Everyone who raises goldfish knows that choosing the right feed is the key to the healthy growth of goldfish. But with so many feeds on the market, how should we choose? Don’t worry, Xiao Yuanyuan is here to teach you the three golden rules for selecting goldfish feed, ensuring that you can easily choose good feed!

1. Know the feed by smell: Good feed will naturally taste like water.

When choosing feed, the first step is to smell it. Good feed should exude a natural fish and shrimp fragrance, so that people will know it is good food as soon as they smell it. And what about those low-quality feeds? Too much flour is often added, and it smells greasy and even salty, just like inferior dishes that rely on MSG to enhance their flavor.

Let’s talk about the problem of mixed water. After good feed enters the water, it can maintain its original shape and will not easily fall apart or dissolve. And once low-quality feed enters the water, oh my god, it becomes a big dye vat, dyeing the entire water body colorfully. So when choosing feed, you must remember to try this "water test"!

Also be wary of feeds with a shiny surface. This kind of feed may be flavored with oil. After being put into the water, an oil film will quickly form on the water surface, which may be detrimental to the health of the goldfish.

How to judge the hydrophilicity of feed? Here's a little trick: put a drop of water on the table and gently push the feed over. If the feed can absorb water quickly, it is a good feed; if the feed and water beads can be clearly distinguished, it may be too oily or the quality of the adhesive is not good.

2. Feel and stability: Good feed is soft and non-bloating

The second step in choosing feed is to feel it. Good feed should feel soft to the touch and should remain stable in volume after being put into water. And what about those low-quality feeds? As soon as it enters the water, it expands quickly like a balloon. Goldfish can easily become overstuffed or even starve to death after eating. Even if you are lucky enough to survive, it may cause indigestion, enteritis and other problems.

In addition to stability, we also need to pay attention to the easy decomposition of the feed. Although good feed remains stable in water, it can quickly turn into paste when we press it lightly with our fingers. This means it breaks down and digests easily like porridge. And what about those low-quality feeds? It's as hard as a rock and you can't even pinch it with your fingernails! This kind of feed is a disaster for the goldfish’s digestive system!

3. Moderate nutritional content: high protein and beneficial additives

The last step, of course, is to look at the nutritional content of the feed! In addition to the germ feed for goldfish at low water temperatures, the staple feed must contain sufficient protein. Only in this way can the goldfish grow a beautiful body shape and powerful head tumors! Generally speaking, feeds with a protein content of more than 40% or even close to 50% are ideal.

Here I would like to remind everyone to pay attention to an issue: the protein content must be true and reliable! Some unscrupulous merchants will use unfair means to deceive consumers in order to reduce costs or improve detection data. Therefore, when choosing feed, we must choose a brand with a good reputation!

What about goldfish that don’t need hair? In fact, excessively high protein content does not make much sense but may increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, in this case, it may be more appropriate to choose a feed with a protein content of no more than 40%!

Raising goldfish is not just as simple as feeding. Choosing the right feed is an investment in the health of your goldfish. Some savvy owners may have noticed that some premium goldfish feeds contain additional “mystery ingredients” such as spirulina, probiotics and allicin. These aren’t just marketing gimmicks, they’re actually great for your goldfish’s health!

Spirulina: the “beauty vegetable” for goldfish

Did you know? Spirulina is to goldfish what we humans eat as a beauty vegetable. Not only is this tiny algae easy to digest, but it’s also rich in nutrients that make your goldfish’s colors more dazzling. If you want your goldfish to be the "focus" of your tank, choosing a feed with added spirulina is definitely a wise choice.

Probiotics: Goldfish’s “Gastrointestinal Guardian”

Probiotics, does this name sound familiar? Yes, it is just like the bifidobacterium in the yogurt we often drink, it plays an indispensable role in the gastrointestinal health of goldfish. Feed with added probiotics can help goldfish digest food better and reduce the occurrence of gastrointestinal problems. For those goldfish prone to indigestion, probiotics are simply their “savior”!

Allicin: The "natural nemesis" of goldfish enteritis

When it comes to allicin, the first thing you may think of is its antibacterial effect. Yes, this natural ingredient performs well in treating goldfish enteritis. If your goldfish unfortunately suffers from enteritis, then allicin-added feed may be able to help. Of course, you can also choose feed containing allicin when feeding, to add an extra layer of protection to the health of your goldfish.

When choosing goldfish feed, in addition to paying attention to the basic nutrients, these "additional" beneficial ingredients are also worthy of your attention. They may make your goldfish healthier and more beautiful!