What do goldfish eat?
Goldfish need a diet built around food made specifically for them, such as sinking or floating goldfish pellets, rather than generic fish flakes alone or scraps from the kitchen. A varied, appropriately sized diet matters more for goldfish than many owners realise, since overfeeding and the wrong food are common causes of poor health in this species.
What a proper goldfish diet looks like
Goldfish-specific food, such as King British Goldfish Sinking Pellets, is formulated for their particular digestive needs and feeding style, since goldfish are bottom and mid-water feeders that benefit from a mix of sinking and floating food rather than flakes that stay on the surface. Variety within a proper goldfish diet, rather than one single product every day, supports better long-term health.
Goldfish do not have a stomach in the way many other animals do, which means they are prone to overeating if food is available, and their digestive system processes food more slowly than it might appear from how eagerly they approach it.
What to avoid
Bread and other human food scraps are a common mistake and are best avoided, since they offer poor nutrition for a goldfish and can affect water quality quickly once uneaten pieces break down in the tank or pond. Sticking to food made for goldfish, rather than kitchen leftovers, avoids this problem entirely.
Overfeeding is arguably the single biggest risk to a goldfish's health, both directly through digestive problems and indirectly through the effect uneaten food has on water quality. Giving only what your goldfish can eat within a couple of minutes, rather than however much they seem to want, is a more reliable guide than a fixed amount.
When something seems wrong
A goldfish that stops eating, floats oddly, or shows visible changes to its scales, fins or eyes is worth taking seriously, since fish can deteriorate without always showing obvious distress in the way a mammal would. Water quality problems are a common underlying cause and are worth checking alongside diet.
If you are concerned about your goldfish's health or behaviour and are not sure what is normal, a vet experienced with fish can help, though this is a more specialist area than general small animal care and not every practice offers it.
What these need
Things we stock that owners commonly reach for here. Nothing on this page depends on you buying one.
Supa Condensation Tray
A 48-inch aquarium condensation tray, shielding the hood's electrics from tank water
£11.49
Aquatic Roman Gravel Jet Black
2kg jet black aquarium gravel, inert and colourfast for coldwater, tropical or marine tanks
£3.99
Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Natural Lakeland
Natural Lakeland-tone aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical or saltwater tanks
From£3.99
Common questions
- Can goldfish eat bread?
- It is best avoided. Bread offers poor nutrition for a goldfish and can affect water quality once any uneaten pieces break down, so it is better to stick to food made specifically for goldfish.
- How often should I feed my goldfish?
- Small amounts a couple of times a day, giving only what your goldfish can eat within a couple of minutes, works better than one large feed. Goldfish are prone to overeating, so a modest, regular routine is more reliable than judging by appetite alone.
- Why is overfeeding bad for goldfish?
- Goldfish do not have a stomach in the way many animals do, so they are prone to eating more than they can properly process. Uneaten food also breaks down in the water and can affect water quality, which creates a second problem on top of the first.
- Do goldfish need different food to tropical fish?
- Yes, goldfish have different nutritional needs and feeding habits to many tropical fish, so a food made specifically for goldfish, rather than a generic tropical flake, better suits how and what they are built to eat.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.