friendly) 
5x celestial pearl danios
4x Otocinclus Catfish
1x Rabbit snail 

I hope all the information provided ABOVE is enough to give an idea on what I'm currently doing but would love to hear everyone's opinion on what there giving there Rainbow Fish as would like to try it on my ones. I have Also linked the website to the information that I have Got some of the information from if anyone is interested to take a glance or it maybe useful to anyone thinking of getting some Rainbow Fish .https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/feeding-rainbowfish-successfully.html#


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## dw1305 (22 May 2021)

Hi all, 


Nathanh2150 said:


> 1, Vegetable's such as Aubergine, Pumpkin and other Squashes, and Peas (What's your thoughts on this?)


Good idea.


Nathanh2150 said:


> They have also stated that for meaty food's to included mosquito larvae, shrimp and other morsels


Another good idea. 

I don't use a lot of dry food, but "Fluval Bug bites" look to combine palatability with good nutritional properties. Have a look at <"Experienced fish keepers what are you feeding.......">.

cheers Darrel


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## mort (23 May 2021)

It's not just food that important for rainbowfish. Any well balanced diet should be fine for them but for really long lived happy rainbows you need to also consider social groups and water. They are really hardy and do very well in our hard norwich tap water, so decent weekly changes with that will do a good job. As to social groups they need their own company to thrive and having a mix of males and females helps keep the colours strong. They will live in small numbers but they thrive when kept in groups of 6+ per species.


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## Conort2 (23 May 2021)

I’ve found they’ll eat almost anything so a good quality dry food along with live food and a abit of veg like peas will suit them.

 The main thing with rainbow fish is patience and good quality water, it can take a good couple of years before those drab little juveniles you purchase in the shops show their potential. I’d also recommend a food high in caretenoids like tetra prima or callamanus to bring out the reds and oranges in those males you have.

cheers


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## sparkyweasel (23 May 2021)

Conort2 said:


> callamanus


Or _Calanus_ perhaps?


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## Conort2 (23 May 2021)

sparkyweasel said:


> Or _Calanus_ perhaps?


Yeah that’s the one 😂 

callamanus are nasty parasitic worms that kill your fish so don’t feed them lol!


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## Nathanh2150 (24 May 2021)

Just wanted to double check that I have the right 2 products that have been suggested I have attached two photos. 
many thanks 
Nathan


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## dw1305 (24 May 2021)

Hi all, 


Nathanh2150 said:


> products that have been suggested


Tim Addis's company is  <"TA Aquaculture">. 



These are the details for the <"Bugbites"> .





cheers Darrel


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## Nathanh2150 (28 May 2021)

food arrived this morning the rainbows seem to be enjoying the bug bites so shall grab a bag of bug bites tropical formula on my next day off as at the moment I only have the bug bites colour granules but still waiting for the AF _Calanus_ to arrive in the post. So should arrive tomorrow fingers crossed hehe


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## Nathanh2150 (29 May 2021)

Hi all,
The AQUAFOREST CALANUS arrived today and I'm just seeing how everyone feed’s there fish with this food?.
I have looked inside the pot of food and noticed its more of a fine dust fish food.
I was thinking of making this food if possible into frozen food adding some of the AQUAFOREST CALANUS into an ice tray and adding some water to it then popping it into the freezer.

what's your thought's on this ? 

they seem to like it as have tried them on it a moment ago but had to turn my bio master thermo off as didn't want it to go into the filter.  
(ATM I haven’t done the ice cubes method) as wanted to see everyone’s idea’s on how to feed to the fish 🐟 🙃
Any help and advice would be much appreciated


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