Pellets vs flakes?

[MaggstAa]

For five months I fed my two common goldfish in a bowl flakes, and they had a schedule and routine and ate together just fine. After one of them unfortunately fell ill and passed away, we moved the survivor and a new fancy goldfish friend into a bigger tank. Our pet store guy and some independent research said it'd be better to switch them over to pellets for food. We have done this, but since then I notice that the new fancy goldfish storms around and gulps all of them down before the other common gets a chance, then he gets bitter and chases the fancy around for not sharing, and then he's stuck picking in the plants all night because he is hungry. I think they ate more nicely together with the flakes, is there really that much of a difference in the quality or whatnot?

 

[jwh0818]

Yes, pellets are better and for goldys I would get sinking pellets. Goldfish are best fed smaller meals a few times a day because they are always searching for food. When I had goldfish, I would even throw in some pellets 2 hours after the lights are off because they WILL eat everything. Sounds like that goldy is just being a pig. Try feeding smaller ammounts more times a day like 3 small pinches a day and 2-3 hours after lights out feed a slightly bigger pinch scattered everywhere. They will thank you and not gulp food down faster.

 

[MaggstAa]

Ok that's another question I had, how many pellets is a good amount per feeding? The first time my bf poured in way too much and the fancy ate everything and blew up like a balloon until she pooped everything out (sorry if that's TMI ), so I've been trying like one to two pinches scattered around the tank but she is crazy and grabs everything within a minute while my other poor guy is probably starving. What is so much better about the pellets anyway?

 

[jwh0818]

Ok that's another question I had, how many pellets is a good amount per feeding? The first time my bf poured in way too much and the fancy ate everything and blew up like a balloon until she pooped everything out (sorry if that's TMI ), so I've been trying like one to two pinches scattered around the tank but she is crazy and grabs everything within a minute while my other poor guy is probably starving. What is so much better about the pellets anyway?

Okay what size tank are they in?

 

[MaggstAa]

20-something liter so I guess a 5 or 6 gallon

 

[jwh0818]

If you only have 2 goldfish I would suggest a bigger tank. A fancy goldy needs 30g and plus 10g for each extra goldfish. What are you testing your water with?

 

[Matt68005]

I would go with floating pellets or flakes and throw in some bloodworms. Sinking pellets go uneaten in the substrate and cause ammonia. At least with floating you can scoop them out if you feed too much or they miss some.

 

[MaggstAa]

Since my comet wasn't getting any food I switched them back over to flakes and now they both are getting a good share, but still the comet is being such a bully even when he is getting food now! He used to be so shy (always hiding and a bit scared), so weird ever since we've put them into the bigger tank...it seems all they do is forage and forage (even after feeding time is over, constantly picking in the plants and in the gravel etc.), when before they were in the bowl they were quite docile and just swam around calmly...

 

[Roz]

Since my comet wasn't getting any food I switched them back over to flakes and now they both are getting a good share, but still the comet is being such a bully even when he is getting food now! He used to be so shy (always hiding and a bit scared), so weird ever since we've put them into the bigger tank...it seems all they do is forage and forage (even after feeding time is over, constantly picking in the plants and in the gravel etc.), when before they were in the bowl they were quite docile and just swam around calmly...

They sound happier to me, if that's how their behaviour has changed from bowl to tank. The little guys are acting normally with the constant foraging