7 Best Foods For Freshwater Angelfish in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks
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Angelfish are a super cool addition to any tank but they do have dietary requirements that need to be met so they remain healthy and happy. There are lots of different food options out their so we have put together our top 7 options along with some important feeding information to help you.
Before we dive into what we think is the best food for Freshwater Angelfish (this is our top pick) let’s first take a look at the different types of food that Angelfish like to eat.
A Quick Comparison of our Favorites of 2024
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Tetra Blood Worms |
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Omega One Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp |
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Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp |
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Omega One Super Color Cichlid Pellets |
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New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula |
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The 7 Best Foods For Freshwater Angelfish
1. Tetra Blood Worms
Something that people really like about these Tetra Blood Worms is that they are freeze dried. Freeze drying foods for fish that were once living is a great way to ensure that they do not have any harmful organisms or bacteria present inside of them. Tetra Blood Worms make for a great snack or meal alternative for any freshwater angelfish. They are healthy to eat and free of unwanted organisms.
They are also loaded with protein and other beneficial nutrients that will fuel your fish and give it the energy it needs for a long day of swimming around. Tetra Blood Worms have lots of protein, minerals, and other nutrients which your freshwater angelfish needs to be healthy and happy. These things taste great, they are easy to digest, and very healthy too.
- Freeze-dried
- Great treat
- Healthy
- High in protein, minerals, and other nutrients
- Highly palatable
- Easy to digest
- Not ideal as primary food source
2. Omega One Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp
These brine shrimp, just like our number one option, are also freeze dried. Like we mentioned before, freeze dried fish food is great because you know that it does not contain any harmful organisms, parasites, or bacteria. The freeze drying process kills off all of those nasty invaders.
What your fish will love about these Omega One Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp is that they taste absolutely wonderful. These brine shrimp are loaded with all of the vitamins, minerals, and proteins your angelfish needs to be happy and healthy.
This stuff even comes loaded with natural pigments to help your fish maintain a very bright and colorful coat. The Omega One Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp are even known to help enhance the appetite of finicky fish. You can feed these brine shrimp to both freshwater and saltwater fish.
- Freeze-dried
- Highly palatable
- High in vitamins, minerals, and protein
- Natural pigments bring out fish’s colors
- May enhance fish’s appetite
- Safe for freshwater and saltwater fish
- Not ideal as primary food source
3. Omega One Super Color Cichlid Pellets
Unlike our first two options, this food is not freeze dried, but is in fact your good old sinking fish pellet. This is a perfectly fine choice to go with for several reasons. They are sinking pellets, so they do well for angelfish and other mid column or bottom feeding fish.
We do like the Omega One Super Color Cichlid Pellets are chalked full of everything healthy your fish needs to survive. They are full of natural salmon pigment to help your angelfish maintain a bright coat. Moreover, these pellets are full of Omega 3 and 6 to help your fish with its immune system.
Also, these things are made out of a variety of seafood for a well-balanced diet. The Omega One Super Color Cichlid Pellets contain all of the nutrients, proteins, and vitamins that your angelfish need.
- Sinking pellets
- Natural salmon pigments bring out fish’s colors
- Rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids
- Boosts immune system
- Well-balanced
- Processed food
4. Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp
Going back to freeze dried foods, these are freeze dried Mysis shrimp. Just like with other freeze dried fish foods, you can rest assured that these shrimp do not contain any harmful bacteria, parasites, or other organisms.
These Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp are perfectly healthy for your angelfish to eat. These guys are prepared in a special way to help preserve their fresh flavor and their nutritional value too. Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp work really well as a snack or meal supplement for pretty much any freshwater and saltwater fish.
Even finicky and picky fish seem to love these things. Mysis shrimp are loaded with natural color enhancers, vitamins, minerals, and proteins too. They contain everything your angelfish needs to be happy and healthy.
- Freeze-dried
- Healthy
- Highly palatable
- Great treat
- High in protein, minerals, and other nutrients
- Not ideal as primary food source
5. New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula
Going back to sinking pellets now, these sinking pellets are perfect for angelfish and other mid column and bottom feeding fish. They slowly sink down to the bottom, thus giving your fish ample time to consume them. You can use these pellets for angelfish and all other types of cichlids too.
New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula will provide your fish with a very well balanced diet of minerals, nutrients, proteins, and color enhancing elements. This is a fairly healthy option to go with, one that can be used to feed your angelfish on a regular basis.
They are made with only the finest of ingredients, so you can rest assured that you are feeding your angelfish high quality food.
- Slow sinking pellets
- Can be fed to all types of cichlids
- Well-balanced
- Made with high-quality ingredients
- Processed food
6. Zoo Med Spirulina Flakes
These are actually the first flakes on our list today, but they definitely still deserve to be here. Zoo Med Spirulina Flakes can be used for all kinds of freshwater and saltwater fish thanks to a special formula. This formula is rich in raw protein, as in very rich, plus these flakes have a whole lot of other vitamins and minerals too.
You can use Zoo Med Spirulina Flakes for the everyday feeding of your angelfish without a problem. The main ingredient present is Spirulina, which contains a long list of vitamins and tons of protein too.
It is a great food for angelfish no doubt. Maintaining a healthy immune system, lots of energy, and a good looking coat are all things which Zoo Med Spirulina Flakes can do for your angelfish.
- Very high in protein, vitamins, and minerals
- Boosts immune system
- Supports energy levels
- May enhance colors
- Flake food
- May cloud water
7. TetraCichlid Cichlid Crisps
These are very slow sinking crisps, or in other words, they are kind of like a halfway point between flakes and pellets. They work well for angelfish and other similar fish. Half of each crisp is green from algae and half is beige with proteins. In other words, the TetraCichlid Cichlid Crisps provide your fish with a very well balanced diet rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins too.
They are easily digested and will provide your fish with lots of nutrition, energy, and a healthy looking coat too. These things also have a very high fat content in case your fish need to bulk up a little bit. Tetra Cichlid Cichlid Crisps will not cloud up the water, which is a big bonus no doubt.
- Slow sinking
- Well-balanced
- High in protein, vitamins, and minerals
- Supports energy levels
- May cause weight gain
- Processed food
What Types Of Food Do Angelfish Eat?
Here are the main food options for Angelfish;
- Frozen Foods: Frozen foods are a pretty good choice to go with. They might not have as many nutrients as live foods, but they do just fine none the less. Frozen foods are convenient because you can keep them in the freezer instead of having hem take up valuable shelf or counter space. Frozen brine shrimp, Mysis shrimp, blood worms, and other such frozen foods are all big hits. Just make sure to add a bit of aquarium water to the frozen food to let it thaw out before feeding it to your fish.
- Live Foods: Live foods are another really good choice to go with. Now, some people have a problem with live food because it might contain parasites, bacteria, or other organisms which are detrimental to the health of your fish. However, if you buy the live food for angelfish from a reputable store, this should not be a problem. Angelfish like to hunt so they will definitely enjoy some live prey like brine shrimp, blood worms, and other such creatures. Live foods are very high in nutrition, which is of course a good thing.
- Flake Foods: Flake foods are a generic option to go with. They are usually the most affordable, but this does not mean that they can’t be nutritious. You should look for flake food that is specifically designed for the type of fish you have. Also make sure that the first ingredient on the list is either fish meal or protein. You don’t want starches or wheat as one of the first ingredients because those are nutrient-less fillers that your fish does not need.
- Freeze Dried: People love feeding fish freeze dried foods because they are sterile. The freeze drying process kills of bacteria and parasites which may harm your fish. They do not have quite as many nutrients as the live counterparts due to the freeze drying process, but there is also no chance of any parasites being present. Freeze dried blood worms and brine shrimp are good options. Make sure to rehydrate the foods before feeding them to your fish. Freeze dried foods will expand in the stomach of your fish, potentially causing health issues. You need to expand the food first by soaking it in some aquarium water.
- Vegetables: Angelfish are omnivores and they need veggies. It is as simple as that, plus there is nothing better than fresh veggies. Simply boil some peas and remove their shells. You can also try giving them some small slices of cucumber or zucchini, or even small amounts of shredded lettuce too.
Why A Variety Of Fish Food Is Important For Angelfish
It is very important to feed angelfish a wide variety of foods. These fish burn through nutrients, calories, and protein pretty quickly. They need lots of different nutrients to stay healthy.
Angelfish Food Diet
Angelfish are omnivores so they need to have a diet that is rich in plant and animal based products.
They need proteins, minerals, vitamins, and much more to stay healthy. You will never be able to meet an angelfish’s dietary needs with just one type of food. If you want your angelfish to be truly happy and healthy, you need to supply it with a mix of foods, such as those described above.
How Much Should You Feed Angelfish?
Angelfish are quite the big eaters, so they do need a fair amount of food. The general consensus is to feed your angelfish as much as they can eat in a 30 second period. If they still seem hungry after the first 30 seconds, you can tack on another 20 or 30 seconds depending on how hungry the fish appear to be.
You should feed them once in the morning and once at night, or some other bi-daily feeding schedule. Just keep it regular and don’t let your angelfish keep eating for minutes on end. (also don’t forget to add some good plants to your tank, here is our top 5).
A Caution On Overfeeding
Just like with any fish, overfeeding is a big no no and something you need to avoid. It is almost always better to be underfeeding slightly vs overfeeding.
Overfeeding can of course make the fish sick in the long term but aside from that it can affect the tank, the more the fish eat then the more waste that will be produced within the tank which means Ammonia will also build up quicker.
So it’s good idea to be strict with your angelfish food and stick to a good feeding schedule which we covered in the previous section to make sure they stay healthy as well as your tank environment.
Commonly Asked Questions: Angelfish Food
What Is The Best Food For Angelfish Growth?
When it comes to feeding angelfish for growth, they do prefer a diet that is fairly high in protein, and yes, they need protein, as well as other minerals and vitamins to grow properly.
Generally speaking, some of the best angelfish food for growth includes blood worms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp, as well as other similar sources of protein.
How Long Can Angelfish Go Without Food?
Ideally, you should feed your angelfish on a daily basis, but technically speaking, an angelfish can survive for around 7 days without food.
That said, some have been known to only last for 4 or 5 days without food, so it is a bit of a gamble. Not feeding them for any prolonged period is definitely not recommended.
Do Angelfish Grow Fast?
As far as fish growth is concerned, angelfish grow at a slow to moderate pace. An adult angelfish will grow to a maximum of 6 inches in length, and it will max out in length at roughly 1.5 years of age, or about 18 months.
This means that your average angelfish grows at about one third of an inch per month.
How To Feed Angelfish Properly?
For one, ensure that the angelfish diet is full of protein, things like mysis shrimp, blood worms, daphnia, and other such freeze dried or live sources of protein.
You should feed your angelfish twice per day, and give them as much food as they can eat in 3 minutes, but no more.
Can Angelfish Eat Bloodworms?
Yes, angelfish can definitely eat bloodworms, and in fact, this is one of the all time favorite foods of the angelfish.
You can try live bloodworms, but beware that live foods come with the risk of containing parasites.
Therefore, the better option to go with is the freeze dried bloodworms, as the freeze drying process kills of bacteria and parasites which may otherwise cause your fish to become ill.
Can Angelfish Eat Goldfish Food?
Technically yes, an angelfish can eat goldfish food. They are both omnivores and enjoy many of the same foods, such as shrimp, worms, and other insects.
However, be careful because angelfish do require more protein in their diets than goldfish. So, while some occasional goldfish flakes will not kill your angelfish, it’s also not exactly ideal.
We have also covered the different types of Angelfish on this post here.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the best food for freshwater angelfish can come in many different forms and types (bloodworms are our top pick). The bottom line is that these guys need a well-balanced diet that comes from various sources. We would recommend getting a few different types of food, such as the ones listed above.
Featured Image Credit: PublicDomainPictures, Pixabay
