Environmental enrichment — that is, adapting the environment to encourage natural behaviors — is key to animal welfare. The goal is to minimize stress and boredom in captive creatures, which also include fish and other aquatic animals.

Many ornamental fish are just one or two generations out of the wild, so anything countering the stress of captivity is a plus. Take diets, for example. Whether your aquatic pal eats animal flesh, plants or a combination, a variety of that food type is welcome. Options include live or liquid food; flakes, gels or pellets; or just varied shapes and colors. Depending on an animal’s feeding behavior, you might try floating food or sinking snacks. Altering feeding times and locations will also mimic natural conditions.

So when it comes to enriching a pet’s life, fish need as much attention as our other buddies.