Domestic duck owners may be surprised to hear that their winged companions will eat fish as part of a regular, healthy diet. Ducks are omnivores and will consume both plants and small creatures, including fish, if available.
If you have a backyard duck, you may want to offer them an assortment of aquatic fish for a well-balanced diet.
What Kind of Fish Do Ducks Eat?
The type of fish that your duck will eat depends mainly on its size. As a general rule, smaller ducks are not capable of consuming large fish. The restriction is due to how a duck eats by swallowing its food whole. Therefore, ducks will simply not eat fish that are too big to swallow.
The bigger their bill is, the larger fish they can fit in to eat. Typically, a duck will easily feast on fish up to four or five centimeters in length.
They are also known to consume fish eggs if they are available. Ducks are foragers and will consume anything that is in season and there for the picking. Smaller fish species that are common for ducks to eat include:
- Minnows
- Guppies
- Graylings
- Mosquito fish
- Small goldfish
If you have a larger duck as a pet, you may be surprised to learn that they love to feast upon these larger fish species:
- Trout
- Koi
- Chubs
- Large goldfish
Situations of ducks eating dead fish in the wild are not an everyday occurrence, as ducks are not scavenger birds like seagulls. However, if live fish are not present and the food sources are scarce, it may be tempting for a wild duck to eat dead fish to survive.
Why do Ducks Eat Fish?
Ducks will follow an omnivore diet, meaning they will consume plants and animal life for their necessary nutrients. Wild ducks are highly dependent on their environment and will forage for food that is within their proximity. Alternatively, domestic ducks rely on their owners to provide them with a balanced diet for a long and healthy life.
Fish provide ducks with a host of essential nutrients, including protein and omega-3 fatty acids necessary for proper growth and development throughout their life. In addition, these aquatic lifeforms help keep your duck full and satisfied while providing the calcium required to produce strong eggs in female ducks.
Do Ducks Eat Fish in Garden Ponds?
If you have domestic ducks at home with garden ponds, you should expect to see them diving and foraging in the water at some time. Ducks are curious creatures, and unless you have a protective fence around your ponds, your webbed-footed friends will find a way in there and eat any small fish present.
Can Fish and Ducks Live Together?
If you want to have your duck and fish coexist together, remember the general rule of size. A duck will not eat fish larger than their bill since they cannot swallow it whole. So choose fish that are too big for your duck to eat to avoid your aquatic life being a snack for your ducks.
So, if you are wondering if ducks eat goldfish in ponds, you should be aware that it can happen if they are small enough.
If you want to keep ducks out of your garden pond entirely, you will need to secure the area to keep them from accessing the water. You will need a fence high enough around the section so ducks cannot fly above it. If there is a way for the ducks to get through or over the perimeter, they will find it, so it needs to be secure.
Should I Put Fish in My Duck Pond?
Domestic duck owners contemplating putting fish in a duck pond will need to consider if the fish will be for show or feed their ducks. If you want to keep fish permanently in your pond, they should be large enough so ducks cannot eat them. On the other hand, if you aim to provide fish as part of a healthy diet for your domestic ducks, by all means, include fish in your duck pond.
One element to consider when having ducks and fish coexisting is that ducks are messy creatures. They will paddle through mud and dirt and jump around in the water, creating a mess. In addition, they will forage on marine life that helps keep your pond from building up algae. Ducks can pose a significant problem in smaller ponds where fish are present by introducing dirt, debris, and even bacteria into the water. These factors can have detrimental effects on your fish.
The Best Way to Feed Fish to a Duck
If you want to offer fish as a nutritious meal option to your domestic duck, you can add small minnows or other tiny fish to their pond or place them in a shallow dish of water. Your ducks will gladly feast on these aquatic treats when you make them available.
Try not to add too many small fish to their duck pond at once, though. You do not want the fish to die and create algae or bacterial problems if they decay in the water without being eaten. Consequently, fish are very filling to ducks, and they may not eat all of them at once.
Monitor their consumption so you can gauge how many minnows or small fish to offer them at a time. By stretching out these feedings, you can keep bacteria from building up in your duck pond, which can cause problems for your waterfowl’s health.
In Conclusion
Fish are a terrific way for wild and domestic ducks to get various essential nutrients and proteins. However, if you are unsure of providing fish to your ducks, remember to keep them small so that they will fit inside your duck’s bill, making them easy to swallow whole.
If you do not want your ducks to eat the fish in your garden pond, ensure there are protective measures in place so your aquatic life is safe from your webbed-footed friends.