Pippa’s Preferred Fish Food: A Fish Enthusiast Shares Her Top Picks

For any fishkeeper, choosing the right food is crucial for keeping aquarium inhabitants healthy and thriving. Pippa, an experienced tropical fish hobbyist, has tested a variety of fish foods over the years. Through trial and error with her own tanks, she’s found the best options to suit the needs of her finned friends. In this article, we’ll go over Pippa’s favorite foods and why she chooses them for optimal nutrition, variety, and ease of use.

Getting to Know Fishkeeper Pippa

Pippa developed a passion for tropical fish and aquariums from a young age. She’s kept a range of community fish like tetras, barbs, danios, guppies, corydoras, and plecos. Her tanks are densely planted, with natural wood and rock elements to replicate the fish’s wild habitats.

Over the past decade of fishkeeping, she has experimented with most major types of fish food. She now has strong preferences based on her observations of fish health, water quality, convenience, and cost. The key for Pippa is balance – providing foods that check the boxes for complete nutrition, ease of use for the keeper, and enticement for the fish.

Pippa’s Go-To: Quality Flake Foods

For maintaining day-to-day nutrition and variety for her community tanks, Pippa relies on a rotation of several high-end flake foods. She prefers quality flake mixes packed with multiple protein sources from seafood, elevated vitamins, antitoxidants, amino acids, and spirulina or other algaes Her current favorite brand is Hikari

Compared to cheaper generic flakes, these higher-grade foods provide well-rounded nutrition in a convenient, affordable form. The small size of flakes allows a wide range of fish to easily consume them before they disintegrate Pippa watches her fish eagerly dart to the surface at feeding time She credits quality flakes for their vibrant coloration and vigorous activity.

Why Pippa Uses Supplemental Pellets

While flakes form the nutritional foundation, Pippa adds sinking pellets to target bottom-dwelling fish. She noticed her cory cats and plecos were not getting their fair share at feeding time. They couldn’t make it to the flakes before the faster mid-water fish gobbled them up.

That’s when Pippa introduced nutrient-dense slow-sinking pellets, She drops them in a focused area so the bottom fish get a chance to eat their fill, The compacted pellets also aid digestion for her plecos She recommends seeking out pellets enhanced with algae or green foods preferred by these species

The Benefits of Frozen and Live Foods

In addition to dry staples, Pippa believes variety is important. She provides frozen and live foods as supplemental feedings several times per week. She has observed frozen foods like mysis shrimp, bloodworms, and brine shrimp stimulate foraging behaviors and natural feeding. The wriggling motions of live foods also seem to trigger predatory instincts.

These foods provide enrichment, in addition to beneficial proteins, fatty acids, enzymes, and micronutrients. Her fish get very excited when they see the feeding tongs come out with these tasty, natural treats! She thinks they aid health and mimic conditions in the wild.

What to Avoid According to Pippa

With so many options on the market, Pippa cautions against some common pitfalls. Cheap flake brands tend to use fillers and plant proteins instead of prime seafood ingredients. She also warns against freeze-dried foods, which can cause bloating when fish gulp down the rehydrated bits quickly.

Feeders from pet stores also carry risks of introducing pathogens or parasites. Pippa only feeds live foods she cultures herself, like daphnia, to avoid potential issues. Overall, she recommends reputable foods made for tropical fish to get the right nutrition and formulation.

Pippa’s Feeding Tips and Schedule

Here is Pippa’s typical feeding schedule that provides balance and variety:

• Morning – Few pinches of high-quality flake mix, focused on slower bottom feeders first before mid and top fish
• Midday – Occasional small feeding of flakes or floating pellets
• Evening – Larger feeding with alternating flakes, pellets, frozen or live foods
• Remove any uneaten food after an hour
• One fast day per week to allow fish to digest

This schedule gives fish several daily feedings with diversity. By observing her tanks, Pippa can fine-tune amounts and make sure no food is left over overnight. Her fish eagerly await each mealtime!

The Takeaway on Pippa’s Favorite Foods

Pippa has seen first-hand over years of fishkeeping how diet impacts fish health and vibrance. She finds combining several types of foods, focusing on quality over cost, and offering variety provides the best results. Her fish thrive on her rotational diet of premium flakes, targeted pellets, and supplemental frozen or live foods. Their bright colors, activity, and longevity speak to the care she puts into their diet. What they eat matters!

So the next time you are in the fish store staring at the overwhelming options, think of Pippa’s proven choices. Model her combination of staple flakes, specialty pellets, and live foods. Vary diet based on species needs, such as bottom dwellers vs. mid and top fish. And of course, adjust amounts based on your tank inhabitants. But following Pippa’s lead can help ensure your fish’s menu is both nutritious and delicious!