Fish that can live on a vegan diet

[miss.lottie]

Hello everyone!
I am new to this forum and this is my first ever post.
I am currently conducting research for an article I'm planning to write for vegan magazine about which species of freshwater aquarium fish can be raised on fully vegan diets and how/what to feed them (my own fish are not vegan, but this article will be for anyone who is curious about whether or not their pet fish can live on a vegan diet, and if not, which ones can). So far I my research seems to have concluded that certain mostly-herbivorous species like mollies, silver dollars, pacus, farlowellas, tropheus cichlids, plecos, corys and goldfish can easily thrive on a vegan diet of things like Repashy's Super Green gel, Algae Wafers and fresh algae, fruits and vegetables, but I am curious to know whether anyone else here agrees with these findings. I have heard some people say that other livebearer species like guppies and platies and barbs can also subsist on a vegan diet, but I have yet to confirm whether this is true or not, and would really appreciate it if anyone could give me an expert opinion.
Please let me know your thoughts on this!

 

[Potluck]

I only feed my fish veggie flakes with spirulina

Edit: I take that back I feed them blood worms once a week but they don't have to have blood worms is just good for them.

 

[Delapool]

Hi! welcome.

Do you mean a diet that is just free of meat, fish or poultry (had to look that up ).

Or is it purely all-natural vegetable-based eg say no artificial vitamins or food additives?

 

[Potluck]

You can have supplements on the vegan diet because the vegan diet cuts out food that carry calcium, I honestly have no idea what they mean. As most fish can survive in strictly veggie flakes /veggies.

 

[miss.lottie]

Yes, artificial vitamins and non-fresh foods are fine so long as they don't contain animal products or by-products.

 

[Delapool]

Many thanks for the information.

It's an interesting question. I'm a little dubious on the concept I confess. Every community tropical fish I've kept will happily eat things like brine shrimp making them more a omnivore than purely herbivore (even if say a Molly is herbivore 90% of the time). In addition all common live bearers I've kept will chase down their own fry unless heavily planted.

So I guess while open to the idea and more vegetables in their diet is a good thing, not completely convinced to change over.

I do remain convinced that a planted tank is better for their diet (at least I tell myself that!). And that diet variety is also good.

One fish that may come close (but is just a guess as have never kept), is mbuna. I was thinking that may fit but just saw one link suggesting the algae they graze on in the wild would also have small crustaceans.

 

[bullyboy]

...wait 5 minutes

 

[bullyboy]

Otos....thats it haha

 

[Coursair]

Corydoras are NOT vegan !!! They eat a MEAT based diet. They will supplement with algae wafers, but breeders condition them with live black worms and brine shrimp.

People have killed Cories trying to feed them only algae wafers. Catfish pellets are meat based.

Via Planet Catfish:
"Now the potential breeding group need to be given the best diet possible get them into the best possible condition for breeding. A staple daily diet of a quality flake or tablet food alternated with live or frozen foods. Daphnia, Tubifex, bloodworm or Cyclops would be ideal."

 

[Delapool]

I'd be curious to hear from the OP on the supporting research. Certainly an interesting topic.

 

[GuppyGuy333]

I don't know if you can include invertebrates in your article but perhaps snails or shrimp.
Though I think many shrimp are detritivores so they will eat dead meat? Ghost shrimp are sometimes known to try and catch sick or dying fish and finish them off. My cherry shrimp eat some of the leftovers of the shrimp pellets I give my bottom feeders.

My mollies are known to eat bloodworms and nibble on some shrimp pellets as well.
My corys LOVE shrimp pellets.

Good luck on your article!

 

[Coursair]

Some Plecos are greens based. Some have to have wood and some are meat based. There are a ton of Pleco species.

But certainly, a few at least would be fine without meat.