With the abundance of dietary options available, it can be difficult to know which foods fit the needs of your specific aquatic pets. As the originator of Species Specific aquatic diets, Hikari^® makes it easy to find the right food to the suit the individual needs of your fish. As the worldwide leader in premium aquatic nutrition, we understand why it’s important for pet owners to better understand the need to meet the dietary requirements of their pets.

Whether you are a new hobbyist or a seasoned veteran, we’re here to help you understand all you need to know about the food your fish need.

Fish Flakes V.S. Pellets

One question many fish owners ask is what is the difference between the different types of food, and whether one or the other is better for your pets. Flake fish food and pelleted food are two popular options. ^®Hikari’s diets are carefully constructed to meet the needs of your individual fish, and we feel pelleted foods should be a priority choice for most consumers. While flake food has its uses, pelleted food is often a better value, as it is compact and is easier to monitor what is being fed and more importantly what is being eaten to prevent over-feeding and the water quality issues that can result. Because of this space-saving feature, pelleted food also packs more usable nutrition. Pelleted food helps to cut down on maintenance as the user can easily remove food that is not eaten thereby reducing any health impact caused by degrading water quality. For lower maintenance but better value and nutritional quality, pelleted is a great choice for the conscious consumer.

With our recommendation of pelleted over flake, you might wonder how long pelleted food generally lasts. If stored properly, away from heat, moisture, high humidity and direct sunlight, we recommend use within 90 days of opening, but the pellets are good until the best before date listed on the packaging. Our diets not only help maintain the health of your aquatic pets, but help to keep your aquarium or pond in great shape. Whatever your needs, we’re certain you’ll find a product in our lineup that your fish will enjoy.

While the cost of pelleted foods might seem high, remember that the nutrition is more compact than in other forms of food, so a little goes a long way. Just as a health-conscious person might reach for a bag of broccoli over a bag of potato chips, in the same way a small amount of pelleted food easily provides the dietary equivalent of a much larger amount of flake food. We want to make sure your animals receive the nutrition they need, that is both cost-effective for you and positively impacting their health too.

In addition to pelleted food, our Bio-Pure^® frozen foods provide a great “mix and match treat option” to your fish’s diet and individualized needs. Our Blood Worms are great for meeting the protein requirements of many freshwater fish, and our Daphnia is a natural laxative for your fish, making it a great option to combat bacterial or digestive problems your fish may be experiencing. Or if you have been using a medication and want to clear their system after. Frozen foods are an easy way to add variety to your fish’s feeding routine while not negatively impacting the benefits of the formulated diet.

We’re happy to help with any questions you may have! Email us at fish@hikariusa.com with the details of your fish and aquarium setup and one of our expert team members can assist in meeting your needs.