Rule 1 of keeping tropical fish is you should never overfeed them. Don't turn your aquarium into a snow dome! If your fish are still chomping five minutes after you dropped the flakes in, you've given them too much. Uneaten flakes will drift into the nooks and crannies, and rot causing water pollution, which in turn will lead to disease. Some fish, such as the discus are very sensitive to water pollution, and with these species it is best to feed them very little and often. But for most kinds of tropical fish, twice a day should be sufficient. Just be careful that everyone else in the house knows that the fish have been fed to prevent doubling up.

Just like we humans, your fish will appreciate variation in their meals. If you had the same food put down in front of you for breakfast, lunch and dinner for months on end you would soon grow tired. There is a huge range of fish food on the market nowadays and it's a good idea to keep at least two different kinds of food to keep your fish interested at dinnertime. For the average hobbyist, he will do well to buy small jars and replacing them regularly. It might be cheaper to buy in bulk, but tropical fish food does, in fact, deteriorate over time and this way you can help keep food fresh.

There are some flakes on the marked designed especially to bring out your fishes' colours for a more attractive display. Some freeze dried foods, such as bloodworm and brine shrimp, can be helpful with breeding. Live food is brilliant, being much closer to what your fish would eat in the world, and makes for a nice treat. It isn't recommended that you go out and catch your own as this can easily introduce disease to your aquarium. Live food is readily available for purchase.

If you're off on hols, your fish should do just fine without being fed for a few days. Beware they may just nibble at any live plants, however. If it'll be longer than that and you have a relative or a friend to rely on, then so much the better. It's best to show them yourself how much food your fish leave rather than leave it to them to decide. Most people are tempted to give much more than your fish really need, which will lead to a homecoming nightmare. There are now automatic feeders on the market for tropical aquariums which are the ultimate answer. These can facilitate several feedings per day, with separate storage bays for different types of food!