first of all, i just want to state for the record that although i am a vegetarian, i don't think it's right to enforce my diet on omnivorous or carnivorous animals. i'm just asking this question for a friend, who won't be reading this, so i don't really need to hear any philosophical arguments about feeding goldfish a vegetarian diet.

i was just wondering if it was possible to make homemade food for goldfish that will fill their nutritional needs without meat or fish ingredients. my friend is a very strict vegan and basically just happened into some goldfish (another friend rescued a large number from a promotional giveaway), and he feels uncomfortable buying food with fish ingredients to feed to them. can he make them food with soy meal as a protein source (and remember, gelatin is not vegetarian either), or should he just realize that he needs to feed them regular food or give the fish to someone else?

thanks.

Hmm a very interesting question.

I do believe that goldfish can survive on a strictly vegetarian diet, but being omnivorous it means they do need some meat/fish to make their diet "whole", their health guaranteed, and their growth maximised.

Not sure about using soy, and not sure also on how to prepare it for goldfish consumption.

btw,

well, im a vegetarian too...and humans are techincally omnivours, but if we can survive healthily on just a vegetarian or vegan diet, maybe goldfish can too? i know that there are vegetarian dog foods and such, and dogs are quite carnivorus..i dont really know though...

Honestly, I wouldn't try it. Its safe for people to be vegetarians because of all those hundreds of years studying food and diet etc. There isn't too much on the dietary needs of goldfish to the point of meat substitute so I wouldn't risk it. Dogs are omnivores by the way, not carnivores.

agreed.

Btw soy are also too fiberous so not much protein will be absorbe on it's way through the intestinal track, since a goldfish has no stomach to seperate fiber and protein. Try wheat germ if you must with eggs since they're usually laid by unfertile hens I think it should be acceptable.

I'm not gonna guarenteed sufficiency in the diet though~

I'm also a vegi but my fish and cat have a meat staple in their diet. If your friend goes for the vegi diet then you can buy geletine substitutes that have ne animal by products in. I think Agar flakes are one of them.

I'm a vegetarian too and wondered about this. Though I have to admit that I don't have any problems feeding bloodworms because they're mosquito larvae and I have no qualms with killing mosquitos because they try to eat me and give me diseases and other horrible things! I wonder if we could come up with a nutritious diet that just contains bloodworms as a protein and not other fish or things that I feel bad about killing.