What do fish like to eat?
Just as fish are extremely diverse, so is the food they eat. While some classify fish as carnivores, others are herbivores or omnivores. Some fish feed on small organisms, algae or detritus, while others only go after larger prey, like other fish. Usually, the food a fish eats varies based on its biology, size, and environment. That said, some bigger fish, like whale shark, only targets small foods such as plankton. With this in mind, it’s important to recognize that the nutritional needs of fish can vary by species. This is why conservation is so important, and small changes to an environment can create a ripple effect that affects countless species. It would take too long to go through all the different foods that fish eat in this article. That’s why we’ve narrowed down the list to 10 foods that fish commonly eat. These foods include:
- zooplankton
- jellyfish
- sponges
- algae
- shellfish
- mollusks
- worms
- insects
- other fish
- small mammals
- Small amphibians and reptiles
In general, most fish need some meat in their diet, which they get from insects, worms or smaller fish. Meanwhile, larger, carnivorous fish will feed mainly on other fish, small mammals or… birds. In general, the larger the fish, the larger the prey it will target and consume. Geography also plays an important role in a fish’s diet as some fish are limited in their food choices.