Tropical And Coldwater Fish Flakes

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Is there actually any difference between tropical and coldwater fish flakes?

I feed my goldfish the coldwater flakes obviously (they do get other things too but that isn’t the question here); I did buy a small tub of tropical flakes and betta flakes (before I had my betta – total newbie listened to the shop); anyway they’ve barely been touched; will they be ok to feed to my goldfish?

Do they have different things in them?

 

[drobbyb]

The main difference between tropical flakes and goldfish flakes is that goldfish flakes are tailored to the nutritional needs of goldfish. Goldfish need a higher concentration of plant matter than most tropical fish. Tropical fish flakes contain more meaty ingredients. So this means that tropical fish flakes are not an ideal diet for your goldfish.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Brilliant; thanks. I always wondered if there was some difference lol.

 

[Assaye]

Coldwater flakes have more plant matter and less protein.

I would always feed a sinking pellet to goldfish

 

[KAISER]

So would coldwater flakes be better suited to platies?

 

[Assaye]

So would coldwater flakes be better suited to platies?

Platies are not coldwater =/

All species would do best on a varied, species appropriate diet. I would think a good quality tropical flake would be a suitable staple food for platies, but as with most fish they should have some fresh greens (like cooked, deshelled peas) and live/frozen food every so often.

 

[KAISER]

Platies are not coldwater =/

All species would do best on a varied, species appropriate diet. I would think a good quality tropical flake would be a suitable staple food for platies, but as with most fish they should have some fresh greens (like cooked, deshelled peas) and live/frozen food every so often.

Cool, its just that I read somewhere platies should be fed flakes which were veg based, rather than flakes which are meat based. Hence why I thought I would ask if coldwater flakes might be better suited for them. I feed them deshelled peas anyway as part of their diet, so it probably doesnt matter

 

[OldMan47]

Different fish foods should have a different balance between plant and animal protein. If they are formulated for a generic tropical fish, there is no telling what the composition may be. Tropicals include many carnivorous fish and plenty of omnivorous fish that are largely vegetarian. A flake advertised as "tropical" has no business on the shelf. The question to ask about that flake is whether it would be suitable for tetras or mollies. If it is good molly food, goldfish will probably thrive on it. If it is good tetra food, the goldfish will not be getting enough plant protein in their diet.
Take a look at the ingredients of your foods. Goldfish need a diet that is heavy in plant matter and do not need much fish meal or other animal source ingredients in their diet.