Are Cory Catfish one of the members of your aquarium? Do you need a menu on the best food to feed them? Are you wondering if you can provide Cory Catfish with the same food as other tank members? This guide offers everything you need to know about the feeding of Cory Catfish, including what to feed them and how to feed them.
Cory Catfish are not picky eaters, so they eat almost any edible that fit their mouth. They can eat essential foods like palettes, bottom feeder tablets, and fish flakes. Cory Catfish are lovers of various vegetables, plants, and you will sometimes catch them eating algae wafers.
How Often Should You Feed Cory Catfish?
Cory Catfish are greedy eaters, and they will eat as much as you feed them. But it doesn’t mean you should overfeed your fish. Furthermore, it is best to provide your Cory Catfish with only food to finish with 2 to 3 minutes once or twice a day.
Cory Catfish will spend the rest of their day moving around in the tank and scavenging for food. So, regardless of the food you give them, they will still get food in the tank when others can’t.
Foods Cory Catfish Can Eat
Cory Catfish are not picky eaters. So, they will go after almost every tasty food that fits into their mouth. Cory Catfish will eat nearly every food in their natural condition.
Here are some of the best foods Cory Catfish can eat.
1. Pellets
Fish pellets are aquarium fish feeds with plant and animal constituents. The design of this food is for fish in the pond and tanks that might not have access to other external food. It usually contains a balanced diet that can meet most of the fish’s needs.
Cory Catfish will eat suitable pellets as much as they can. Pellets will supply them with an adequate amount of nutrients required for their growth and survival.
2. Fish Flakes
Fish flakes are similar to pellets, but they are slightly different in their specifications. Fish flakes are specific to the type of fish you intend to feed. For instance, you can only fish marine fish with marine fish flakes and tropical fish with tropical fish flakes.
Cory Catfish flakes are a great source of food for your fish. You can use it alongside pellets for a balanced nutrient and vary the fish taste. The ingredients of fish flakes are natural and dependent on the fish type.
3. Bottom Feeder Tablet
Cory Catfish are bottom feeders. The grab foods at the bottom of the tank shouldn’t feed them with floating foods. Bottom feeder tablets contain diet in the right proportion.
However, it is not uncommon for Cory Catfish to move to tank surfaces, searching for food when they become starving.
4. Plants
Cory, like other types of Catfish, is omnivorous, bottom feeders, and scavengers. So, Cory Catfish will munch on the plants in their tank. They mostly do this when they become extremely hungry or in dire need of food.
Some of the best plants for the Cory Catfish tank include Java fern, amazon sword, water sprite, hornwort, and java moss. Other options you can consider are moss balls, anubias nana, and micro sword.
5. Vegetables
Vegetables are one of the favorite food options for Cory Catfish. They can eat various types of vegetables Cory Catfish eat. These vegetables supply the fish with vitamins, and other diet to balance their nutrients.
But you have to cut the vegetables into sizes that can fit into the fish mouth. Also, supply them with only portions that they can finish in a few minutes to avoid accumulating organic wastes.
6. Betta Food
Cory Catfish are bottom feeders, scavengers, and omnivorous as well. They will go after every tasty piece they find in their tank, including betta food.
Betta food is notable for its high protein constituent, which is good for your fish’s health. However, it is best to regulate Cory Catfish protein intake. So, if you decide to feed them with betta food, make sure you make it a moderate part of their diet.
7. Live Foods
Live foods are also suitable options for your Cory Catfish. They can eat small insects, brine, and shrimps that fit their mouth. These live foods also offer you enormous supply of protein for fish. But it is best to regulate the amount of protein intake of our fish.
8. Frozen and freeze-dried Foods
High-quality frozen and freeze-dried foods are great options for your Cory Catfish. It helps them to eat certain foods that they cannot devour in their natural condition. For instance, live bloodworms can be too complex and fast for Cory Catfish to catch.
This food option also provides the fish with protein. However, it is vital to get a high-quality frozen or freeze-dried food option for your fish.
Other suitable frozen food options include brine shrimp. Brine shrimps are too fast for Cory Catfish to hunt. But you can help your fish to get them comfortable in frozen or freeze-dried form.
9. Peas
Peas are another excellent food for Cory Catfish. They will munch on it happily because they love its taste. However, it is not a good idea to feed them with canned peas. Canned peas contain materials that can harm your fish health.
1o. Shrimp Pellets
Shrimp pellets are one of Cory Catfish’s favorite in the fish tank. They love the taste of shrimps, primarily if you serve it to them in its natural conditions. Also, it adds to the growth of your fish because it contains a high level of protein.
However, shrimp pallets are slow sinkers due to their dry condition. But they will eventually get to the bottom of the tank where Cory Catfish will get to munch them. They will also take time to chew the pellets before finally swallowing them.
Aside from the list above, there are other tank materials Cory Catfish can eat. They usually find these food items while scavenging through the tank. Although they can eat them, you cannot classify them as part of the food for Cory Catfish.
Some of the things Cory Catfish can eat are;
- Fish Poop: Cory Catfish are bottom feeders, and they often attempt to eat anything they find at the bottom of the tank. So, they can intentionally or unintentionally ingest fish poop when scavenging for food in the fish tank.
But you cannot feed fish poop to Cory Catfish as food. Do you know why? Fish poop has no taste and lacks nutritional value.
- Fry of Smaller Fish: Cory Catfish will eat fish fry that can fit into their mouth. So, keeping them in the same tank with a fry of small fish like guppies is a bad idea. But once the fry grows past the mouth size of Cory Catfish, they won’t be able to eat them.
Foods Cory Catfish Can Not Eat
As much as Cory Catfish are not picky eaters, there is some food they will not eat. They might make attempts on them but will not eventually. There are several reasons why Cory Catfish will not eat these foods.
One of the primary reasons they will not eat these foods is to find them tasty. Cory Catfish pays special attention to taste and will only munch on food that appeals to them.
Another reason why Cory Catfish might not eat a particular food is because of the food’s size. They only go after food the fits into their mouth with ease.
Some of the foods Cory Catfish cannot eat include;
1. Algae
Many people find it confusing when it comes to Cory Catfish eating algae because they are bottom eaters. Most bottom feeders eat algae, but Cory Catfish don’t. If you feed our Cory Catfish with a pure algae diet, they will not eat it.
However, Cory Catfish will occasionally eat some algae wafers while scavenging for food. They will only have a small bite before moving on to other foods. So, they will only nibble on the algae bit and will not eat the entire thing.
2. Snails and Shrimps
Cory Catfish will not eat snails in their tank no matter how hungry they might get. Shrimps will be the last resort when they become starving. Most snails are too large to feed into the mouth of Cory Catfish.
So, Cory Catfish are peaceful and will also be a companion for shrimps and snails. But note that some Cory Catfish are enormous. The fish might find it easy to fit snails and shrimps into their mouth in such rare cases.
3. Special Foods
Cory Catfish does not need any particular food. They are omnivorous scavengers that are none, picky eaters. They will eat any tasty food that is available. But it is essential to ensure that you regulate your fish’s food to ensure they have a balanced diet.
Vegetables Cory Catfish Can Eat
Cory Catfish are versatile and non picky eaters. They can eat varieties of vegetables that contribute significantly to the fish diet. It contains a lot of nutrients that aid the growth of the fish.
But note that if you intend to feed your fish with vegetables, you must cut them into sizes that will fit into the fish mouth. These sizes will make it easier for the fish to eat them.
Also, it is best only to feed vegetables to your fish as treats. Only provide appropriate vegetables to Cory Catfish thrice a week. Consider varying the type of vegetables you feed to Cory Catfish to diversify the taste and prevent them from getting bored of vegetables.
There are several types of vegetables Cory Catfish can feed. Some of the best options include;
1. Zucchini
Zucchini is also referred to as baby marrow. It is a summer squash with a soft and edible texture. Although the fruit is similar to cucumber, there are notable differences. It is best to feed zucchini to your fish raw.
2. Cucumber
Cucumber is another suitable vegetable for Cory Catfish. This veggie is a type of melon that belongs to the quash family. It offers your fish various nutrients. Cucumbers are also low in cholesterols, sodium, fats, and calories.
3. Lettuce
Lettuce is a reasonable consideration if you want to offer your fish an adequate supply of vitamin C, iron, fiber, and folate. It will also supply your fish with other bioactive compounds helpful in maintaining proper health. All you need to do is chop the lettuce into a sizable piece to help them fit into your fish mouth.
4. Spinach
Spinach is similar to lettuce in terms of appearance. But it offers different health benefits and nutrients; particularly its loads of antioxidants. It is best to feed spinach to Cory Catfish fresh without any special preparation.
5. Squash
Squash is a gourd-shaped vegetable that offers loads of health benefits. This veggie contains a significant number of vitamins. The primary nutrient constituent includes vitamins C, B6, and A. It will also supply Cory Catfish with folate, fiber, riboflavin, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Remember to chop squash into sizes that will fit Cory Catfish’s mouth before offering it to them.
6. Marrow
Marrow is another suitable for Cory Catfish with an appearance that is similar to that of cucumber. It has a soft flesh that Cory Catfish find juicy and edible. It will also supply your fish with a notable amount of nutrients.
7. Potatoes
Potatoes are edible tubers that offer an excellent vegetable option for Cory Catfish. One of the benefits of this choice is that it is available all year long. Also, they are relatively cheaper than other vegetable options for Cory Catfish. You can include it as part of the treatment for your fish all year long.
8. Bogwood
Bogwood is not like the other vegetables on this list. It performs two primary roles in the aquarium. It can act as aquarium substrates to provide hiding spots for your fish. Cory Catfish can also peel off a part of the wood and munch them as food.
9. Peas
Feeding your Cory Catfish with peas blesses them with loads of nutrients. This vegetable is a good source of zinc, vitamin E, vitamin A, B, and vitamin C. They also supply the fish with antioxidants to protect them from possible infection in the tank.
10. Aquatic Plants
Cory Catfish also eat various aquatic plants that are suitable in their tank. You might not have to feed these plants to them as a whole meal. Ensure that the plant you add to the tank is not harmful to Cory Catfish. Some suitable plants for the Cory Catfish tank include moss, fern, amazon sword, water sprite, and hornwort.
Fruit Cory Catfish Can Eat
Cory Catfish are omnivorous, so they will eat plants and vegetables. You can consider feeding these fruits to them as snacks, not as a main meal. Below are some of the fruits Cory Catfish can eat.
1. Apples
Apples are healthy and nutritional fruits for both humans and animals. You can chop apples into sizable pieces that can fit into the mouth of your Cory Catfish. However, you should regulate the number of apples you will offer your fish because of its sweetness.
2. Pears
Pear is another highly healthy fruit that Cory Catfish can it. It is juicy with soft flesh, which makes it an ideal option for the fish. You don’t need any special preparation for pears. All you need to do is cut down the pear into sizes to fit the fish’s mouth.
3. Melon
Melon is sweet, juicy, edible, and nutritious. You can include it as one of the significant threats for Cory Catfish. Also, it is crucial to regulate the number of melon slices you offer them due to health concerns.
4. Courgette
This fruit is soft and edible, which makes it a good choice for Cory Catfish. It is relatively inexpensive and readily available. Chop the fruit to small sizes that will fit Cory Catfish’s mouth.
Live Foods Cory Catfish Can Eat
Cory Catfish are lovers of live foods. You can offer them various live foods that can fit into your Cory Catfish mouth. This food option will supply your fish with a rich amount of protein. Some of the best live foods you can offer your Cory Catfish include;
1. Worms
Worms, particularly bloodworms, glass worms, and white worms, are good food options for cory fish. But too many worms in your fish’s diet can be detrimental to their health.
2. Insects
You can also feed your Cory Catfish with small insects that can fit into their mouth. An example of such an insect is tubifex. They can also feed on mosquito larvae in ponds and open tanks.
Summary
Cory Catfish is an omnivorous, non-picky bottom feeder. They are also scavengers that will eat anything they find tasty and small enough for their mouth size. You can feed Cory Catfish with various live foods, frozen foods, vegetables, fruits, and fish flakes.
However, it is best to regulate the diet of your Cory Catfish to help them have a balanced diet. Feed them with the food they can finish within 2-3 minutes twice a day. Only add vegetables and fruits as treats for your Cory Catfish.
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