10 Best Foods for Rasboras: 2024 Reviews & Top Picks
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The colorful, tropical rasbora is popular for its small size and ease of care. A rasbora can remain healthy and happy for a long time if they are fed the right types of foods. Flake foods are generally too big for smaller fish like rasboras; however, some fish keepers will crush the flakes before feeding. But what about pellet, granule, and live food?
To answer the question, we have reviewed some of the best foods for rasboras on the market. These brands will ensure that your rasbora remains in good health while getting all its nutritional requirements.
A Comparison of Our Favorite Picks in 2024
Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall | Omega One Super Color Pellets |
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Best Value | New Life Spectrum Thera A Regular |
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Premium Choice | TetraMin Tropical Granules |
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Fluval Bug Bites Tropical Fish Food |
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Hikari Fish Food Micro Pellet |
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The 10 Best Foods for Rasboras
1. Omega One Super Color Pellets – Best Overall
Protein: | 42% |
Fiber: | 2% |
Fat: | 11% |
The Omega One pellets are the best overall and formulated with the highest quality ingredients to enhance the color of tropical fish. This food is easy to digest and appealing to rasboras. The main color-enhancing ingredient is beta carotene from salmon skin that is rich in omega-3 and -6.
This food also helps to strengthen tropical fish’s immune systems to keep them healthy and tolerant of minor diseases. The Omega One pellets are insoluble to prevent water contamination, and the lower levels of starch in this pellet food reduce fish waste. Very few fillers are used in this food such as meals, hydrolysates, or processed protein.
- No unnecessary fillers
- Color-enhancing
- Reduces water pollution
- Pricey
2. New Life Spectrum Thera A Regular – Best Value
Protein: | 39% |
Fiber: | 9% |
Fat: | 8% |
New Life Spectrum sinking pellets have many benefits for rasboras and other tropical fish. All the ingredients have been formulated using natural preservatives which make them significantly healthier than other pellet brands. Extra garlic is incorporated into the pellet to entice fish to eat and help fish resist disease better. This food is best for the value of money as the container is large and sold for a decent price.
This means that the food will not finish quickly and will last a long time so you do not have to continuously buy fish food. The fat content is on the higher end, but it should not pose much of a problem. The protein percentage is decent and helps promote proper growth in fish.
- Best value for money
- No artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors
- A large volume of food for money
- Pellet size is for adult rasboras
3. TetraMin Tropical Granules – Premium Choice
Protein: | 46% |
Fiber: | 2% |
Fat: | 7% |
TetraMin tropical granules are the premium choice due to the high-quality ingredients that fill in the necessary nutritional requirements for rasboras. It is more affordable than other brands although the container is on the smaller side. It is a granule food that makes it easy for every age and size of rasbora to eat.
The granules are slow-sinking so it is easy for rasboras to find them. The formula has been improved to ensure that it does not foul the water which reduces clouding and fouling of the water better than pellet foods. It makes a good complete commercial diet for rasboras and is a more affordable option.
- High-quality ingredients
- The formula reduces water issues
- Slow-sinking granule
- Small container
- Should be fed more often
4. Fluval Bug Bites Tropical Fish Food
Protein: | 40% |
Fiber: | 5% |
Fat: | 5% |
This tropical fish food contains black soldier fly larvae as the first ingredient, which is an ideal food for rasboras that eat larvae as a natural food source in the wild. These slow-sinking granules have many proteins like salmon, which contribute to healthy fins, scales, and skin. It also contains fortified vitamins and amino acids that are important for the health of rasboras.
The pellets sink slowly so they are recommended for rasboras who feed at the surface for mid-level of the aquarium. Fluval Bug Bites has been processed in small quantities at a time to ensure that each batch matches the manufactures quality standards.
- Sustainably processed in small batches
- Quality ingredients
- No artificial filter, colors, or preservatives
- Pricey
- Can foul water quality
5. Hikari Fish Food Micro Pellet
Protein: | 43% |
Fiber: | 7% |
Fat: | 7% |
The superior nutrition of Hikari micro pellet food is high and features many ingredients that have been selected for the health benefits they have to offer. Different marine and vegetable proteins encourage growth in small tropical fish while helping them stay energized. The pellets have a unique micro-coating that inhibits the nutrients of the pellet from leaking out into the water.
This also ensures that the pellets do not foul the water. They slowly sink and contain krill and spirulina which are color enhancing and help increase the vividness of fish colors. The pellets are also precisely colored to ensure that it is easy for fish to find, which minimizes waste.
- Unique micro-coating
- High in color-enhancing proteins
- Precisely colored
- Small bag
- Pricey for value
6. Tetra Tropical XL Color Granules
Guaranteed Analysis:
Protein: | 5% |
Fiber: | 2% |
Fat: | 5% |
This color-enhancing granule food from Tetra seems to be the best option for color-enhancing tropical fish. The granules are slow-sinking and have been formulated as a staple food for tropical fish. It is safe to be fed multiple times a day and promotes optimal coloration and vitality for rasboras.
The ProCare formula helps to boost and support tropical fish’s immune systems. Tetra tropical color granules have a noticeably high amount of protein, which can be used to enhance a rasboras color and speed up the growth process of young rasboras. The fiber is significantly low and when combined with a high amount of protein it can cause constipation in fish that do not get fed plant-based food as well.
- High color-enhancing ability
- Clear-water formula
- Extreme color enhancer
- May cause constipation
- Contains a lot of filler
7. Aqueon Tropical Granules Fish Food
Protein: | 41% |
Fiber: | 3% |
Fat: | 7% |
Aqueon Tropical Granules is a highly digestible fish food that does not cloud aquarium water. The granules are sufficient in providing balanced and fortified ingredients for the health of small tropical fish. It does cloud the water if it has not been eaten by the fish within a few minutes, although this should be unlikely if you feed your fish an appropriate portion of food.
According to the ingredients list, it contains several fillers like fish meal and soybean meal which have little nutritional value. It also has copper sulfate inside which can be harmful to invertebrates that may find this food in the aquarium. However, it is a decent tropical fish food that is safe for rasboras and has plenty of nutritional benefits.
- Highly-digestible pellet
- Balanced ingredients
- Contains fillers
- May cloud water
8. A.D.P No.2 Powder Type Tropical Fish Food
Protein: | 60% |
Fiber: | 1% |
Fat: | 10% |
This tropical fish food has the highest amount of protein out of all the reviewed foods. This makes it a good choice for breeders who want to feed their rasboras a higher protein-rich diet to encourage spawning or to raise fry and young rasboras that you want to grow out quickly. This is a micro pellet that does not cloud the water with leftover food sediment. It contains 60% protein with added vitamins and minerals to keep your rasboras healthy.
This formulation helps fish larvae and fry have a higher chance of survival as it is a complete diet for them and aids in healthy growth and development. Since it is better suited for breeding adults, larvae, and fry, it should not be used as a staple diet since the high protein content and low fiber can cause issues over time.
- 60% Protein
- Does not cloud water
- Aids in growth and development
- Not a good staple food
- Better suited for fry
9. API Tropical Mini Pellet
Protein: | 37% |
Fiber: | 5% |
Fat: | 8% |
The API Mini Pellet is perfect as a daily commercial food for rasboras. It sinks quickly but rasboras can chase the pellet till they catch it to eat. This would also mean that you should not overfeed the pellet as the leftover sinking pellets can get lost at the bottom of the tank and start to foul the water.
API contains high-quality proteins like shrimp and squid which are good for fish growth. It also helps fish absorb nutrients readily which results in less waste. The seafood flavor is enticing for rasboras, and garlic has been added to make it more appealing to fish.
- Safe as a daily food
- Appealing flavor
- Sinks fast
- May cloud water
10. King Fish Tropical Fish Food
Protein: | 45% |
Fiber: | 3% |
Fat: | 5% |
The King Fish Tropical food has been formulated to be a 45% protein-rich granular food with high amounts of spirulina for growth and color enhancement. It is suited for all ages and sizes of rasboras and can be fed as a long-term diet. It should be noted that the food is on the lower end and some of the ingredients are questionable.
It also seems to have quite a few fillers which are not useful for fish. However, it can make decent food for rasboras. It is a color enhancer and the ingredients do not cloud the water. The color-enhancing ingredients have been known to increase the vividness of a rasboras color while keeping them healthy and increasing their lifespan. This food may have its drawbacks, but it shouldn’t be overlooked.
- Protein-rich
- Color enhancing
- Mainly fillers
- Low-quality ingredients
Buyer’s Guide: How to Purchase the Best Rasboras Food
What Makes An Ideal Food for Rasboras?
Rasboras should have a diet that consists of plant and protein-based materials. They are omnivores and naturally eat these foods in the wild. In captivity, you should be aiming to provide them with a diet that closely replicates the food they would eat in the wild, but in a more concentrated form like a pellet. If possible, you should avoid feeding rasboras and other types of fish flake foods. It starts to dissolve as soon as it gets wet.
This not only lowers the number of nutrients your rasbora will receive, but it can cause water issues like clouding or ammonia spikes. Flake foods are also typically colored with harmful dyes that are not useful to fish. You should aim to feed your rasbora a small pellet or granular food. These seem to be of higher quality and do not leach nutrients into the water right away. The food should have over 30% protein, 2% fiber, and 4% fat to be nutritionally balanced for rasboras.
Factors to Consider Before Buying Rasbora Fish Foods
- Age: Fry and adult rasboras will have different nutritional requirements. Young fish should have higher amounts of protein in their diet and can tolerate a much smaller fat and fiber percentage than adults. If you are planning to breed your rasboras or raise fry, you should opt for a food that has between 45% to 65% protein.
- Size: Adult rasboras can eat larger pellets that smaller fish may struggle to eat. Granules seem to be the better option for young rasboras, and they can easily fit into their mouth.
- Amount: Tropical fish should be fed around 2 to 3 times a day and only as much as they can consume in 2 minutes. If you have large shoals of rasboras, they will require more food. You should look for a brand that has larger containers of food available so that you do not have to buy food regularly.
- Aquarium size: If you have a smaller aquarium, you should avoid foods that foul the water. This can quickly make the water toxic to the fish after and few feedings. Make sure the label claims that the specific food does not cloud the water.
- Other tank mates: Some foods that have copper can be very harmful to shrimp and sensitive snails. Although copper sulfate is usually last on the list and found in small amounts, if your invertebrates eat the leftovers regularly, they can poison themselves. If you have a betta with your rasbora, you must ensure they do not eat too many tropical fish flakes since plant matter is difficult for them to digest.
Best Foods in This Category
The best food for your rasbora depends on the size, age, and health. There is no one specific food that is ideal for every rasbora, so it is important to take a look at what the different brands have to offer.
- A.D.P No.2 Tropical powder pellets – Fry and Spawning Fish
- Omega One and Tetra XL Tropical Granules – Color Enhancing Abilities
- Fluval Bug Bites Tropical Fish Food – Good Staple Food
- Hikari Micro Pellet – For Small Shoals of Rasbora
- New Life Spectrum Thera A Pellets – For Larger Shoals of Rasbora
What Ingredients Should You Avoid?
It is recommended to avoid foods that contain too many fillers and additives. They do not offer valuable nutrition to fish and are used to increase the volume but lower the quality of the food. Try to avoid copper sulfate if you have invertebrates with your rasboras.
The main ingredients should be of high quality, and not wheat flour or wheat germ. Spirulina, shrimp, squid, algae, and garlic are good ingredients in fish food. Remember that the ingredients at the top of the list are the most concentrated in the food, and the last items on the list only occur in small quantities.
Conclusion
Out of all the foods for rasboras that we have reviewed, the best overall choice of Omega One seems to be the best option. It is also good to try if you are still learning about rasboras’ nutritional requirements. As you go along your aquarium journey, you can start adding more complicated foods into your diet to achieve a balance between the nutrients and guaranteed analysis of the foods. Our second favorite is the Fluval Bug Bites Tropical Fish Food because it has a decent nutritional status for rasboras.
We hope this article has helped you find the right diet for your rasbora!
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