Buzz
Goldfish don't just rely on pellets or flakes; they also need fiber from fresh produce. Choose a variety of ripe fruits and vegetables, wash them thoroughly, and peel them. If they're soft, finely dice them; if they're firm, soften them by heating before chopping finely.
Feeding Goldfish Fruits and Vegetables
Choose ripe fruits like apples, bananas, and mangos, and fiber-rich vegetables like spinach, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Clean and dice soft fruits and vegetables into 1-2 mm pieces. For hard produce, peel and steam until soft.
Steps
Selecting and Cleaning the Produce
Choose high-quality fruits. Look for ripe fruits without blemishes or bruises. Since goldfish like variety, try different kinds such as apples, bananas, raspberries, strawberries, oranges, pears, and grapes.
Choose high-fiber vegetables. Fiber aids digestion and prevents constipation. Look for firm, heavy vegetables without blemishes or wilted spots. Consider feeding your goldfish lettuce, spinach, sweet potatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, zucchini, carrots, cucumbers, lima beans, and peas.
Soak leafy or delicate produce in cold water. Place such produce in a bowl filled with cold water for 1-2 minutes, swishing it to remove dirt. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Fun Fact: Soaking and rinsing are effective for cleaning lettuce, spinach, beet greens, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Rinse the produce to remove dirt and pesticides. Start by washing your hands. For rough-surfaced produce like potatoes, carrots, or apples, gently scrub under cold running water. For small produce, like strawberries, raspberries, or grapes, use a colander and rinse under cold running water.
Dry the produce thoroughly. Prevent chlorine from tap water from getting into the goldfish tank. Use a paper towel to dry the produce, then discard it. If concerned about chlorine, use distilled water instead of tap water.
Heating and Chopping the Produce
Peel the cleaned fruits and vegetables. Goldfish need very soft food, so remove peels from most vegetables. Chop and use soft produce immediately, or peel and heat harder produce. For produce like apples, pears, grapes, mangoes, sweet potatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, carrots, and cucumbers, peel with a paring knife.
Pro Tip: Easily peel bananas, plantains, and oranges by simply pulling off the peel.
Steam the produce on the stovetop for 3 to 5 minutes. Boil about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water in a pot, then place a steamer basket in the pot and chop the produce. Add it to the basket, cover, and steam until tender when poked with a fork.
- To blanch, add produce directly to boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer to ice water.
- Ensure the steamer basket doesn't touch the water.
Use the microwave if you prefer. Cut fruits and vegetables into < 2-inch (5.1 cm) chunks, place in a microwave-safe container with a little water, cover, and microwave until tender when poked with a fork.
- If not soft enough, microwave in 30-second intervals.
Fun Fact: Cooking time varies by produce type. Softer produce like cucumbers or pears cooks faster than firmer ones like carrots or broccoli.
Chop the produce finely. Since fish have small mouths and no stomachs, chop the produce into 1-2 mm pieces. Use a knife or food processor.
- For quicker chopping, use a food processor.
Feed the goldfish the finely chopped produce. Add prepared fruits or vegetables to the tank. For 1-2 fish, add a few small pieces; for a tankful, add a few spoonfuls. Goldfish will nibble immediately.
- Limit fruit to twice a week and vegetables once every day or two. Consider reducing dried food slightly.
- To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Some produce may brown or soften over time.
Tips
- If your fish doesn't eat all the fruits or vegetables, remove them after 24 hours to prevent cloudy water.
- When preparing peas, remove and discard the pod, then peel the peas.
- Remember to remove and discard cucumber seeds.
Things You'll Need
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Bowl
- Paper towels
- Pot
- Steamer basket
- Microwave-safe container with a lid
- Airtight storage container
- Colander, optional
- Vegetable peeler, optional
