Hepper is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

5 Best Foods for Cardinal Tetras in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Lindsey Stanton Profile Picture

By Lindsey Stanton

Cardinal tetra

Cardinal Tetras are not known for being picky eaters generally. However, it’s important to provide them with a well-balanced diet to ensure they remain healthy and happy. Today we want to talk about the best foods for cardinal tetras, some general information about their diet, and also answer some commonly asked feeding questions.

fish divider

Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Freeze Dried Bloodworms Freeze Dried Bloodworms
  • Can be used as an occasional snack
  • Packed with protein and fiber
  • Best Value
    Second place
    New Life Spectrum Flakes New Life Spectrum Flakes
  • Loaded with color enhancing pigments
  • Contain a mix of vitamins
  • minerals
  • and protein
  • Made in the USA
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp
  • Parasite-free
  • Do not contain additives
  • chemicals
  • or preservatives
  • Can be used as an occasional snack
  • New Life Spectrum Sinking Pellets New Life Spectrum Sinking Pellets
  • Made in the USA
  • High protein formula
  • Helps strengthen the immune system
  • Freeze Dried Daphnia Freeze Dried Daphnia
  • Enriched with vitamins
  • minerals
  • and protein
  • Parasite-free
  • Helps reduce stress
  • The 5 Best Foods for Cardinal Tetras

    Here are some of the best foods that you can be feeding to your cardinal tetras, each of which is ideal in its own way.

    1. Freeze Dried Bloodworms – Best Overall

    SAN FRANCISCO BAY Brand Freeze Dried Bloodworms

    Check Price on Chewy

    Bloodworms always make a good snack for cardinal tetras and for all sorts of fish. Cardinal tetras need a lot of flake food, and these bloodworms should be used as an occasional snack. That being said, bloodworms are packed to the brim with protein and fiber, and the fiber is especially good for the digestive system. These bloodworms, in particular, are freeze-dried, which means that they are safe and free of parasites.

    Pros
    • High in protein
    • Supports gastrointestinal health with healthy fiber
    • Free of parasites

    Cons
    • Should only be used as a treat
    • May need to be soaked before feeding 


    2. New Life Spectrum Flakes – Best Value

    New Life Spectrum Optimum All Purpose Flakes for Fish

    One of the things that really stands out about these particular fish flakes is that they are loaded with color-enhancing pigments. In other words, this is the kind of food that will help make your cardinal tetras even brighter and more colorful.

    These are all-purpose fish food flakes made in the USA, and they are very high quality. They are made with quality ingredients designed to provide your fish with a mix of vitamins, minerals, and protein. This food is also ideal to help increase digestive efficiency, plus it’s great for the immune system too. The main ingredients include fish meal and krill meal, but there are others too.

    Pros
    • Contain color-enhancing pigments
    • High quality and made in the USA
    • High in vitamins, minerals, and protein
    • Supports gastrointestinal health and immunity

    Cons
    • Large flakes may need to be crumbled before feeding
    • Color enhancement may take time to be noticeable


    3. Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp – Premium Choice

    Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp Cubes

    Just like with the bloodworms, these brine shrimp have been freeze-dried, which means that they are parasite free and much safer for fish to consume than live foods. Remember that these are compacted brine shrimp cubes that you can break apart.

    It is nice that these brine shrimp do not contain additives, chemicals, or preservatives. This stuff has an insane protein content plus some other vitamins and minerals. Keep in mind that brine shrimp should be used as an occasional snack but not as the main source of nourishment.

    Pros
    • Free of parasites
    • No additives, colors, or preservatives
    • High in protein
    • Great treat

    Cons
    • Compacted cubes need to be broken apart
    • May need to be soaked before feeding
    • Should only be used as a treat


    4. New Life Spectrum Sinking Pellets

    New Life Spectrum Thera A Regular Formula

    Here we have some very high-quality sinking pellets for your tetras. Don’t worry; they sink slowly and are definitely small enough for cardinal tetras to eat. We like how these pellets are made in the USA and are made with high-quality ingredients. This is a high-protein formula that will provide your fish with tons of energy.

    These pellets will meet the nutritional requirements of your cardinal tetras. The ingredients are designed to help ease the digestion process, strengthen the immune system, and make the colors on your neon tetra really pop.

    Pros
    • High quality and made in the USA
    • Slow sinking
    • High in protein
    • Supports gastrointestinal health and immunity

    Cons
    • May be too large for smaller cardinal tetras
    • May need to be crumbled before feeding
    • Color enhancement may take time to be noticeable


    5. Freeze Dried Daphnia

    Freeze Dried Daphnia Fish Food for Betta

    This is another food that can be given to your cardinal tetras on an occasional basis. Unlike the brine shrimp or blood worms, these daphnia are enriched with tons of vitamins, minerals, and extra protein. So, this means that you can feed these to your tetras more often than the other snacks, as they help to provide a nutritionally balanced diet.

    These freeze-dried daphnias are also parasite-free and perfectly safe to eat. At the end of the day, this is a fairly well-balanced choice that can help reduce stress and increase immune function too.

    Pros
    • Enriched with additional nutrients
    • Parasite free
    • May reduce stress and improve immunity

    Cons
    • May need to be soaked before feeding
    • Should only be used as a treat
    • Some fish do not care for this food

    fish divider

    FAQs

    Cardinal Tetra Diet

    The cardinal tetra is an omnivorous fish that eats a wide variety of foods in the wild. They will eat a variety of insect larvae and very small insects, brine shrimp, other small crustaceans, some plant matter, as well as algae. Cardinal tetras are pretty opportunistic eaters, and they aren’t picky either. They will eat mostly whatever they can catch, as long as it fits in their mouths.

    In captivity, these fish will benefit from eating a variety of foods, but that said, about 75% of their diet should consist of high-quality flake fish food. Keep in mind that cardinal tetras have very high vitamin requirements, plus they need a good deal of protein too. You can also throw in a mix of live, frozen, and freeze-dried foods for the other 25% of their dietary requirements.

    How Often Should I Feed Cardinal Tetras?

    Cardinal tetras should be fed twice per day and no more than they can eat in about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overfeed them, as this is quite easy to do.

    How Long Can Cardinal Tetras Go Without Food?

    Most fish can go for about 2 weeks without food, but cardinal tetras are very small. They cannot eat or hold a lot of food in their systems at once. The most cardinal tetras can go without being fed is around 5 to 8 days.

    Cardinal tetra
    Image Credit: chonlasub woravichan, Shutterstock

    What’s The Ideal Feeding Schedule for Cardinal Tetras?

    The best feeding schedule for cardinal tetras is once in the early morning and once later at night. Fish in the wild usually eat at dusk and dawn, and that is when you want to feed them.

    Will Cardinal Tetras Eat Cherry Shrimp?

    Cardinal tetras may eat very young and small shrimp. However,  for the most part, these cherry shrimp, at least fully grown ones, are too large for cardinal tetras to eat.

    Do Cardinal Tetras Eat Algae?

    Yes, cardinal tetras will eat a bit of algae when they feel like it, but it’s not their favorite food. Although they may nibble on algae from time to time, they are not really considered to be algae-eating fish.

    aquarium plant divider

    Conclusion

    There you have it: everything you need to know about feeding your cardinal tetras. Some basic fish flakes or pellets along with some meaty snacks should do the trick. Just remember that these fish require a lot of vitamins!


    Featured Image Credit: InsectWorld, Shutterstock

    Related Articles

    Further Reading

    Vet Articles

    Latest Vet Answers

    The latest veterinarians' answers to questions from our database