Guppies can eat strawberries in small amounts. Although this fruit isn’t typically part of a guppy’s diet in the wild, you can still sparingly feed it to your fish. Strawberries are pretty nutritious and might actually help your guppies grow healthier.
In this article, we’ll tell you how guppies can eat strawberries and why you should feed them these fruits. Plus, we’ll cover the possible downsides that may happen to your guppies if you don’t properly serve the strawberries.
Let’s begin!
Can Guppies Eat Strawberries?
Strawberries are a source of plant-based proteins. If you know anything about guppies, you’re aware that they’re omnivores. This means that they need both meat and plant-based protein in order to survive.
Keep in mind too that fruits aren’t part of a guppy’s diet in the wild. Their native habitats are the tropical forests of north and southeast America where no fruits are typically found.
In other words, your pet guppies might be wary of eating strawberries because of this. Luckily though, these fish are known for having big appetites and won’t shy away from trying out new things, especially since strawberries are colorful and seem attractive to fish.
All things considered, you certainly can feed your pet guppies strawberries. It’s just a matter of how to correctly prepare the fruit beforehand.
How to Feed Strawberries to Guppies
Generally speaking, giving fruits to guppies is a complicated business. There’s a whole process behind making sure that they won’t cause your pet fish any harm.
This doesn’t change when it comes to feeding them strawberries. In fact, you need to keep the following steps in mind so that your guppies will enjoy nibbling on them:
- Always go for fresh fruit rather than canned ones.
- Check that the strawberries are ripe before purchasing.
- Your strawberries should be juicy with no yellow or green parts.
- Remove any rotten parts you find and discard them.
- Thoroughly wash off the residue of pesticide and insecticide.
- Peel off each strawberry’s skin with a knife to remove the seeds.
- Split every strawberry in half.
- Dice each half strawberry into four or five small cubes.
How to Get Your Guppies to Eat Strawberries
Now that you’ve properly washed and cut up your strawberries, it’s time to get your guppies to actually eat them.
There are many ways to go about that, including the following:
Start Small
Although strawberries look appealing, they might not seem attractive to your guppies right away. That’s why you should start small.
Throw in two to three cubes first and wait to see what happens. If your pet fish reacts favorably, then you can try again after a week or more.
Combine With Pellets
An old trick most fish owners do when introducing new foods to their pets is to mix them in with dry pellets.
In a blender, throw in a cup or two of dry fish pellets along with a handful of strawberry cubes. Introduce the mixture to your guppies every two weeks.
Use Toothpicks
A simple method to see whether or not your guppies will favor eating strawberries is to use toothpicks. Poke a pick into a piece of strawberry then dangle it to your fish and see how they’ll react.
Pro tip: try freezing the strawberry cubes overnight. This way it’s easier to get a toothpick through it without it falling off.
Get a Vegetable Clip
You can set up a vegetable clip into your fish tank to fill it up with fresh strawberries. It’ll help keep the fruit in place while your guppies nibble on it.
If your pet guppies are used to eating from vegetable clips, even better! This means they won’t shy away from trying whatever new things you put in there.
How to Choose the Right Strawberry for Your Guppies
Picking out strawberries that are ripe and well-grown is how you’ll get your guppies to eat them.
There’s a method to this, of course, so remember these tips the next time you go shopping for strawberries:
- Avoid buying strawberries during growing seasons (mid-June to July) since the harvest is covered with pesticides and other chemicals.
- Don’t go for strawberries that are hard to the touch as they’ll be harder for your guppies to digest.
- A ripe strawberry has a juicy, bright red color and has no white coloration on its skin.
Once at their ripening stage, strawberries will decay fast. So, remember to purchase just enough to accommodate your guppies’ needs.
Why Should Guppies Eat Strawberries?
Strawberries are rich in antioxidants, meaning they contain high amounts of minerals and fibers. These are all dietary requirements that every fish needs.
Not just that, but strawberries also have more manganese and vitamin C levels than most fruits. Both of which are necessary nutrients for your pet guppies.
Another added benefit is that strawberries are considered natural, preventive medicine to guppies. Eating strawberries will help avoid cancer and relieve multiple digestive problems in fish, such as constipation.
Last but not least, the vitamins C and A found in strawberries will help promote healthier eyes and skin. You should notice a boost in your guppies’ immunity too.
How Often Should Guppies Eat Strawberries?
Fruits are best given to guppies in moderation, and strawberries are no exception to that rule.
The recommended feeding dose is one strawberry piece per guppy. Wait for a minimum of 14 days before you feed them strawberries again.
If you decide to feed your guppies a mixture of pellets and strawberries, the feeding dose will remain the same. However, you’ll have to wait 15 to 20 days before their next feeding.
Conclusion
Can guppies eat strawberries? Yes, your pet guppy is able to have fresh strawberries so long as it’s not often.
You need to make sure that the strawberries are ripened so that they’ll provide the right nutrition for your guppies.
Additionally, you’ll need to keep in mind how to clean the strawberries and properly serve them up to your guppies. This is how you can get your fish to fully benefit from eating strawberries.
Your guppies will surely thank you!