What Do Guppies Eat?

Did you know that guppy fish like to eat a variety of things? 

Despite that, some aquarists may wonder what do guppies eat?

Imagine that you aren’t picky about the foods you get and still don’t receive the food you deserve?

Bad feeling right?

For this reason, we made this article for you.

In this guide, we will cover what guppies like to eat and how to give them a healthy diet, and even how frequently you should feed them.

So, let’s get started!

What Do Guppy Fish Eat in Nature

The first step to figuring out what sort of food is suitable for any fish is to look at their feeding habits in the wild.

Guppies are found in South and North-East America’s tropical regions, where they may be frequently encountered in minor streams and freshwater lagoons.

In the wild, they will eat whatever comes to mind, whether it is plant or animal matter.

Because they are omnivores, they may eat both plants and animals.

This indicates that these species are omnivorous and feeding them a wide range of food will be beneficial.

What to Feed Your Guppy Fish?

a. Commercial Guppy Food

In the home aquarium, you have to provide them with a variety of food to suit their needs.

Some foods will provide your fish with the protein they need to grow and thrive while others will give them the vitamins and minerals they need to be healthy.

In this section, we will discuss the types of food you can feed your guppy fish.

1. Flake Foods

Flake food has been around since the dawn of fishkeeping.

It was a popular choice owing to its accessibility and affordability, making it very appealing to novice fish keepers.

Although the use of flakes has decreased in recent years, many aquarists continue to utilize them.

There are several advantages to using this sort of food.

For one thing, it usually melts quickly in water, enticing finicky eaters to eat.

They also have fewer digestive problems since they dissolve easily.

However, they do have disadvantages, which is why hobbyists avoid them.

The fact that they pollute the water quickly is probably the most significant disadvantage of this food.

2. Veggie Pallets 

Another type of food that you should include in your guppies’ diets is veggies on a pallet.

These pellets include all the greens the fish need such as algae, plankton, and spirulina.

They’re also high in B vitamins, C vitamins, D vitamins, and E vitamins as well as iron and calcium.

3. Spirulina tablets

This type of tablet is rich in nutrients, making it an excellent food choice for your fish.

Spirulina is a blue-green algae that is packed with nutrients, including protein, vitamins, and minerals.

It also has a high concentration of antioxidants, which makes it beneficial for your fish’s health.

4. Freeze-Dried Foods

Freeze-dried foods are a popular choice for fishkeepers because they are nutritionally balanced and easy to digest.

They also have a long shelf life, making them a convenient option.

You may offer these items in the same way as flake foods. However, we wouldn’t recommend feeding your tetra freeze-dried food every day.

You can only feed your fish freeze-dried food three times each week, combining it with fish pellets or flakes.

It’s also vital to note that if these goods are kept in a damp and warm location, they will degrade.

Here are some examples of freeze-dried foods:

freeze-dried brine shrimp: Brine shrimp are high in protein and can be fed to adult and juvenile fish.

It is recommended to feed it your fish once or twice a week.

 freeze-dried blood worms: Blood worms are a rich source of fat, which should be fed to adult guppies in tiny amounts only. It can also have a beneficial effect on the growth rate of your fry.

Freeze-dried tubifex worms: Tubifex worms are a fantastic fish conditioner.

Live tubifex worms, on the other hand, might contain germs that would kill your fish if not maintained in the proper conditions.

As a result, we propose using the freeze-dried form since it is safer.

b. Homemade Guppy Food

If you have the time and the energy, you can also make your own guppy food.

This is a more nutritious option and will save you money in the long run.

1. Brine shrimp

Brine shrimp is the most important food for guppies, particularly if they are given live feed.

It’s made up of 60% protein, 25% fat, and 17% carbohydrates.

All of these nutrients will aid in the growth of your guppy fry and adults.

If you decide to prepare that food at home, then it’s not a hard task.

You will need a large container or tub, shrimp eggs, and dechlorinated water.

To culture the brine shrimp, you’ll need to add the eggs to the water and wait for them to hatch.

Once they have hatched, you’ll need to feed them regularly.

It may take 1-3 days for brine shrimp eggs to hatch, though I recommend maintaining several hatcheries at once if you want your fish to consume live food every day.

2. Egg yolk 

The egg yolk is a rich source of fats, vitamins A, C, D, B-12, and various minerals like magnesium and iron.

The only problem to consider is the excessive amount of fat this food has.

For this reason, you must offer your guppies egg yolk only occasionally and in modest amounts.

3. Beef heart 

Another super-food that guppies consume frequently is beef heart.

It can be fed to your fry guppies once it has been cleaned of fat and chopped into tiny pieces with a blender or a sharp knife.

For better results, it may be combined with hard-boiled egg yolk, carrots, spirulina powder, shrimp, and other components.

It is not recommended to feed this food for guppy fry, not adults, due to its high-fat content.

4. Daphnia 

This is also another excellent source of food for guppies, and it can be found in the frozen food section of stores.

If you’re after the real deal, I recommend starting your own daphnia colony. It isn’t as difficult as you may believe.

Daphnia is primarily fed on algae and bacteria, making them simple to breed and cultivate.

However, due to its smell, we recommend you grow it outdoors.

When preparing your homemade food, it’s vital to remember that guppies are protein-heavy eaters.

For this reason, foods rich in protein such as meat and egg yolk should be included in their diet.

Another key point to remember is that guppies have tiny mouths.

This implies that you should chop your ingredients into tiny pieces if possible. If not, your guppies will find it difficult to eat.

There are also some meals that you should avoid in particular situations.

While they aren’t harmful to us, these products aren’t particularly nutritious and can quickly pollute the water.

• The following are some items to avoid:
• Bread: Bread is a big no-no. It has very little nutritional value for your fish and quickly fouls the water.
• Oily food: The problem with oily food is that it clogs the water and forms an oil film on the surface, preventing oxygen exchange.
• Processed food: Things like sausages and luncheon meat, for example, are harmful to fish since they contain chemical preservatives. This can be extremely hazardous to your fish.

What Do Baby Guppies Eat?

Did you know that guppies are very attentive parents? Adult guppies may even eat their children.

As a result, newborn guppies are immediately removed from the adults and kept apart until they’re old enough to swim away on their own.

Fortunately, raising baby guppies is simple. They will flourish rapidly if given enough water, varied food, and adequate light.

The dietary requirements of baby guppies differ significantly from those of adults.

Here’s what you need to know about feeding them.

Guppy fry require a lot of protein to help them grow and get bigger.

A daily feed of good quality, high-protein flake food will help the babies to grow quickly.

Baby guppies may also be fed baby brine shrimp, vinegar eels, and micro worms.

However, adult brine shrimp should not be given to guppy babies since they are unable to digest it just yet.

Further, they enjoy vegetables like cooked spinach and chopped lettuce.

Finally, chopped beef heart and hard-boiled egg yolk are superb homemade foods for guppy babies that you can make at home.

How Often Should Guppies Be Fed?

Adult

As a novice guppy enthusiast, the first thing to keep in mind is that guppies are always hungry.

They will storm the food whether it’s been fed a hundred times or once.

This is where overfeeding comes in handy.

Feed them too little, and they will be deficient in vital nutrients, which can cause health issues.

Feed them too much, and they’ll end up the same way.

For optimum results, you need a balance in all things.

In general, they will do well on a once or twice-a-day feeding schedule as long as the food contains enough nutrients.

Fry

Baby guppies eat their food very quickly.

As a result, they require more frequent feedings than adult fish.

When feeding baby guppies, offer them tiny portions of food several times a day.

If the tank becomes cloudy or filthy despite replacing the water regularly, then it is an indicator that you must reduce the amount supplied.

Also, it is recommended to set up a schedule and feed the fry at the same time each day. This will help them to get into a feeding routine.

FAQS

How Long Can Guppies Go Without Food?

The good news is that guppies, like all other animals on Earth, can survive without food for a long period.

The even better news is that “some time” in the life cycle of guppies translates to two weeks for adults and roughly one week for fry.

If you’re going on vacation or can’t feed them because of objective reasons, this is a constant length of time.

However, by purchasing and utilizing an auto-feeder, you can avoid the problem entirely.

The device can feed your guppies up to 8 times a day, ensuring that they get all of their required nutrients.

Batteries with a longer lifespan than necessary are used in these devices, so you can set one up even before going on holiday.

Just be careful not to put flakes in the device since it will jam frequently as a result of this.

What to Feed Guppies When Out of Food?

When the time comes that you have nothing to feed your guppies with, it’s going to be a tough situation.

But don’t worry! There are plenty of options for improvising and keeping them happy in those hard situations: veggies like cucumber or carrots can work as well as broccoli florets if they’re fresh (not too old).

Just blend these up into submission-able pieces before feeding away.

What Vegetables Can Guppies Eat?

The guppy fish can be fed a range of fruits and vegetables that are beneficial to them.

The following types of vegetables may be fed to guppy fish:

• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Romaine
• Sweet potato
• Carrots
• Pumpkins

What Fruits Can Guppies Eat?

Small quantities of fruit can provide extra vitamins and minerals to your fish.

However, they should not be a significant portion of the diet since they contain more sugar than vegetables.

Feed fruit once or twice a week in small, bite-size pieces.

Bananas and grapes are good choices to provide your fish with.

Do guppies Eat Algae?

Guppy fish are active fish and always searching for the foods in the tanks.

If they find algae, they will consider it as a snack and eat it.

This food is not recommended to be the only food for guppies, and you should supplement their diet with other types of food.

Last Words

Guppies are one of the easiest fish to take care of, but that doesn’t mean they don’t require a bit of attention.

By following the simple tips in this article, you can make sure your guppies stay healthy and happy.

Thanks for reading!

If you still have any questions, leave us a comment.