PROPER GOLDFISH FEEDING

Revised 2018, December 24 A quality Koi and goldfish food starts with quality aquatic based ingredients. Fish derive their energy from fats, not carbohydrates (although cereal is needed as roughage). Also the amino acids that make up proteins should be ones that can be easily metabolized by fish.
Soy proteins and feather meal that are used by many foods are of poor quality.
An analogy I used in another blog to compare amino acid (protein) quality is this: You can achieve the protein analysis of many pet foods with a pair of leather shoes, yet leather shoes are for the most part, made up of un-digestible proteins that will eventually lead to renal (kidney) failure in fish.

It also should be pointed out that no one food should be fed alone (including Sanyu). A balanced diet for goldfish should also include Spirulina Flakes, and Brine or Mysis shrimp (which have a natural laxative for goldfish).
See my other blog post: Spirulina Algae as a Fish Food

The frequency to which you feed is also important. Think of goldfish as under water horses (there are differences of course), they are regularly grazing, unlike say a lion.
The point is that goldfish have digestive tracts meant for a more vegetable diet and constant "grazing", not unlike horses, and if not kept full, they can develop gas (that is also why the brine shrimp and spirulina are important).
Another point of note is that most fancy goldfish are very inbred resulting in poor genetics and have poor digestive tracts which make them even more sensitive to a poor diet and intestinal gas.

Try and feed your goldfish at least two or more times a day (if more often, feed less per feeding).
Also soak your fish food in water for at least 5 minutes so that it does not float, which will prevent your goldfish from ingesting air (which can cause digestive problems and lead to Aeromonas Bacterial infections).
Reference: Fish Aeromonas Infections

Be careful with feeding too much flake food (even the spirulina flake, although this flake does not cause the intestinal gas problems that many flakes such as TetraFin do), and again soak any flake food too.

For much more researched and in depth information about fish nutrition, please visit this site:
Quality Fish Food; What Ingredients are needed for Proper Fish Nutrition, Health and Growth .




SUGGESTED DIETS:
Sanyu Vital is a complete diet to provide all necessary nutrition for goldfish and koi. This food is formulated to meet the diet requirement for goldfish and koi. The raw material used is selected from vegetable based, high carbohydrates and less protein ingredients are easily digested. Feeding this food will result a rapid colour enhancement. With various vitamins and minerals added ensure the fish stay healthy and vital.
Although this food contains soya meals (a poor source of protein in fish), it derives the majority of it's proteins from quality sources such as spirulina vegetable proteins and fish meal.


Ingredients:
Vegetable protein extract, fish meal, soya meals, rice bran, wheat flour, corn meal, carotenoid, lecithin, vegetable oil, vitamin A, C, E and important minerals and trace elements

For a BETTER YET Goldfish Diet; consider the Premium AquaMasters Fish Foods
Please see this product link: Premium AquaMasters Fish Foods

THESE BASIC STEPS WILL HELP WITH SUCCESSFUL GOLDFISH KEEPING:

*Feeding A quality food ,

*Changing water (20%) once per week,

*Keeping a ph of 7.2- 7.6,

*Proper mineralization and electrolytes. This includes a GH of at least 200 ppm for goldfish and a constant supply of these minerals via mineral blocks or drip systems
Reference: Aquarium Chemistry
Please reference this product link: Wonder Shells-Aquarium minerals

*Proper filtration (including germicidal such as a TRUE UV Sterilizer, NOT an Amazon.com model)
Product links: Aquarium Filters & Aquarium UV Sterilizers; Good, Better, & Best

*And proper tank size (one average adult goldfish per 4-8 gallons, depending on filtration)

Sanyu Tropical fish and cichlid food is similar in quality, but with a higher concentration of aquatic based proteins (such as shrimp meal) and less vegetable based ingredients.

Sanyu Tropical Fish Food Ingredients:
Fish meal, shrimp meal, dried yeast, wheat flour, corn meal, fish oil, carotenoid, inositol, vitamin A,C,D, calcium iodate, iodine, magnesium and other elements.
Guaranteed Analysis: Protein 37%, Fat 3%, Fiber 4%, Moisture 10%

Further Resources

For optimum water quality, including improved osmoregulation and mineral Cations that are very important for goldfish & koi, the AAP Wonder Shell is a MUST HAVE product.
AAP Fresh Wonder Shells

For a good aquarium water pump, power head consider the: Rio Plus Pump line for your koi or goldfish aquarium or small pond

If you are not sure which UV Bulb< to purchase for your Aquarium or Pond Sterilizer or UV Purifier, consider the website:
Replacement UV-C Lamp, Bulb Guide, Resources