Goldfish are omnivores, and they share a lot of foods with humans: especially plants and vegetables. But not all human foods are safe for goldfish.
If you run out of food for your goldfish, knowing what human food they can eat is a great way to make do.
Find out what foods you shouldn’t give your goldfish and 11 foods you can feed them.
So you’ve got a new goldfish pal swimming around their tank or pond You want to make sure you’re feeding them a healthy, balanced diet But you’re also looking to mix things up from the usual fish food flakes or pellets. Don’t worry, you’ve got options! In fact, there are quite a few human foods that can double as goldfish treats.
Veggies Are Your Friend
Many vegetables that we humans eat can also be fed to goldfish. The fiber and nutrients are good for their little fishy digestive systems. Here are some great veggie options:
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Lettuce and spinach – Romaine green leaf, and other lettuces can be fed fresh or frozen. Spinach is also A-OK. Just remove any thick stems or ribs that could be hard to digest.
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Sweet potatoes – These orange spuds are packed with beneficial vitamins and minerals. Cook them until soft, let them cool, and cut into small pieces or mash before feeding to your fish.
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Pumpkin – Whether fresh or canned puree pumpkin is a good source of carotenoids like beta carotene. Scoop a spoonful into the tank for your goldies to nibble on.
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Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage – The cruciferous cousins are healthy for humans and fish alike. Steam them lightly to soften before feeding.
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Zucchini, carrots, cucumbers – These crunchy veggies provide great texture and nutrition. Grate or slice into small pieces before serving.
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Peas, lima beans – Defrosted frozen peas or beans make an easy snack.
When trying new veggies, go slowly and watch for any signs of digestive issues. Small amounts at first are best. But overall, most of these should be gobbled up no problem!
Starchy Foods Work Too
In the wild, goldfish feed on plants, insect larvae, crustaceans and other aquatic life. So they can digest some complex carbs and starches along with produce. Here are some starchy foods they enjoy:
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Potatoes – Cooked, cooled potatoes are great for goldfish. Mash them up to make it easier to eat. Sweet and regular potatoes are both good.
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Rice – Plain white or brown rice, cooked until soft and then cooled, can be fed as an occasional treat.
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Bread – Little bits of bread without added salt are fine for goldfish. Break up some crusts or inside pieces into bite-size portions.
As with any new foods, introduce slowly and discontinue if any digestive upset occurs. But most goldfish can handle limited amounts of these starchy items without issue.
What About Fruits?
Fruits can also add some natural sweetness and variety to your goldfish’s menu. Here are some top fruit choices:
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Melons – Watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe – all types of melons are goldfish approved. Scoop out some flesh, dice into small bits, and let your fish nibble away.
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Berries – Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are packed with antioxidants and safe for fish to eat. Mash them up before adding to the tank.
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Apples – A classic! Dice, core and seed an apple, steam to soften, then let cool before feeding. Even the peel is ok for goldfish to eat.
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Bananas – This potassium-rich fruit is a favorite of many aquatic creatures. Mash up a ripe banana well and your goldies will love the taste and texture.
As with any new food, watch for signs of digestive trouble and discontinue if problems arise. Only feed fruits sparingly, as the natural sugars can be problematic in excess.
A Few Other Human Foods Fish Can Eat
Believe it or not, goldfish can eat small amounts of a few other common human foods too:
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Rice cakes – Plain rice cakes broken into tiny pieces make a crunchy, carb-filled snack.
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Seeds – Unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds provide protein, fiber and healthy fats.
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Popcorn – Plain popped popcorn with no butter or salt is fine in moderation. Break into very small bits first.
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Corn – Fresh or frozen corn kernels are filled with nutrition that goldies thrive on.
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Green beans – Fresh or frozen and thawed green beans make a fiber-rich treat.
Again, introduce new foods slowly and stop feeding if any issues arise. But most goldfish can incorporate small amounts of these without problems.
What NOT to Feed Your Goldfish
While goldfish are open to varied diets, there are also some definite no-no’s when it comes to goldfish food:
✘ Avocado – Contains persin, which is toxic to goldfish
✘ Onions – Can cause red blood cell damage in fish
✘ Citrus fruits – Too acidic for goldfish digestive systems
✘ Processed human treats like chips, pasta, etc – Contain additives, salt and spices that are unhealthy
✘ Raw beans or grains – Must be cooked for digestibility
So be mindful of avoiding these items. When in doubt, look up a new food before feeding to your fishy friend!
Follow Some Best Practices
When expanding your goldfish’s culinary horizons, keep these tips in mind:
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Introduce new foods slowly and one at a time to watch for reactions
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Dice, mash, or shred into bite-size portions for easy eating
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Remove all pits, seeds, skins, cores, etc before feeding
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Steam or boil veggies and fruits to soften before feeding
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Limit fruit treats to 1-2 times per week due to natural sugars
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Focus on healthy whole foods without added salt, oils, spices, etc
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Ensure adequate tank filtration to handle increased waste from new foods
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Discontinue any items that cause digestive upset or clouded water
Enjoy Exploring New Goldfish-Friendly Foods!
With all these healthy human food options, you can give your goldfish lots of yummy variety alongside their main diet. Have fun finding new favorites from this list to keep their meals interesting. Just be sure to introduce slowly and stick to healthy whole foods. Your fish will be thrilled with the tasty adventures in dining!
Goldfish Can Eat Fruits
Your goldfish can safely eat fruits as a healthy treat. Unlike vegetables, some fruits are naturally soft and can be fed raw.
This fruit is one great human food you can feed your goldfish. It does not need to be cooked.
Unlike many other human foods that sink, bananas do not sink, making them a great option. You can also feed your goldfish with banana peels.
But avoid feeding dirty banana feeds. Also, avoid feeding banana peels if you are sure that the fruit was not organically grown.
Bananas are fruits rich in almost all the vitamins your goldfish needs. It has vitamins B6, C, and many other great minerals for your goldfish.
Bananas are also a good source of potassium and manganese, among many other nutrients. You just need to peel them, cut them into little pieces, and serve them raw to your fish.
This food for people isn’t as healthy as some others, so you shouldn’t give it to your goldfish very often.
The first step in preparing the cucumber is to wash it and peel off the skin. You can microwave or boil it for a few minutes to make it soft.
Some people feed cucumber slices raw to their fish after peeling the skin off. They won’t get hurt as long as the slices are small enough for them to chew without getting stuck.
If there is still cucumber at the bottom of the aquarium, try to get rid of it within 24 hours so that it doesn’t pollute the water by breaking down.
Other Alternatives for Goldfish Food
Oatmeal is a nice goldfish snack because it is rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber. It has the perfect blend of almost all the vitamins your goldfish needs. Feed your goldfish oatmeal.
Even though oatmeal can be fed to your fish raw, it is best to either soak it in warm water, cook it in the microwave, or cook it before giving it to your goldfish. This is because your goldfish needs soft food, which is easily digestible.
If you opt to feed your goldfish raw oatmeal, ensure you cut it into small pieces. That will make it harder for your fish to swallow the oatmeal if you don’t do it. It might hurt them, though.
It would be best to avoid oatmeal with flavorings. The recommended quantity of oatmeal for your goldfish is one-quarter-sized oats 2-3 days a week.
There are different kinds of oatmeal, and all of them are processed foods. However, you can feed your goldfish oatmeal.
But you want to feed this human food moderately to keep your goldfish nourished and healthy.
Unlike many other vegetables, sweet potatoes are a root vegetable. But you can feed them to your goldfish. This human food is very high in fiber, which aids digestion in the goldfish.
However, sweet potatoes should be fed to your goldfish minimally because of their high carbohydrate content. Foods high on carbs aren’t good for your goldfish.
The sweet potatoes need to be cut into pieces that are no bigger than a quarter of an inch. If it’s thicker than that, it will take longer to cook.
Next, cook the sweet potatoes until they’re soft enough to pierce with a fork. You can either bake them or boil them.
You then immediately remove them and dip them in cold water to stop the cooking process. Letting the sweet potatoes cook for longer will make them mushy, messing up the fish tank.
STOP Wasting Money On Fish Food! What is THE BEST Food For Your Fish?
What do goldfish eat?
In this article, I am going to show you some good fish food alternatives for your Goldfish. You can feed various vegetables like peas, spinach, kale, etc as well as fruits like grapes, orange, watermelon, apple, banana, etc to your Goldfish. Besides, some people also feed oatmeal and cooked rice to their Goldfish. What do Goldfish eat in the wild?
Can goldfish eat bread?
You should always feed fish food specially made for Goldfish as their main diet. You can feed the fruits and vegetables one to two times a week. If you run out of fish food then your Goldfish can wait. It can live without food for a couple of weeks so there is a lot of time for you to get the fish food.
Can goldfish eat vegetables?
When out of fish food, I can feed goldfish with vegetable matter such as shelled peas and lettuce or cooked and finely chopped kitchen staples like zucchini. It’s important to avoid overfeeding and to provide these foods in moderation. What types of vegetables are safe to feed to goldfish?
Can goldfish eat oranges?
Yes, your goldfish can have this scrumptious citrus fruit. Goldfish need a healthy helping of vitamin C in their diet, so orange is the perfect choice to boost their levels. Make sure to peel all the rind off of the orange and only give them the fleshy parts. 8. Strawberries Strawberries are a fabulous selection when you need fish flakes.