Diet

[Caliban07]

When I uncovered a water butt recently whilst tending an overgrown garden I removed the lid that was keeping the butt in complete darkness. What I found were 1000s of tiny bugs that I assumed where daphnia. I can only assume that the population was feeding on decaying vegetation that has washed in to the bottom of the butt. No light must mean no green water but they were there. If fish thrive on bugs that have been living on minimal input why do we feed them highly concentrated, high protein and fat content made up of ground fish bones and laced with additives? Most fish we keep feed on mostly decaying vegetation both directly and indirectly as a result of eating bugs. Does this ever concern anyone? Do people question the notion?

What effect do these foods really have on our water quality?

 

[V227]

Congratulations on your successful achievement regarding the self sustaining aquarium.
I read about your type of setup years ago relating to Asian master fishkeepers. Finding that elusive natural balance is no easy feat.
I strongly believe your nutritional theory is a viable option to traditional feeding practices.
There is no question that poor quality foods and over feeding greatly contribute to health issues in fish and environmental deterioration.
I believe your system is a near perfect nutritional answer for certain " non-carnivorous" fish such as Rainbows, certain Tetras and Livebearers, ECT.
Where I see an issue is with the nourishment of most varieties of Cichlids, Synodontis Catfish
large Tetras, among others. Those particular varieties would likely reek havoc on a self sustaining system. In those cases quality commercial foods would be required in order to keep up with specific "greater" nutritional needs.

 

[Caliban07]

Congratulations on your successful achievement regarding the self sustaining aquarium.

I read about your type of setup years ago relating to Asian master fishkeepers. Finding that elusive natural balance is no easy feat.

I strongly believe your nutritional theory is a viable option to traditional feeding practices.

There is no question that poor quality foods and over feeding greatly contribute to health issues in fish and environmental deterioration.

I believe your system is a near perfect nutritional answer for certain " non-carnivorous" fish such as Rainbows, certain Tetras and Livebearers, ECT.

Where I see an issue is with the nourishment of most varieties of Cichlids, Synodontis Catfish

large Tetras, among others. Those particular varieties would likely reek havoc on a self sustaining system. In those cases quality commercial foods would be required in order to keep up with specific "greater" nutritional needs.

Very kind V227. The tank is nowhere near balanced just yet. It’s just starting to come back to life with very promising signs and with practically no input. The reason it has taken so long is because it was never set up correctly and it’s had to go through a transition. No soil means longer for mulm to breakdown and I went through an experiment with no flow which I don’t think helped in the long run. Lastly, all my plants are tissue culture and are completely sterile when purchased. I honestly believe if I’d have bought plants from a tank or in rock wool imported from a plant farm the roots would have contained beneficial microbes that aid with the uptake of nutrients and modification of the root zone. It sounds impossible what’s happening but it’s happening and I know many people that are using this method.

As regards to feed. I understand there are going to be challenges keeping more carnivorous fish but surely there must be a more organic feed for these fish also? What does high quality commercial feed mean? Beef heart for Discus? Non of it makes sense to me.

 

[Brookster123]

We feed all the packaged food sold in-store for the same reason we eat packaged food sold in stores.. we are lazy and like shiny things! Making/growing natural food is time consuming and involved. It's simple to open a jar and sprinkle flakes into an aquarium.

 

[Caliban07]

We feed all the packaged food sold in-store for the same reason we eat packaged food sold in stores.. we are lazy and like shiny things! Making/growing natural food is time consuming and involved. It's simple to open a jar and sprinkle flakes into an aquarium.

The packaged foods we eat make people sick because it’s not our natural diet but I suppose that is one reason.

 

[V227]

Surprisingly enough, IMO, the finest commercially manufactured food is Omega One "Small sinking" Cichlid Pellets. The major ingredients are Whole Salmon / Halibut & Whole Shrimp. Over the years I've tried just about every brand of fish food including the much recommended New Life Spectrum. The Omega One product beats them all. No leftovers after feeding.