GoldfishWhat can a goldfish eat?
12 foods checked against vets’ sources: what’s fine, what only now and then, and what never.
Every day
Once a day, only what it eats in under 2 minutes: it would eat all day, but leftover food poisons the water. Goldfish food; for fancy goldfish (short, round body), sinking pellets, not flakes. With several fish, put food in two spots. Below 8 °C (46 °F), feed less.
No food matches: if it isn’t on the list, ask your vet before giving it.
Never
Floating flakes and pellets for fancy goldfishNo
Fancy goldfish (short, round bodies) swallow air when feeding at the surface and then struggle with buoyancy: sinking pellets are better.
Holiday feeding blocksNo
They release a lot of food quickly, which rots and spoils the water. Better to ask someone to drop by, or use a checked automatic feeder.
Source: RSPCA: What To Feed Your Fish
Meat and offalNo
Fish digest mammal fats poorly (beef heart, meat, offal).
Plants and critters collected from ponds or ditchesNo
They can bring parasites or disease into the aquarium.
Tropical fish foodNo
It has different nutrient levels from what goldfish need: buy the right one.
Source: RSPCA: What To Feed Your Fish
Only now and then, a little
Brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworm (frozen)A little
They're a good extra, but high in protein: only a little for goldfish.
How much: Now and then, only a few.
Source: RSPCA: What To Feed Your Fish
Freeze-dried foodA little
Soak it in water before feeding, or it can upset digestion.
How much: Now and then, always soaked first.
Fine
Blanched spinach and lettuceYes
Chopped or blanched leafy greens are a good extra.
How much: As an extra, a few times a week.
Source: RSPCA: What To Feed Your Fish
Goldfish food (flakes or granules)Yes
It's the staple: goldfish need more carbohydrates than other fish, so they need food made for them.
How much: Little: once a day, as much as it eats in under 2 minutes (RSPCA Australia). Better too little than too much: leftovers foul the water.
Lightly cooked courgette (zucchini)Yes
Fresh vegetables provide B and C vitamins.
How much: As an extra, a few times a week.
Live aquarium plantsYes
Goldfish happily nibble them: they're food too. Buy them from an aquarium shop, don't collect them from the wild.
Peas (scalded and shelled)Yes
Goldfish love them, and they're good plant food for variety.
How much: As an extra, a few times a week.
Source: RSPCA: What To Feed Your Fish
When to call the vet Emergency: who to call
What other pets can eat
Rabbit Guinea pig Hamster Pet rat Ferret Canary Budgies Cockatiel Lovebirds Tortoise Red-eared slider Leopard gecko Bearded dragon Betta fish Dogs and cats: can my pet eat it?
Sources
- RSPCA Australia: How should I care for my goldfish? (checked on October 14, 2026)
- RSPCA: What To Feed Your Fish (checked on October 14, 2026)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Providing a Home for Fish (checked on October 14, 2026)