Do Fish Eat Bread?

Have you ever been to the lake or visited a pond where people were feeding wild fish bread? This is a common site all around the world. In fact, just before Christmas in the Czech Republic, people buy a large, live carp (specially raised as a food source) then take it home to put it in the bathtub. In the days leading up to Christmas Eve, the family will feed the fish bread.

It’s also common for fish pet parents to feed their tropical fish bread when they run out of regular fish food. The fish seem to be OK, or are they?

However, it’s really never a good idea to feed bread to any type of fish, including your tropical fish.

Feeding Fish with Bread

The main issue with feeding fish bread is that the bread is made with yeast. This something fish simply weren’t made to it. In fact, the typical wild fish’s diet does not include yeast. And there’s a reason why.

When the fish eat bread made with yeast, the yeast expands inside the fish’s digestive system. This can lead to bloat and constipation, both of which can be deadly in fish.

In addition, bread contains other ingredients that are not healthy for fish including sugar, salt, and more.

Bread also tends to fall apart in the water, which means the bread not eaten by your fish will sink to the bottom. This can lead to contamination of the water, the bread becoming stuck in the aquarium filter, and more.

Bread & Fish: Other Health Risks

In addition to constipation and bloat, feeding bread to your fish can also have other consequences including:

• Swelling: in the stomach
• Poisoning: from the accumulation of waste in the fish’s digestive system.
• Lower metabolism: the fish will simply be unable to move, which leads to lower metabolism

What to Do if Your Fish Has Eaten Bread

If your fish has eaten bread and is showing symptoms of constipation and bloating, the first thing to do is give them some type of fiber fish food. This usually works to ease constipation in fish. If the fish finally poops, then it’s a good idea to clean the water to remove all debris, including any bits of bread left in the tank.

If the fish doesn’t get relief from the fiber fish food, then it’s time to the call the vet. They may be able to suggest medications and effective treatments to help your fish.