Best food for Danios

[KerriPaul]

I have read conflicting advice about danios.

The only specialist book about Danios, Danios by Dr Martin Brittan (TFH - very old)
says that they are carnivores.

Other publications say omnivores.

General agreement is that they will eat flakes, however would they be better off with a frozen food diet of a variety of frozen foods.

I am suspicious that flake food can cause dropsy (although powdered fry food seems ok.

 

[The-Wolf]

Paul, it depends on the species most are omnivourous.
D. hikari are said to only eat insects and crustations in the wild, although there is no scientific study to back this up.

All I know is all of the species I have will eat anything I give them, even Bananas

 

[KerriPaul]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the reply.

I have never had danios turn down anything -except green or white flakes which no one seems to like.

Never trid banas though.

I have notice that if I am careless when feeding flakes, and some catch on the rim, next time I top up the tank and the flakes go underwater someone gets dropsy.

Am seriously considering going over to an all frozen food diet of lobster eggs,daphnia,brine shrimp, black and white mosquito larvae and cyclops. I reckon that this is no more expensive than flakes and a weekly live daphnia

 

[sylvia]

You shouldn't feed fish an all-meat diet unless they are strictly carnivorous. It just isn't natural and the extra protein can cause serious health problems in the long run. Consider wild fish for a minute, do you think they always have access to fresh meaty foods? I doubt it... they spend most of their time looking for it and mainly live off plant matter and the occasional meaty insect or worm. It is generaly best to offer a varied diet and incorporate fresh foods (both plant and animal) into the diet.

 

[KerriPaul]

Point taken, but as far as I can make out Danios are carnivourous. Also daphnia and cyclops contain roughage but very little protein. The tank is also heavily planted with plenty of plant matter to nibble on.

I might alternate frozen food with tetra egglaying fry powder - I am just wondering whether flake food is really the best for danios.