One question I am frequently asked is ‘Can guppies eat bread?’ No, guppies should never be fed bread. Bread contains yeast and gluten, both of which can be difficult for guppies to digest. Bread can also cause digestion issues for your guppies, give them constipation and cause swim bladder disorder.
Guppies have been a favorite in the fishkeeping hobby since the late 1960s. They are colorful, easy-going, and hardy. I have been keeping and breeding guppies for nearly 30 years. One of the best things about guppies is the fact they are so undemanding when it comes to feeding. They will eat almost anything. However, just because they WILL eat anything, doesn’t mean they SHOULD!
When researching for this article I decided to feed my guppy’s bread to see what would happen. Needless to say, my guppies readily ate the bread, however, it wasn’t long before I started to see issues with my guppies.
Why Is Bread Bad For Guppies?
Bread offers guppies almost nothing nutritionally. To remain healthy, colorful, and grow properly, guppies need a diet that contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. Bread literally contains nothing the guppies can use.
When I fed my guppy’s bread, I noticed very early on that they were suffering from bloat and constipation. Their stomachs were clearly swollen and their poop became long and stringy (a clear sign of constipation). Some of the guppies appeared sluggish and spent more time sitting on the bottom of the aquarium than swimming around.
Feeding guppy’s bread also has another issue. When the bread is dropped into the aquarium it instantly absorbs water and begins to break up. As it breaks up it sinks and may well fall between rocks, into plants, or behind decorations. Unfortunately, this uneaten bread will quickly start to rot and as it does it will quickly pollute your water.
What Should A Guppy Eat?
Guppies need a balanced diet to be healthy. Most good-quality commercial fish foods contain everything your guppy needs. For many years I have fed my guppies a combination of Tetra Flake, Vibra Bites by Hikari, and Bug Bits from Fluval (more on Fluval Bug Bites in this article).
I feed a selection of fish foods 5 or 6 days a week and then I feed either live or frozen bloodworms the other days. The addition of bloodworms brings in more vitamins and minerals to ensure my guppies are as healthy as can be. I have written more articles about guppies eating bloodworms in this article and guppies eating mosquito larvae in this article.
What Human Foods Can Guppies Eat?
There are some human foods guppies can eat. I sometimes give my guppies some green beans from a can or a little piece of cucumber. They will pick at both.
Guppies can also eat broccoli, peas, spinach, lettuce, and zucchini. All of these foods should be fed in moderation. It is always best to add a little piece, then feed your guppies more if they eat it all. If you put a large piece of food in, it may start to rot before the guppies have a chance to eat it.
In Conclusion
In my experience, guppies should never be fed bread. I tested it and I can say from first-hand experience it does them no good at all. The bread will bloat your fish and spoil your aquarium water. There are lots of good quality fish foods on the market. You are much better off feeding those to your guppies
