Tetra color flakes

[CharlieKlein]

I have a 37 gallon aquarium with only 3 schools of fish so far, 3 of each- lamp eye tetras, zebra danios, and good barbs. The gold barbs are the newest addition. I bought tetra color flakes and the majority of the flakes are large. The gold babe and zebra danios are nibbling on them, but are they to big for them to actually eat?

 

[armymp327]

just break them up in your hand before putting in the tank, does not have to go in their whole

and just my opinion there are much better food companys then tetra, tetra is mostly wheat and fillters like potato starch.

have a look at omega one and new life spectrum (pets mart carrys omega one) if you are interested in upgrading.

 

[Old Scales]

New life spectrum makes an excellent tiny size pellet food for small fish. It won't foul your water as bad as tetra flakes(or any flakes) nor will it put that light oily sheen on your water surface like flakes do. However if you already bought the tetra, use it up. Just rotate it with other food types. ie frozen & pellets. I'm going to all pellet/frozen food once my flakes are used up. OS

 

[CharlieKlein]

Thanks, I have been running of sample food till now. I bought the gold barbs today and remembers I needed food so I bought what I had ok the sample packet. I'll use up alot of this, then switch to a nicer brand. Especially because I'm getting German blue rams, I want high quality foods. I will also get pellets for my Cory catfish when I get them!

 

[Jbrock]

Thanks, I have been running of sample food till now. I bought the gold barbs today and remembers I needed food so I bought what I had ok the sample packet. I'll use up alot of this, then switch to a nicer brand. Especially because I'm getting German blue rams, I want high quality foods. I will also get pellets for my Cory catfish when I get them!

Corys are a lot of fun. Be sure to get all the same breed or species or whatever level the classification is. I have 3 peppered corys, plan on getting 2 more and they are awesome flipping and twisting around each other when they school.

 

[VOXGM]

just break them up in your hand before putting in the tank, does not have to go in their whole

and just my opinion there are much better food companys then tetra, tetra is mostly wheat and fillters like potato starch.

have a look at omega one and new life spectrum (pets mart carrys omega one) if you are interested in upgrading.

I agree. I use hikari pellets for my small tetras

 

[CharlieKlein]

Mabye getting Cory's today!!! Best type of pellet food?

 

[VOXGM]

Mine love shrimp pellets by omega one

 

[CharlieKlein]

Thank! I'll look into it! And just to make sure its good to get em today? I already have 3 shills of tetras and bars, and I'm gettin 4 Cory's, 2 gbr, an angel, and a pleco

 

[VOXGM]

Thank! I'll look into it! And just to make sure its good to get em today? I already have 3 shills of tetras and bars, and I'm gettin 4 Cory's, 2 gbr, an angel, and a pleco

Make sure you don't throw the tank off and create a mini cycle. Don't get a common pleco. A common pleco needs a tank size of 55-125g at max size. If u get a pleco, get a rubber lip, bristle nose or clown. These species only average about 4-5 inches compared to the common pleco that can reach 24 inchs(max, unusually only hits 18 in captivity.) common plecos are also waste factories at large sizes. I had one at 15 1/2 inchs.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I can recall years ago when I kept tropicals as a boy using nothing but Tetra's TetraFin flakes; this company was like the Rolls-Royce of the hobby back in the day. Since then, from all accounts, it has become mass-marketed bottom-rung stuff, including their once-coveted Whisper filter line...

That being said, I was feeding my goldfish their multi-colored "color enhancing" flakes as well, and the container itself is very convenient with its sliding "hatch door" so you don't have to touch the food...however, since then I had been advised to stay away from their foods due to what's in them as compared to the Hikaris, New Life Spectrums and Omega Ones of the world...I have since bought a container of the Omega One Goldfish Flakes which are supposed to have a more "premium" seafood content in them rather than fillers, but to be honest I don't see my goldfish reacting any "more interested" in these flakes compared to others...

I want to try New Life Spectrum's GENERAL FRESHWATER FLAKES or their GOLDFISH SINKING PELLETS, however with regard to the pellets, it seems any time I tried feeding these to the little guys -- via Tetra's own GOLDFISH SINKING GRANULES or their GOLDFISH CRISPS -- they don't seem to do as well with digestion as compared to the flake foods...it's the strangest thing, especially for goldfish which are SUPPOSED to take to pellets and sinking foods, but my guys tend to get "lethargic" and "confused" when "chewing" on the pellets...they don't seem to go down well, but I don't know if that's just because they were Tetra brand...I am going to eventually get a can of New Life Spectrum's goldfish pellets, but until then I am still feeding the Omega One Goldfish Flakes...

As for the suggestion of crumbling up the big flakes in your hand -- that's a good tip, and something I have been doing with almost every brand of flake I buy (even these Omega Ones) as my goldfish have an issue with larger pieces of food and getting them into their mouths (if you can believe that, given the...well..."big mouth" eating nature of these fish )...

 

[armymp327]

I can recall years ago when I kept tropicals as a boy using nothing but Tetra's TetraFin flakes; this company was like the Rolls-Royce of the hobby back in the day. Since then, from all accounts, it has become mass-marketed bottom-rung stuff, including their once-coveted Whisper filter line...

That being said, I was feeding my goldfish their multi-colored "color enhancing" flakes as well, and the container itself is very convenient with its sliding "hatch door" so you don't have to touch the food...however, since then I had been advised to stay away from their foods due to what's in them as compared to the Hikaris, New Life Spectrums and Omega Ones of the world...I have since bought a container of the Omega One Goldfish Flakes which are supposed to have a more "premium" seafood content in them rather than fillers, but to be honest I don't see my goldfish reacting any "more interested" in these flakes compared to others...

I want to try New Life Spectrum's GENERAL FRESHWATER FLAKES or their GOLDFISH SINKING PELLETS, however with regard to the pellets, it seems any time I tried feeding these to the little guys -- via Tetra's own GOLDFISH SINKING GRANULES or their GOLDFISH CRISPS -- they don't seem to do as well with digestion as compared to the flake foods...it's the strangest thing, especially for goldfish which are SUPPOSED to take to pellets and sinking foods, but my guys tend to get "lethargic" and "confused" when "chewing" on the pellets...they don't seem to go down well, but I don't know if that's just because they were Tetra brand...I am going to eventually get a can of New Life Spectrum's goldfish pellets, but until then I am still feeding the Omega One Goldfish Flakes...

As for the suggestion of crumbling up the big flakes in your hand -- that's a good tip, and something I have been doing with almost every brand of flake I buy (even these Omega Ones) as my goldfish have an issue with larger pieces of food and getting them into their mouths (if you can believe that, given the...well..."big mouth" eating nature of these fish )...

Any fish probably won't be more excited for omega one vs the cheaper brands, I like to explain it this way, its like trying to get a guy that's been eating fast food for a few years to suddenly switch to fresh meats and produce, chances are he is going to want to stick with fast food because it tastes better. So even though fish may not seem excited about it at first its still much more healthy for them in the long run

Tetra is the McDonald's of the fish food world while omega one and nls are a whole foods market

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Any fish probably won't be more excited for omega one vs the cheaper brands

I would assume they would have, given the seafood content and just overall better "stuff" in them; but, as you state:

I like to explain it this way, its like trying to get a guy that's been eating fast food for a few years to suddenly switch to fresh meats and produce, chances are he is going to want to stick with fast food because it tastes better. So even though fish may not seem excited about it at first its still much more healthy for them in the long run

I see what you're saying, but I just didn't think this applied so literally to fish; can they really "sense" that the better foods are "better" for them but not better tasting?

Tetra is the McDonald's of the fish food world while omega one and nls are a whole foods market

I can see that analogy...

 

[VOXGM]

I see what you're saying, but I just didn't think this applied so literally to fish; can they really "sense" that the better foods are "better" for them but not better tasting?

Lolz....

 

[CharlieKlein]

Thanks all! I bought shrimp pellets and 4 Julii Cory's today! Love them! Just wondering, is it normal in the frost day for them to not be super active,

 

[VOXGM]

Thanks all! I bought shrimp pellets and 4 Julii Cory's today! Love them! Just wondering, is it normal in the frost day for them to not be super active,

They need a few days to adjust. Give them time. New tank and it can be scary to them. New tank syndrome.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

U never know. Fish can be pretty smart fellows. I know my fish won't touch any other foods but frozen. I can't say they are super smart or anything but they aren't as dumb as we think.

Oh, believe me -- I didn't mean to imply I think fish are dumb at all...especially mine...

They're far from dumb, and I didn't mean to say I think that's what they are; people are generally so cruel to these poor creatures who normally know when you're approaching the tank to feed them, when they're being neglected in terms of tank maintenance and when you're paying general attention to them...

 

[Convict2161]

Nls ftw...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

^^^

It appears we have a New Life enthusiast amongst us, eh?

Just explain "FTW" if you will....

 

[Convict2161]

FTW= For The Win!