Fish Foods

[neilanh]

So I think I'm close to getting fish. This is what I believe my stock list will be initially

6 rummynose tetras
3 Cory cats
3 ottos
pleco
2-3 boesemani rainbows
3 loaches

Because I'm thinking fish in the next week, I want to go ahead and place an online order for foods for them. What do you recommend?

When it comes to flakes and stuff, is a certain brand better than another? How many different types of foods (i.e. flake, worms, etc) should I consider for variety?

TIA

 

[gu2high]

I hope your tank is at least 30 gal for keeping those fishes. Don't buy so many fishes at the beginning. Buy 2-3 first and accumulate gradually.

You need flake or granules for tetras and rainbows, tablets and shrimp pellets for bottom feeders, algae wafers for ottos and pleco. Also, buy frozen or freeze-dried bloodworm and brine shrimp for treats. The brands can be Hikari, Tetra, Omega, etc. I just feel Wardley is not very good.

 

[Burks]

I just feel Wardley is not very good.

I've been using Wardley for the past 9 months and haven't had a problem. All fish are healthy and showing great colors.

For the extra money I'd go with a top name brand though. Tetra makes some really good flakes and my loaches/Banjo Catfish just love Omega One Shrimp Pellets.

Where were you going to order your food from? Have you thought about ordering from a bulk supplier like Ken's Fish? Everything you need in one place.

 

[neilanh]

Thanks for the replies guys.

First, my tank is 46 gallon that is nearing completion of a fishless cycle. I'm converting over 2ppm ammonia in less than 24 hours, so I think it can handle the stock load.

I'm okay for going with the better stuff, so I think that's what I want to do. I just need to know specifically which ones those are. So the name brands you guys mentioned are helpful, as well as which different types of food to use.

I hadn't thought about a bulk supplier, I'll look at the one you posted. I was planning on Big Al's or something recommended/sponsering the forum here. Is this Ken's premium stuff any good?

Thanks again!

 

[rich311k]

I use New Life Spectrum community granules for most daily feedings. They float and sink so everyone gets some. The fish seem to like them and everyone looks nice and healthy.

I feed variuos freeze dried and frozen foods as the mood strikes me.

 

[Regen311]

I have never heard of Ken's fish. It looks like there are a huge variety of food on the page though. The all caps kinda bugs me a bit though. Has anyone tried this food (for your fish I mean, not tried it personally )?

 

[Devilishturtles]

I alternate with my fish between 3 different foods and usually feed every other day.

Ocean Nutrition Formula One Flakes
Tetra Tetramin Tropical Flakes
Tetra Microcrabs Cyclopeeze Granules

The fish LOVE all of them!

I also occasionally add in some freezedried when the mood strikes me. Or frozen bloodworms occasionally.

 

[MyCatsDrool]

i feed new life spectrum, wardleys, and a lot of frozen and fresh foods

 

[Toirtis]

New Life Spectrum is about the only prepared food I will allow my fish to eat...it really is the best.

 

[Burks]

Has anyone tried this food (for your fish I mean, not tried it personally )?

I bought three small bags off someone (has about as much as you find in the small 1.0oz flake cans) of different types.

Fish have already been fed today so I'll start trying them out tomorrow. I have heard nothing but good things though.

I really want to order some of his algae waffers though. 1lb for ~$14 shipped isn't bad.

 

[plecoperson]

The fish you keep have a lot to do with what you feed, too. Your otos and perhaps the pleco (depending on the type), as well as your rainbows, will appreciate higher vegetable content than your average fish. I have lots of plecos, otos, and many snails, all of which do well with a fiber-rich diet.

I feed, in sort of a rotation, usually the NLS flakes once a day and something else for the second feeding:

New Life Spectrum flakes

HBH vegetable flakes

Some flake brand I got 'cause some picky tetras wouldn't eat the NLS stuff; I then realized it has artificial colors in it...so just using it up. Of course, they all LOVE it. It's fish-food Twinkies, I think.

Hikari freeze-dried tubifex, soaked in tank water

Wardley algae tablets-these actually have the highest spirulina content of the commonly-found wafers. Otherwise, I've heard that Wardley isn't very good quality.

"Pleco power pellets", sold by sonic on Aquabid. All the fish love these.

Hikari first bites-again for the tiny fish, but the bottom-feeding loaches, otos and small plecs like to hoover it up from the bottom.

Frozen:

Spirulina-enriched brine
Freshwater food that has 4 different "flavors"
Baby brine (got for some more picky fish)
Aquatic turtle food-got for snails, as it has lots of vegetables and calcium added

Fresh vegetables (zucchini, green beans, peas, collard and turnip greens etc.)

Microworms-I have a lot of small fish and they gobble them down.

Soon to start a brine shrimp hatchery. Wheeee!

 

[zenkatydid]

i am really happy with the sera brand GVG mix. it's got good quality flakes, plus chunks of freeze dried bits, pellets, random stuff. and, odd as it may sound, it crumbles really well. i hate flake food that is hard to crumble! i also feed frozen blood worms, hikari algae wafers and nutrafin sinking tablets. the latter is the favourite food of every single fish alive; plecos, cories, guppies, loaches, SAEs, you name it. it's fish crack.

 

[neilanh]

Thanks for the options everyone. I think the majority vote goes to the new life spectrum flakes, so that's what I'll use for those.

I'll definately need some algae or veggie type wafers, so I'll find some good quality of those.

I was planning on brine-shrimp too for occasional feedings. Is there benefits to frozen vs. freeze-dried? I don't think I want to do the live thing unless i just occasionally pick some up for a "treat" now and then.

 

[zenkatydid]

frozen keeps more nutrients than freeze dried. i don't find fish are very interested in freeze dried things, ime.

 

[neilanh]

as far as the bottom feeders, are veggie chips or algae wafers better?

 

[SparKy697]

I use a few types of spirulina wafers. The corys, saes, and snails all fight over them. I have yet to see an oto even give one a second look. For the otos I supplement with blanched veggies. Mine seem to especially like spinach.

 

[fish 'n' fries]

I use spirulina discs from wardleys. Like Sparky697's experience...the corys, pleco and snails all love them. (They angel will go after them too but he eats anything--that doesn't prove much). My otos also act like I'm trying to poison them with algae wafers--so they get veggies.

For what it's worth...my entire tank loves freeze-dried bloodworms.

 

[locorosa]

Hey, I have been following a thread on another fish board and after two weeks of research the gal that heads that site has put up a list of top foods. The first on the list is a brand called Hikari. They make goldfish and tropical fish food. Suppose to be the best "mix" overall. Pricey.
The others were specifically for golds so I won't list them.

Good luck!

 

[devilfluff]

Hey, I have been following a thread on another fish board and after two weeks of research the gal that heads that site has put up a list of top foods. The first on the list is a brand called Hikari. They make goldfish and tropical fish food. Suppose to be the best "mix" overall. Pricey.

I really like the Hikari foods.

As a base, I use the Hikari Micro Wafers instead of flakes. They are very easy to judge how much is eaten, my fish all seem to like it, and they seem to hit all levels of the water.

I use both the Wardley Algae tabs and the Hikari Sinking Wafers for my bottom feeders. The sinking wafers get a much better reaction, but my Golden Nugget is more of a carni/omnivore than an algae eater.

I occasionally mix in frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms and brine shrimp, and freeze dried tubifex worms. I also try to add the occasional veggie, usually peas.

 

[Devilishturtles]

How can 2 weeks of research prove what food is the best? Can you provide a link? I'm just curious.