Where to Buy the Best Fish Food for Your Aquarium

Having an aquarium can be an incredibly rewarding hobby. There’s something so calming about sitting back and watching your fish swim around their little underwater world. But there’s more to keeping fish than just having a tank – you need to make sure you’re providing your fish with everything they need to stay healthy and thrive. And that starts with having high-quality fish food.

When it comes to fish food, you have a lot of options. Walking into any pet store you’ll find aisles jam-packed with various fish food brands all claiming they offer the best nutrition for your fish. Between flakes, pellets granules, freeze-dried options, and more, it can be downright overwhelming trying to decide which foods to choose. You want to make sure you’re selecting foods that are not only nutritious but also tailored for your particular types of fish.

To help simplify your fish food shopping, I’ve put together this guide on where to find the best fish food for your freshwater aquarium. I’ll go over what to look for when selecting fish food as well as recommend some of my favorite fish food brands and places to buy them, both online and in stores.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Fish Food

When evaluating fish food here are the key factors you need to keep in mind

Ingredients

You’ll want to select foods with high-quality ingredients and nutrition. Avoid foods with lots of fillers like wheat, soy, and corn. Instead, look for foods featuring ingredients like whole fish, shrimp, spirulina, krill, and algae, which provide protein, omega fatty acids, and other beneficial nutrients.

Formula

Choose foods designed specifically for the types of fish you own. Foods formulated for tetras and barbs, for example, will differ from foods made for African cichlids. Betta foods, goldfish foods, shrimp foods – there are formulas tailored for just about every freshwater fish.

Flake vs Pellet vs Granule

Flakes, pellets, and granules each have their advantages. Flakes are typically more affordable but aren’t as dense in nutrients. Pellets often have higher nutrition but can foul water if uneaten. Granules are small for nano fish but tend to be pricier. Figure out which texture works best for your fish.

Sinking vs Floating

Sinking foods are ideal for bottom dwellers like catfish and loaches, while floating foods work well for mid-to-top dwelling fish. Most omnivorous community fish do well with a mix of sinking and floating foods.

Recommended Fish Food Brands

Based on ingredients, nutritional value, affordability, and general customer reviews, here are my top recommended fish food brands:

Xtreme Aquatic Foods

Xtreme is one of my go-to brands for high-quality frozen and freeze-dried fish foods. Their formulas are loaded with nutrition thanks to ingredients like whole antarctic krill, earthworms, and spirulina. And they offer sinking and floating foods for all types of fish including bettas, goldfish, cichlids, nano fish, shrimp, and more. Their freeze-dried options, in particular, are a great treat for your fish.

Hikari

Hikari is an excellent choice for staple flake and pellet foods. They use premium ingredients and offer formulas specifically tailored for different fish types. Their micro pellets are also a great option for small fish. Hikari foods help enhance coloration and support overall health.

Omega One

Omega One incorporates omega fatty acids into their formulas to boost immune function and enhance color. They use color-enhancing spirulina and astaxanthin along with high-quality whole fish, shrimp, and more. Their betta and cichlid pellets are very popular.

Fluval

Fluval is another reputable brand among fishkeepers. They offer uniquely shaped pellets easy for fish to eat along with several formulas to meet different fish needs. Their bug bites line has excellent reviews for its high protein content and easy digestibility.

New Life Spectrum

Known for their color-enhancing formulas, New Life Spectrum incorporates ingredients like spirulina, seaweed, kelp, and garlic. They use high-quality whole fish and have formulas specifically for discus, angelfish, cichlids, goldfish, and bettas. Their Thera A pellets support immune health.

Northfin

Northfin takes a unique approach by making their foods with whole, fresh ingredients versus dried meal. This helps maximize nutritional value. They use premium fish, veggies, and nutritious probiotics and guarantee no hormones, artificial preservatives, or GMOs. Their community and betta formulas are excellent.

Best Places to Buy Fish Food

Online Stores

Ordering fish food online gives you the widest selection and makes it easy to price compare. Some good online sources include:

• Amazon: Convenient and affordable. Huge selection of just about every fish food brand. Easy to price compare. Provides user reviews.

• Chewy: Big selection of top brands usually at very competitive pricing. Fast free shipping on orders $49+. Helpful customer service.

• Petco: Large fish food selection. Frequent sales/promotions. Free shipping on $35+ orders.

• Pet Supplies Plus: Good variety of reputable brands. Often better prices than big chain competitors. Free shipping over $49.

Local Fish Stores

Visiting a local fish specialty store is a great way to see foods in person before you buy. Experienced staff can also provide recommendations. Check online directories for independently owned fish stores in your area. Some things to look for:

• Wide range of fish food brands/formulas

• Competitive pricing

• Knowledgeable staff

• Healthy livestock

• Good reviews

Big Box Pet Stores

Large national chains like Petco, PetSmart, and Pet Supplies Plus all carry a solid variety of fish foods and are very convenient. But I typically find better prices and selection buying fish food online or at local fish stores when possible. Still, big box stores are handy in a pinch when you need food quickly.

Best Fish Food for Common Aquarium Fish

Here are some of my top fish food picks for a few popular aquarium fish types:

• Bettas: Fluval Bug Bites, Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets, Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze Dried Bloodworms

• Tetras: Omega One Color Micro Pellets, New Life Spectrum Small Fish Formula, Hikari Tropical Micro Pellets

• Goldfish: New Life Spectrum Goldfish Formula, Omega One Veggie Rounds, Fluval Veggie Flakes

• Guppies: Omega One Marine Flakes, Hikari Tropical Fancy Guppy Baby Food, Fluval Bug Bites

• Cichlids: New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula, Omega One Cichlid Pellets, Hikari Cichlid Excel

• Plecos: Omega One Veggie Rounds, Hikari Algae Wafers, Fluval Bug Bites

• Discus: New Life Spectrum Thera A, Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Bloodworms, Omega One Whole Frozen Mysis Shrimp

• Angelfish: New Life Spectrum Angel Formula, Omega One Shrimp Pellets, Hikari Bio-Pure Bloodworms

Feed a Varied Fish Diet

Instead of feeding just one type of food day after day, mix up your fish’s diet across a range of appropriate foods. Alternate between flakes, pellets, frozen foods, etc. A varied diet will provide well-balanced nutrition. Just be sure to follow package feeding guidelines to avoid overfeeding.

Stick with Reputable Brands

With so many fish food options out there, it can be tempting to go for cheaper off-brands you see online or at discount stores. But those bargain foods often use lots of low-quality fillers and lack proper nutrition. Spending a little more for foods from reputable brands that use high-quality ingredients is worth it for your fish’s health. Don’t take risks with dodgy discount foods.

Check Expiration Dates

Whenever buying any fish food, always check the expiration date on the packaging. Fish food expires just like human food, and old, stale food will lack proper nutritional value. Ideally, look for foods with at least a 6 to 12-month shelf life from the time you purchase them. Don’t buy fish foods that are already close to expiring.

Follow Proper Storage

Once you get your fish food home, make sure you store it correctly to maintain freshness. Keep foods in a cool, dry place away from direct light. Refrigerating flake foods can help prolong shelf life. For frozen foods, store in your freezer according to package guidelines and limit the time they thaw before feeding. Proper storage prevents foods from spoiling prematurely.

Monitor How Much Your Fish Eat

Pay attention to how much food your fish consume, and adjust amounts accordingly. Only feed them what they can completely