Why Do Fish Spit Out Their Food?

If you’ve kept fish for any length of time, you’ve probably seen them spit out food. You carefully drop in some perfectly good fish flakes or pellets and your fish grabs them in its mouth only to spit them back out! As a fishkeeper this can be puzzling and concerning. Why are your fish spitting out food instead of eating it?

There are actually several possible reasons why fish spit out their food. The good news is most of the time it’s nothing to worry about. But you do want to pay attention because in some cases it can signal an underlying health issue that needs to be addressed.

Common Reasons Fish Spit Out Food

Here are some of the most common reasons fish spit their food back out:

They’re not hungry

This is probably the simplest explanation. Fish, like people, don’t always eat just because there’s food available. If your fish recently had a large meal, they may not be interested in more food at the moment. As long as the fish is active and healthy otherwise, there’s no need for concern. Just feed a little less next time.

The food is too big

Fish have small mouths, so food that’s too large for them can be problematic. Some fish will try to eat pieces that are too big, then spit them back out. This is especially common with flake foods that don’t always fully soak and soften before the fish bites.

You can solve this by making sure any uneaten food is removed promptly so it doesn’t foul the water. Then crush flakes and pellets to smaller pieces before feeding again.

They want more variety

Just like us, fish can get bored of eating the same foods all the time. If you feed the same flakes or pellets at every meal, your fish may start spitting them out in hopes you’ll get the hint and offer something different!

Mix up their diet with freeze-dried, live, and frozen foods for some more excitement at mealtime. Introduce new foods slowly to avoid upsetting their digestive system.

Something tastes “off”

Fish have good taste and smell senses, so if their food has gone bad or absorbs any unusual flavors from your hands or other tank additions, they may reject it. Discard old food and wash hands before feeding. Also make sure you aren’t adding anything to the tank, like medications or chemicals, which could alter the food’s taste.

Physical mouth or gill problems

Issues like growths, infections, parasites or injuries in a fish’s mouth or gills can make it hard for them to properly eat and swallow food. You may notice them struggle to take food in or see bubbles or food particles come back out shortly after. Examine your fish closely and treat any physical problems found.

Stress or poor water conditions

Any time your fish are stressed, such as from poor water quality, agitation from tankmates or inadequate habitat, their appetites can decrease. They may still try taking some food in their mouths, then spit it out because they don’t feel like fully eating. Improve your tank maintenance and fish care routines to lower stress.

Underlying disease

Spitting out food, especially if a fish isn’t eating at all, could signal illness. Bacterial infections, parasites, fungi and viruses can all cause a lack of appetite and malaise. If a fish is acting lethargic and not eating normally, quarantine and treat it promptly. Catching disease early vastly improves recovery chances.

When to Worry About Spitting Out Food

As you can see, there are many harmless explanations for fish spitting food. Often it just takes a little observation and fine-tuning care to resolve. But there are some cases when you need to act right away:

• Fish aren’t eating at all for more than a day or two
• Fish seem to be struggling to eat, like they want to but can’t
• You see other signs of illness like lethargy, labored breathing, etc.
• Spitting persists after trying different foods and improving habitat
• One fish spits while others devour the food hungrily

If your fish are spitting their food out accompanied by any of these situations, something more serious may be going on. Poor water quality, bullying tankmates, disease, parasites and other problems could be preventing your fish from eating properly.

Be sure to quarantine affected fish and get them treatment right away. Consult an experienced fish veterinarian if the issue persists even after attempting medication and care improvements on your own. A timely diagnosis is crucial!

How to Get Picky Fish to Finally Eat

If your fish simply seem bored of their diet, here are some tips to tempt them to eat:

• Soften hard pellets and flakes before feeding by soaking briefly in tank water
• Crush pellets and flakes to a smaller size your fish can comfortably eat
• Introduce live foods like brine shrimp, daphnia or blackworms
• Try frozen prepared fish foods for more variety
• Switch between brands or lines of prepared dried foods
• Use foods enhanced with attractants like garlic, shrimps or krill
• Drop food in different tank location instead of the same spot
• Turn off tank lights and drop food to mimic natural feeding times
• Feed less often (once daily instead of 2-3 times) so fish get hungry
• Try feeding floats like sticks or discs that sink slowly and trigger prey drive

It may take some persistence to get a picky fish eating well. But switching up their foods, tank conditions and feeding techniques can usually get them interested in mealtime again. Patience and close observation are key!

Watch Your Fish at Feeding Time

Hopefully this gives you a good overview of why fish might spit their food out, and when it’s a concern versus a simple diet change being needed. Knowledge is power!

The best thing you can do is stay observant of your fish’s feeding habits. Make it a point to watch them closely at each meal and note when spitting is happening. Try the tricks above to stimulate their appetite.

By paying attention and adjusting care as needed, you’ll keep your fish happy, healthy and enjoying the delicious foods you offer! Mealtimes will go smoothly, with no more spitting allowed.