Salt water flakes for fresh water?

[bman]

When I got my tank started, I went to the lfs and purchased my first set of tank-cycling fish. The "Knowledgable guy" behind the counter also gave me some fish food for them as well. I have been using this 45 gram tub ever since starting the tank, and it's getting low in supply now.

I thought that there was probably a website on the container, so I inspected it. What caught me eye instead of the URL was the fact that I have SALT H20 Flakes instead of FRESHWATER Flakes!!!??

With Garlic!

This is the product :
http://www.nlpublish.com/fishfood/products/index.cfm?blnFoodPage=TRUE#
It is the one at the very bottom right side

Is this OK to feed my fish, or should I invest in the proper flake food? The fish do seem to like it, but since I have had my tank, I have been though about a dozen fish. The only one's surviving at the moment are listed in my siqqy below.

Also, do I need food with garlic? I thought that was just for stimulating the fishes appetite if they do not want to eat.

(If this is not sufficient nutrition for freshwater fishes, that would help explain all of the deaths, and the case of dropsy with the gourami I tried to keep)

 

[QTOFFER]

What are the ingredients? All my FW flakes contain saltwater fish (herring, cod, halibut) as well as salmon, fish meal, wheat gluten, etc.

I would imagine that SW flakes contain more algae-derived compounds for enhanced coloration and some extra vitamins/minerals. Other than that, I'd bet it's the same stuff as FW food...only more expensive.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Also, with garlic not only enhances the smell to make the fish more likely to eat, but also helps boost the immune system. So you can get food with or without, whatever you prefer. I'm thinking of getting the drops that you can soak the food in first before feeding and see how it works.

 

[bman]

Ingedients:
fish protein, krill protein, wheat flour, allicin complex, spirulina, amino acids, carrot extract, wheat gluten, fish oil, beta carotene, soy bean meal, vitamin A acetate, D-activated animalsterol (D3), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, niacin, folic acid, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine, boitin, DLalphato (E), L-asorbyl-2-polyphosphate(C), choline, chloride cobalt, sulfate, copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganses sulfate, ethylenediamine dihdroiodide, ethoxyquin (Preservative).

Guarateed Analysis:
Protein (min) 49%
Fat(Min) 8%
Fiber (Max) 5%
Ash (Max) 9%
Moisture (Max) 10%

Vit A (min) 8000 IU/KG
Vit D (min) 450 IU/KG
Vit E (min) 200 IU/KG

Wow that was a lot of typing.

 

[malkore]

It should be fine as long as your fish aren't strict herbavores.

I regularly feed Formula One and Two to my FW cichlid tank, which are considered to be SW foods.
I also switched from brine shrimp to mysis shrimp due to their superiour nutritional makeup.

 

[QTOFFER]

Hmmm...I wonder if the color enhancers and extra vitamins/minerals in SW food would make for healthier FW fish.

 

[Hara]

I have been feeding saltwater fish food to my fresh fish for years. THe color on my fresh fish, not to brag, is better than any I have seen on anyone else's fresh fish. I can only contribute it to the food.