Fish bugs are a high-quality natural live food for ornamental fish

Fish bugs is the common name for a group of small planktonic animals in water bodies. In ornamental fish keeping, the most commonly seen are cladocerans, that is, the water fleas often referred to as daphnia, and they also include copepods and rotifers. They are tiny, mostly reddish-brown or bluish-gray, and are widely distributed in ponds, pits and ditches with relatively fertile water. They are a high-quality natural live food for ornamental fish such as goldfish and tropical fish.

Fish bugs have high nutritional value, containing abundant protein and various nutrients, and they are highly palatable. Ornamental fish grow quickly and look well after eating them. Live fish bugs swimming in the water can also stimulate the fish's natural predatory instinct and increase their activity. In warm seasons, waters with suitable temperature and fertile water quality often see fish bugs bloom heavily, with large numbers of them floating and gathering, making them easy to scoop up and use.

When scooping fish bugs, generally choose waters with relatively clean water quality and simply scoop them from the surface with a net. The fish bugs brought back often contain mud, sand and impurities, so they need to be rinsed repeatedly in clean water, with dead bugs and dirt picked out, and only fed after they are confirmed clean. When feeding, supply an appropriate amount according to the size and number of the fish to avoid leftover food sinking to the bottom and fouling the water.

If a large amount of fish bugs is scooped at one time and cannot be eaten in a short period, they can be spread out and stored in a cool, ventilated place, or preserved by low-temperature freezing, to prevent them from heating up in a pile and dying and spoiling. It should be noted that wild fish bugs may carry pathogens or parasites, so they must be cleaned and handled thoroughly before feeding, and they can also be frozen before feeding to reduce the risk of disease.