Catfish are so used to consuming a well-rounded diet in their natural habitat and as a responsible owner, it is important to feed them the same diet if you decide to keep them in an artificial environment. The good news is that unless you are raising the types of catfish such as Shovelnose Tigerfish or Redtail Catfish, the cost of feeding these types of fish does not necessarily have to be super expensive.
Such fish species prefer to be fed distinct sorts of foods that consist of pellets, algae, live foods as well as dried foods. And, several different manufacturers formulate the best catfish foods and sometimes this could make the decision process slightly intricate to deal with.
If you wish to learn more about the most reputable brands that have been producing top-quality catfish food products for many years now, then this article can be of great help to you. By making a comparison of the ten product reviews tackled here, you can uncover the slight distinction in terms of their contents. This way, it would be a lot easier for you to choose which one is going to be more beneficial to your catfish.
This post aims to help catfish keepers to choose the right foods that their pet fish need to thrive inside the tank. So, keep reading…
Best Overall
Tetra Shrimp Wafers Fish Food
| ✅ These foods float well |
| ✅ Contains huge amounts of shrimp proteins |
| ✅ Clear water formulation |
Premium Choice
Hikari Tropical Sinking Wafers
| ✅ Most fish gets excited with these sinking wafers |
| ✅ Helps aquatic pets stay more active |
| ✅ Comes with a very fresh smell |
Editor’s Choice
Sera Catfish Chips Nature Fish Food
| ✅ Promotes proper fish development |
| ✅ Formulated with alder cones & willow bark |
| ✅ Help catfish more robust and healthier |
Table of Contents
Top-Rated Food for Catfish Reviews of 2023
1. Tetra Shrimp Wafers Fish Food
Can’t you still answer the question, “what do catfish eat?” Then, you’ve got to start checking our premium brands that produce high-quality fish food products for your fish tank residents. This option is highly recommended for feeding loaches as well as catfish as it is loaded with shrimp protein content.
These sinking shrimp wafers are adept at promoting gorgeous fish color and sustaining vital health for omnivorous bottom feeders. Aside from this, they could serve as a supplement for other fish species that prefer shrimp proteins as part of their diet. It is vital to feed your finned friends with these foods every few days and the food amount must be something that they could finish within a few hours.
On the other hand, these shrimp wafers cannot successfully lure all fish species to consume them in minutes; in particular, corys tend to ignore these foods. Indeed, you need to expect to deal with tank cleaning after feeding because these wafers can make the tank water filthy quickly.
- An ideal choice for bottom feeders because these foods float well
- Contains huge amounts of shrimp proteins
- Designed as nutritionally balanced that promote good fish health
- Can be a great supplement of other shrimp-protein loving aquatic creatures
- Specifically manufactured with clear water formulation
- Some corydoras ignore these shrimp wafers
- Makes tank water cloud up instantly
2. Hikari Tropical Sinking Wafers
If you are having problems thinking about what to feed catfish in an aquarium, then you can end your agony here and start feeding your fish tank residents with these sinking wafers. This product is chosen by many fish enthusiasts because it was formulated after comprehensive research. That said, you can have the peace of mind that your fish receives proper nutrition every feeding session.
In the same way, these sinking wafers come in small sizes but they get bigger once you saturate them with water. You won’t go wrong picking this brand because they are renowned for producing great fish food products that can provide the required nutrients for your fish tank occupants.
Even so, a few factors that would probably make you think twice whether this option is really a good buy or not are its tendency to cause an unsightly mess inside the tank if unconsumed and it comes in the small package yet the price tag is a little pricey. Contemplate these downsides first before you add this product to your shopping cart.
- Helps aquatic pets stay more active and healthier
- Formulated by highly considering your fish’s nutritional requirements and eating habits
- Most fish gets excited with these sinking wafers
- Comes with a very fresh smell that lures aquarium inhabitants
- Highly recommended for snails, mollies, and corydoras
- A little costly considering it comes in a small package
- Can be filthy if uneaten
3. Sera Catfish Chips Nature Fish Food
Are you searching for high-quality catfish food for sale? These foods can be your perfect companion if you wish to offer your pet fish a well-balanced diet. This product is safe to use because it is free of any harmful contents that could endanger the overall well-being of aquatic creatures. These are famous for being crisps for rasping plecos and Ancistrus.
Whether you need to feed young or adult plecos, these foods would perfectly suit their taste and eating behavior. Once you feed them with these, you will be stunned to see them finish the food right away so you can enjoy less waste in your tank water. Hence, you can ensure that nutrition does not go to waste.
However, it is crucial to use these foods as directed; otherwise, this could transform the tank water yellowish. And, it is surprising to see that the list of ingredients is a bit distinct from what was stated in the product advertisement. Be sure to check out these downsides first before you press the payment button.
- Manufactured without any preservatives or dyes
- Remain in good shape for a long period
- Aims to help catfish become more robust and healthier
- Promotes proper fish development and healthy digestion
- Formulated with alder cones and willow bark
- Makes tank water yellowish if used excessively
- Ingredients list on the actual product was a little different than in the advertisement
4. Aqueon Bottom Feeder Tablets Fish Food
This aquarium catfish food can serve as an excellent nutritional supplement for bottom-feeding fish that dwell in your aquarium. It is packaged conveniently and comes with a re-sealable pouch so the foods remain fresh all the time. Please note that you need to feed your fish tank settlers with these tablets just the amount that they could finish in roughly 1 by up to 2 hours.
Just like when feeding other fish species, make sure to avoid overfeeding because this could put the health of your aquarium inhabitants at risk and it could also badly affect the tank water conditions. See to it to use of these tablets as directed to ward off potential problems.
Regardless, these tablets look like the types of foods that not all loaches would love to devour since they always ignore these foods every feeding time. Moreover, the tablets do not come in uniform shapes and sizes so this could affect whether or not they float atop or sink in the water.
- Packaged in a high-quality re-sealable pouch
- Can provide complete nutrition for all bottom feeders
- Manufactured so that aquatic pets can consume more of what they devour
- Produce less fish waste so cleaner and clearer tank water is guaranteed
- Works effectively in intensifying the vibrant and natural colors of your fish
- Tablets do not come in uniform shapes and sizes
- Not deemed as the most favorite food of some loaches
5. Hikari Tropical Sinking Fish Food
These best catfish foods are a great mix of all the most preferred content. It offers the type of unique diet that catfish would love because it seems to provide them with the taste of foods that they could eat in the wild. The pellets are formulated to be flavorful so they can entice the most carnivorous fish to eat them with gusto.
Not to mention, this product can be your choice if you opt for fish food that is designed to be made with the proper combination of highly nutritious contents such as essential minerals and vitamins that aim to provide protein levels consistent with live foods.
Withal, these sinking carnivore pellets are slightly pricey and may increase the costs in the long term. In line with this, they tend to break apart immediately while lying on the underneath section of the tank. These are a few of the disadvantages that can be encountered if you feed your catfish with these foods.
- Formulated with highly nutritious contents
- Contains stabilized vitamin C that helps minimize fish stress and boost stronger immune system functions
- Won’t make the tank water quite messy if used as directed
- Most carnivores are so fond of this distinctive fish diet
- Designed with Biotechnology feature to enable the proper consumption of carotenoids
- A little expensive and could increase the costs in the long term
- Tends to break apart quite fast while lying on the bottom of the aquarium
6. Aqueon Shrimp Pellets Fish Food
Premium quality cory catfish food products are generally produced by reputable brands. It is indispensable to check the ingredients first to ensure that you are not feeding your fish tank settlers with toxic foods. If you do not wish to waste your energy, money, and time buying the right food for your catfish, then you can give this option a try.
These pellets were formulated with top-quality contents and distinctive formulations that help keep aquatic creatures active, livelier, and in top health condition. They contain all-natural ingredients and are free of artificial colors. If you wish to unleash the impressive color of your finned pets, you can start feeding them with these foods.
For all that, these pellets are prone to not always sinking right away and it takes a while for them to get waterlogged. Besides, they are designed in irregular sizes which means that some are approximately 2 to 3 times longer as compared to the smaller ones.
- Contains easy to digest and flavorful pellets
- Works as a highly nutritious treat for marine fish, goldfish and other tropical fish
- Guarantees fair amount of nutrition for daily fish feeding
- An ideal choice for catfish, loaches and other bottom feeders
- Most fish find these pellets delectable
- Some pellets do not sink at all and would remain afloat
- Pellets come in inconsistent size
7. Ken’s Premium Sinking Pellets
Just like when in the hunt for high-quality channel catfish food, the first thing that fish keepers need to examine closely is none other than the ingredients of the fish food products that they are eyeing to invest in. Luckily, this product will not disappoint you because it contains safe and all-natural ingredients that would incessantly offer lots of health perks to your fish tank dwellers.
These pellets are packaged in a poly-nylon bag that works exceptionally in maintaining the freshness of the product. The bag is quite easy and convenient to use and also comes with a zipper seal on top. In like manner, the size of the product is good enough to last a while. Such an option is ideal for anyone who goes for fast-sinking and high-quality food that highly considers the nutrition requirements of diverse bottom feeders.
All the same, you need to know that these sinking pellets tend to bring about algae buildup inside the fish tank if used excessively. Aside from this, their size seems too big for some fish and it is saddening to observe that some corals don’t even want to touch these foods.
- A practical pick for marine and freshwater fish
- Regarded as one of the most preferred options for expert breeders
- Proudly manufactured in the USA
- Ancistrus and plecos are so fond of these foods
- Formulated with certified premium quality main ingredients
- May cause some algae buildup inside the tank
- Appears too big for some fish and some corals would not even consume it
8. Omega One Sinking Shrimp Pellets
It is good to note that this product comes with better nutrition as compared to other less expensive options. If you’re going to inspect closely, you’ll see that its first five ingredients consist of real meat which is known to be the favorite food of bottom feeders and carnivorous catfish.
Meanwhile, as for feeding, it is essential to feed your fish tank pets with these approximately 1 to 3 times per day and give them the amount they can eat within 2 minutes. These shrimp pellets do not contain more starch, so they could produce less food resides and impede tank water contamination.
Please be guided that there are a couple of negative aspects that you must carefully pay attention to if you feed these shrimp pellets to your fish tank occupants and these are the foods that tend to easily break apart into a fine powder that could eventually result in unappealing tank water mess and they could also get stuck in the gravel. But, if you are fine with these, this product is a great buy.
- Contains real shrimp that your fish would be fond of
- Fortified with natural color enhancers
- Helps minimize water contamination and guarantees less fish waste
- Manufactured with delectable cold-water proteins
- No trace of digests, meals as well as hydrolysates
- Tends to easily crumble in fine powder
- Can get stuck in the gravel
API Bottom Feeder Shrimp Pellet (Outdated) This fish food product is precisely manufactured for diverse types of renowned fish like tetra, cichlids, angelfish, betta, catfish, and goldfish. Most fish are so fond of this diet because it is loaded with ingredients that they look for in fish food. Since these pellets are fortified with a huge amount of nutrients, they can help avoid fish stress, combat illnesses, and improve the overall well-being of your finned friends. Countless fish enthusiasts prefer this product because these sinking shrimp pellets serve as an outstanding source of protein and execute a great job in terms of intensifying the natural color of aquatic creatures. It contains seaweed that enhances the physical conditions and allows more excellent nutrient conversion. To ensure more protein sources and make the pellets tastier, mussels are added to the product’s contents. As always mentioned, it is critical to avoid overfeeding as this causes several negative effects. This product could bring about rapid algae accumulation if you overfeed your fish and this could also foul the tank water seriously if not utilized as directed by the manufacturer. Please consider these demerits before taking the plunge. Hikari Usa Inc Massivore Delite (Outdated) These foods are meant for larger aquatic carnivores that primarily call for well-balanced nutrition. For a fact, they could offer more benefits as compared to other live foods available these days. These are safe and contain all-natural ingredients so they are parasite and bacteria-free as well. Such foods are designed to be delectable so they could perfectly appeal to your pet fish’s picky appetite. These fingerling catfish foods are sized similarly with nuggets and are capable of satisfying the hunger of your large-sized finned pets by retaining their shape. Do not exceed the directed food amount to inhibit the possibility of fouling the tank water. It is worth mentioning that if you are the type who hates the unpleasant fishy smell, then these foods can turn you off. They could leave a nasty smell and are prone to degrading at once if your aquarium settlers do not eat them immediately. So, to avoid all these messes, keep an eye to your pet fish and clean the tank instantly after the feeding activity.
What to Look for When Buying Catfish Food
When buying the most suitable foods designed for catfish, the following guides must be taken into account:
- Types of Catfish Feed
Generally, fish owners could obtain any catfish feed on any nearby aquatic, pet, or fish store. Indeed, some heavily-stocked stores even sell organic fish food products that are ideal for the rapid growth of your fish species. It is a must to feed your catfish with a sufficient amount of protein to keep them growing without any difficulty.
Besides the different sizes, catfish feeds are categorized into sinking and floating feeds. Floating feeds are those foods that keep floating after you spread them in the tank water; on the other hand, the sinking options instantly sink after you throw them into the tank water.
The floating feeds are practical to use for smaller-sized fish such as those that are still in juvenile and the fingerlings. Meanwhile, the sinking feeds are more excellent options for larger-sized fish because these are naturally bottom feeders.
- The Size of the Feed
Generally speaking, when you feed your catfish, this must be relied on how big or how old the catfish are. Furthermore, there are several sizes of catfish food sold these days, so it does not need to be too troubling to unveil the one that suits the size of your catfish. You can feed your catfish with larger-sized food when they get bigger.
For instance, feed your catfish with feeds that come with 8 or 10 mm sizes when they reach one kilogram or more in weight. It would be a lot easier and more practical; however, if you could not find a larger-sized feed, the standard one is all right to consider.
- Catfish Nutrition
Proper nutrition should always be your priority when feeding your catfish. While it is true that catfish feeds are already fortified with nutrition, you could also feed them with more natural feed such as duckweed. This food is famous due to its generous amount of nutritional content.
Duckweed comes with superior levels of methionine, amino acids, and lysine all of which work like a charm in promoting healthy and rapid fish growth. This can serve as a great alternative source of food for catfish.
Other Important Factors to Consider
What is the most trusted catfish food?
Catfish are carnivores that convey that they love to eat meat-based foods. So, when buying foods for them, it is critical to look for types of foods that were manufactured to contain a huge amount of meaty ingredients.
Feed your pet fish with frozen and live foods that include daphnia, bloodworms, glass worms, mosquito larvae, Tubifex worms, gammarus, artemia, and some pieces of fish, cockles, earthworms, whole, and chopped mussels, whole prawns, lance fish, and some aquatic snails.
In the same way, these fish species are categorized as bottom feeders. They have mouths that seem to be designed to have the capability to eat off the tank bottom, and not swim up in the hunt for floating pellets. Thus, you should invest in catfish feeds that sink.
They also love to consume plant-based foods as an alternative. As you know, it is essential to feed your catfish with variety so they won’t get bored eating the same foods every day and they can get various nutrients every feeding time. While feeding them with protein-rich foods is crucial, you should also consider other sources of nutrients when feeding them.
You can feed your catfish with algae wafers, and many different types of vegetables such as lettuce, aquatic plants, potato, cucumber, peas, spinach, bogwood, courgette, and marrow.
Finally, you can feed them with some commercial fish food products too that were specifically designed to satisfy their nutritional requirements, and these consist of premium quality tablet foods, granular foods, pellets, and flakes.
What kind of food do catfish eat?
The types of foods that catfish eat consist of:
- Live Foods
Whilst these foods are not considered the first option for aquarium fish because they need to be bought from a pet or aquatic store, these can be utilized if the fish aren’t consuming the flake foods that you provide them.
Frozen or live foods could be anything that aquatic creatures commonly consume in the wild; there are several distinct varieties available on the market nowadays. Take note that these do not contain all the vitamins and nutrients that are required by the fish; however, they serve as a treat.
Examples of these foods consist of Mysis shrimps, brine shrimps, fish copepods, and bloodworms.
Such foods cannot be regarded as a staple fish diet, particularly for catfish. Algae wafers are mostly to be provided as snacks since these types of foods do not offer various fish species all the good nutrients they seriously necessitate.
You should feed your fish wafers every once in a while. Always check your fish tank for some algal bloom when feeding your pet fish with algae wafers because they could somehow encourage such emergence.
- Flake Foods
These refer to the dry foods that most fish owners utilize when they start fish keeping hobby. At times, it could take a while for your catfish to get accustomed to these foods since these aren’t considered the natural types of foods that they are used to eating.
It is necessary only to feed your fish with a small number of flakes as these would consume more time to sink and tend to remain on top of the fish tank until they finally go down.
- Sinking Pellets
These are primarily made for fish species that commonly stay and dwell at the underneath portion of the tank such as catfish. As you know, catfish are bottom feeders and this is one of the reasons why one of their primary diets includes sinking pellets.
These are eaten by the fish easily because the other fish are consuming dried flake food that floats on the surface of the water. You may consider adding various enhancers to make your sinking pellets more enticing for your fish to eat.
Why do you need catfish? (Benefits)
Feeding your catfish with proper nutrition can be accomplished by picking the right foods that were specifically made to guarantee that they obtain the nutrients they necessitate to thrive inside an artificial habitat.
A summary of the many different health benefits that your catfish can get if fed with the right foods, and the right food amounts include:
- Protein-based foods help fish obtain an excellent source of stored energy to promote nutrient absorption, good digestion, faster growth, and healthy reproduction
- Vitamin contents in catfish foods help support normal fish growth and give your pet fish the strength and vitality to fight off stress and other detrimental ailments
- Minerals contained in fish foods allow normal and healthier fish’s body functions
- Promote healthy cells, fins, skin, gills, and scales
- Help aquatic pets become more active, livelier and energetic while playing, roaming, and swimming around the aquarium
- Make them more resistant to being attacked by toxic bacteria and parasites
- Help them enjoy life more and extend their lifespan so they can entertain you, your family members and guests for many more years to come
- Greatly improve their color so you can delight in a more brilliant and multicolored view inside the fish tank
Aside from these health benefits, feeding your catfish with proper nutrition would also help you save more money. After all, you do not need to spend on medication or treatment because your finned friends are healthy and vigorous enough to thrive inside the aquarium. Thus, choosing the right foods is a great investment for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most trusted catfish food brands?
Surely, it is every fish enthusiast’s goal to provide the most complete and well-balanced nutrition for their most precious aquatic pets. And, one of the surefire methods to do this is to pick the option that was manufactured by one of the most credible manufacturers in the field of fish feeding.
Without question, brands trusted by people who are experts in fish keeping are the top-tier picks because they have been rigorously examined and have proven their efficiency and worth in helping fish owners provide the most appropriate foods that are practically designed for the nutritional needs of their fish tank residents.
So, for those who are just new in the field of fish keeping, you better take the advice of the experts and follow their examples. A few of the highly recommended brands in terms of fish food products comprise of:
- Hikari USA Inc
- Omega One
- API
- Ken’s Premium
- Aqueon
If you have plans of keeping catfish and other bottom feeders, make sure that you only invest in top-quality fish food products that were specially made by one of these famous and highly acclaimed brands. This way, you can be guaranteed safe and natural ingredients that won’t be toxic to your fish’s health.
How to use?
There are several things to be mindful of when feeding your catfish and these comprise feeding them with prepared foods as per the directions of the manufacturer and see to it to that frozen foods are first before giving them to them. Catfish tend to scavenge food; nevertheless, it is a must to feed them specifically.
When using catfish food products, it is very critical to pay attention to feeding frequency. Keep in mind that different phases of growth call for a different feeding frequency as well.
Fingerlings that weigh 3 by up to 4 grams must be fed two times daily. By the time they reach the post-fingerling and juvenile phase, you can keep feeding them twice per day or you may minimize the frequency to once per day.
Lastly, after they reach the post-juvenile or beyond this stage, you can just feed them once daily.
Where to buy?
Since catfish are known as one of the fish species that are outstanding options for aquarium keeping, it is a must to be careful when it comes to the types of foods you feed them. Fortunately, looking for the right fish diet that could satisfy their daily nutritional needs is made easier nowadays considering there are some famous and reliable manufacturers that produce high-quality fish food products designed primarily for them.
You can buy various types of fish foods for catfish in many local fish, aquarium supplies, or pet stores in your region. There are also big supermarkets that sell such products and you can search for them in their pet care sections. Alternatively, you may visit highly acclaimed online shopping sites such as Petwarehouse, Live Aquaria, PetSmart, PetCo, and Amazon if you want to be provided with lots of excellent options to choose from. Shopping online can also offer you some of the best shopping deals for you to be able to save more.
Common Characteristics of Catfish
- Possess barbs for defense
- Prefer to swim at the underneath portion of the tank
- Calls for some spots where they could hide
- Like to interact and live in schools, but could also be okay being alone
- Would scavenge for food and consume almost anything
Housing Catfish
It is advantageous to keep your catfish in a suitable size fish tank. See to it provide them with a proper filtration system so that you can guarantee their peak health and be able to provide them with a huge amount of space where they can freely roam and swim, and have hiding spots.
Bear in mind that stable water parameters and good tank water quality are fundamental to the health of aquatic creatures. Hence, if you are uncertain of the quality of your tank water, consider doing some tank water testing.
Catfish’s Habitat Maintenance
- Check the water temperature, filtration system and other aquarium equipment daily.
- Inspect the quality of your tank water and the other fish tank equipment that you’re using weekly.
- Replace at least 10 by up to 24% of the total volume of water every two to four weeks, or as required.
- When introducing new fish tank inhabitants, make it a point to do this gradually.
The Importance of Supplemental Feeds
Feeding your catfish with high-quality supplemental feeds is a great decision. Supplemental feeds that were designed with well-rounded and complete nutrition could provide more elevated resistance against diseases and helps support fast and healthy fish growth rates as compared to merely feeding your fish tank settlers with natural food.
It is highly suggested to search for feed that is manufactured in multiple-sized floating particles that could satisfy the feeding requirements of a broad array of fish species and sizes. The truth is, feeding a floating ration can offer several perks such as:
- Help minimize the incidence of overfeeding that solely cuts down tank water quality and causes oxygen depletion due to food decomposition. More than that, sinking foods do not provide you with this degree of control.
- Enables fish owners to feed the right amount. It is critical to provide your fish tank inhabitants with the food amount that they can eat within 15 to 20 minutes.
If the fish consume all the feed in less than 15 minutes, consider giving them some more. However, if you notice food remaining on the water surface after twenty minutes, then it is high time to reduce the food amount you are feeding them.
Indications of Healthy Catfish
- Consumes their food with much enthusiasm
- Possesses clear eyes
- Swim freely at the underneath portion or side of the fish tank
Please be guided that it is important to avoid congested conditions- these are deemed as the primary cause of fish stress and illnesses. It is paramount to sustain good tank water quality, always execute regular water replacements and sufficient filtration system.
How to know if your catfish is not in good condition?
- Has cloudy eyes
- Bloatedness
- Suffers from labored breathing
- No appetite and pale in color
- Erratic swimming
- Inactivity
- Weight loss
Conclusion
In conclusion, some fish enthusiasts may think that feeding catfish is adding food into the tank; however, the job does not simply end there. Even though it might appear less complex, several factors need to be looked into if you truly prefer your pet fish to grow healthily and thrive in an artificial habitat.
Feeding your aquatic pets appropriately is one of the key elements of allowing them to stay healthy and live longer. This is one of the reasons why it is quite vital to learn more about the best catfish foods that you can provide them. Foods that were specifically formulated to satisfy the nutritional requirements of your fish tank friends are beneficial because these focus on the real needs of your aquarium settlers.
As you have read in this post, the ten products exhaustively reviewed here clearly reveal the contents of each product, their special features, description, pros, and cons. This is for catfish owners to discover the essential factors that must be factored in when purchasing premium quality fish food products. So, if you are still a novice in fish keeping, then the information shared in this article could be your practical guide to avoid mistakes.
We hope that you found all the information discussed here helpful and advantageous, and please feel free to share it with other catfish owners out there!