Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi folks,

Not sure if I have a looming problem or not. I have half a dozen goldfish in a barrel system. Originally, I bought a tin of goldfish flakes from the pet shop that sold me my first two fish.

I later learned that growth rate was pathetic on flakes, and so when I got 4 more fish from an aquarium supplies place, I also bought a small tub of "mini floating goldfish pellets". I've been feeding them both the flakes and the pellets on alternate days, and both have been eaten voraciously.

The pellets ran out a few weeks ago, and I replaced them with some different floating pellets I bought on-line (Fishwerx Gold Fresh - 52% protein). The fish seem less than enthusiastic about the new pellets. A couple of days ago, the flakes ran out as well, so now they have only the new pellets.

At feeding time, they go crazy as the first few pellets hit the water, and then just swim away leaving the bulk of the pellets ignored. Is it just a matter of waiting until they get hungry enough, or do I need to rush off and get more of the original pellets?

Thanks for your collective wisdom.

Just keep feeding till they take to the food.
That's pretty high protein content for goldfish though...

OK thanks for that.

I did have it in the back of my head, that if the fish got really massive in a year of two, they may find themselves sold back into the aquarium trade as a feature fish. The place I bought them had a few of the really big ones in tanks with 3 figure price tags. I can't eat them, but at least that way they could financially contribute to their upkeep...

On such a high protein feed, they'll most likely get really fat though.. aka morbidly obese:




unless that's the look you are going for? It might turn a few heads in the pet shop though not in a good way A feature fish nonetheless!


I've read somewhere it's also not good for their liver on that diet, which is most likely formulated for trout/perch right

but.. I'll admit I have done it for a bit. I mixed in some goldfish with my silver perch fingerlings. The goldies helped the shy perch gain some confidence and they feed better as a result, though my goldies got quite fat/bloated looking.

We're supposed to feed goldfish a more vegetarian based diet as they are omnivores

Just starve the goldfishes for a week. They will most likely eat anything you introduce by then.


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Ive read you shouldnt feed goldfish protien levels above 20% as a maximum. It can cause constipation, diseases and dropsy. This is why standard flakes have much lower protein levels and are made up of other products like fish and/or shrimp meal

Right then. Perhaps I should get some more of the goldfish pellets... Thanks for the tips.

I could keep these others until the big system is finished that will have either silver perch or rainbow trout - if only it would get cool enough for me to get into my workshop again. Every day off for the last couple of weeks has been at or above 40C - like an oven in the tin shed!

Just another data point: I've been feeding my comet goldfish Aquamax Grower 400 basically since they were big enough to eat it with good results. Still looking good, not getting obese or anything.

ive always used aquaculture food for my goldies - as ive read goldfish flakes are no good for AP - Some of the older ones were getting a bit obese, one ended up dying for no reason, although they may have had eggs at the time.

They are looking better now that i have been trying to feed them duckweed as well - they go through about a handful per day beyond the 3 handfuls of 35%+ protein food.

If you can introduce some plant matter for them to eat, the higher protein shouldnt matter as much.

I hear ya

Got the same issue here. Has been a very dry and hot summer. I really need to install some whirly gigs or insulation