Goliad Farms, LP - Tropical Fish Foods

Goliad Farms, LP feeds copious amounts of properly formulated (prepared or dry foods) and live foods in order to maximize the health and growth of our fish. Studies have shown that fish grow best with a mixture of prepared foods and live foods, we have developed feedings program incorporating both.

Prepared Foods: The prepared foods we use include aquaculture foods in six sizes (grinds), including #0, #1/2, #1, #2, #3, and #5 (floating pellets) and flake foods. All but the #5 grind are at least 50% protein. #5 grind is 41-42% protein. We also feed a mixture of flake foods (color flakes, vegetable flakes and standard flakes). While each of these foods is alone formulated to be nutritionally complete, we believe a variety of dry foods coupled with live foods is best for the fish. If nothing else, feeding a variety of foods seems to improve fish appetites. Click here for detailed information about the dry foods we feed. We no longer offer prepared foods for sale.

Live Foods: Live foods fed to our fish include Moina, microworms, Paramecium and litter worms. Upon request we can offer live foods for sale, but only to customers willing to commit to long term purchasing arrangements.

Feeding Programs: We have developed various feedings programs for each of the types of fishes we raise. These are described below.

Rainbowfish fry and other tiny fry (such as barbs and tetras) receive #0 grind, finely ground flake foods, microworms and Paramecium as their first foods. After two to four weeks, depending on the species, the young fish are promoted to #1/2 and #1 grinds and Moina. The adult rainbows are fed #1, #2, and #3 grinds, depending upon their size, and Moina. We also do a daily feeding of flake foods for all rainbowfishes.

Livebearer fry, which are much larger than rainbowfish fry, are started on #1/2 grind (platies, swordtails, guppies, and Limias) or #1 grind (mollies and Goodeids). Adult livebearers are fed #1, #2, and #3 grinds, depending upon size, and one daily feeding of flake foods. Livebearers of all sizes are also daily fed Moina. All livebearers, except for the Goodeids, receive one daily feeding of #5 grind floating pellets. Goodeids don't seem to like the floating pellets, but the other livebearers eagerly pick at the pellets until they are gone. Our livebearers also get a daily feeding of flake foods.

Cichlid fry begin with #1 grind and Moina and are quickly graduated to larger grinds. We don't feed #5 grind floating pellets to our breeder cichlids or large cichlids for sale in vats because they don't seem to like them. But, the "feral" cichlids in our floor gutter, plant filter, and sump eagerly take the #5 pellets---go figure. All cichlids are fed Moina and the larger cichlids are also fed litter worms. Smaller cichlids also receive a flake food feeding daily. The larger cichlids don't get flakes.

Feeding Time	Food Type
Early morning	Dry foods (various grinds depending on fish size)
Mid morning	Live foods
Late morning	Dry foods (various grinds depending on fish size)
Mid afternoon	Flake foods
Late evening	Dry foods (various grinds depending on fish size)

The above schedule is not inflexible; we often skip feedings as necessary for other scheduling purposes. This schedule is designed to promote growth by feeding throughout the day. The fish remain in a rapid growth mode because food is available frequently. Most of the fish are raise are adapted to foraging for many, small feedings per day. Our feeding regimen is designed to duplicate this. We occasionally skip Sunday feedings. Some authorities think fish, especially those being fed as heavily as ours, benefit from short fasts.

One problem associated with heavy feeding regimens such as ours is pollution from overfeeding, but our plant filters have proven very effective at maintaining zero ammonia, nitrate and nitrite readings.