best fish food brand?

[Maxkolbe]

It could have been a different variety that they were talking about.

 

[jetajockey]

While looking for fillers like flour and whatnot is important also keep in mind that the ultimate goal is good and balanced nutrition. That said I have had success with all of the higher end brands. I also regularly use the bulk foods from kens and angelsplus.

 

[vanimal]

Ive used hikari with all my cichlids. They love it and are all really healthy ill try to post a picture of my cichlid that I feed hikari micro pellets. Omega one may be better but hikari is great too

 

[Wingman-Goose]

I use Love Fish flakes from Pets at Home! I believe they are made by new era and my fish really go for them!

 

[ashleynicole]

The info that someone above gave about spectrum is inaccurate

I was going by their website. That food you posted actually has wheat as the third ingredient which is still not good. the first four are the major ingredients. Wheat is a filler. Also all of the ingredients are "meal" Like "whole herring meal". Omega one says "whole salmon" not "whole salmon meal"

 

[ashleynicole]

While looking for fillers like flour and whatnot is important also keep in mind that the ultimate goal is good and balanced nutrition. That said I have had success with all of the higher end brands. I also regularly use the bulk foods from kens and angelsplus.

Yes and you can get by with the cheapest food on the marker and your dogs and cats can live on the cheapest dog and cat food. Heck I could eat McDonald's $1 mcdoubles every day along with a multivitamine and it would give my body what it needs. Fat, protein, carbohydrates and a multivitamine to fill in the gaps. But it doesn't mean its the healthiest or the best. I was just pointing out the ingredients and which are superior.


I would actually like to find a fish food that is free of wheat. Fish don't eat wheat and wheat gluten in the wild.

 

[jetajockey]

I was going by their website. That food you posted actually has wheat as the third ingredient which is still not good. the first four are the major ingredients. Wheat is a filler. Also all of the ingredients are "meal" Like "whole herring meal". Omega one says "whole salmon" not "whole salmon meal"

What's the difference between whole salmon and whole salmon meal? Looks like different ways of saying the same thing to me. In the fish food world, fillers and meals have become associated with low quality so I get why some brands veer away from that description.

 

[jetajockey]

Yes and you can get by with the cheapest food on the marker and your dogs and cats can live on the cheapest dog and cat food. Heck I could eat McDonald's $1 mcdoubles every day along with a multivitamine and it would give my body what it needs. Fat, protein, carbohydrates and a multivitamine to fill in the gaps. But it doesn't mean its the healthiest or the best. I was just pointing out the ingredients and which are superior.

I would actually like to find a fish food that is free of wheat. Fish don't eat wheat and wheat gluten in the wild.

I was just wondering what you think makes omega superior to nls.

Off the top of my head I recall one explanation basically saying that they have to use a certain amount of flour as a binder.

There are several foods that are wheat free, a feeder fish only diet is one. I do feed my fish various live and thawed foods but I always maintain a high quality staple pellet or flake to be sure they get all the nutrition they need.

 

[ashleynicole]

What's the difference between whole salmon and whole salmon meal? Looks like different ways of saying the same thing to me. In the fish food world, fillers and meals have become associated with low quality so I get why some brands veer away from that description.

Fish meal, even whole fish meal, is dried, cooked, processed and loses a lot of nutrients and oils during the processing process and stored for god knows how long before it is bought by a fish food manufacture and made into fish food.

When the ingredient says Whole fish it means it is taking the whole fish right then and there and using it to make their food. Check this out...

http://www.omegasea.net/best.html

http://www.omegasea.net/best3.html
http://www.omegasea.net/best2.html

I was just wondering what you think makes omega superior to nls.
.

I mean obviously these are from the omega one site but ive read the new life spectrum website too, a everyone seems to think its the best. Don't get me wrong. It's a good food, I just think omega one is superior, and when I fed new life spectrum the fish barely ate it and I always had to syphon out leftovers even when I fed sparingly.



Also ingredients are listed by the amount in the product so when wheat is the second or 3rd ingredient it indicates it is a main part if the product whereas if it is further down on the list it is not so much. Yes it is used as a binding agent just like corn and grains in dry cat and dog food, but the higher up it is on the list the more predominant it is in the product.

There are several foods that are wheat free, a feeder fish only diet is one. I do feed my fish various live and thawed foods but I always maintain a high quality staple pellet or flake to be sure they get all the nutrition they need.

Likewise I feed the flake and pellet foods to ensure a complete balanced diet. Much like I take a multivitamine. But I feed frozen/thawed as well.


In conclusion what makes omega one superior: they don't use fish meal, and the first 3-4 ingredients in their products are not fillers but whole foods.

 

[jetajockey]

Thanks for the reply. I was just curious, I like both NLS and omega one and have not really seen a major difference between the two, or really anything else that I feed with.

Each of these sites (of course) claim that their stuff is the best. I found this excerpt interesting from the NLS site New Life International Inc- Fish Food, Books, Aquaculture and more! - Basic Fish Nutrition

A manufacturer can also choose to list many species of fish, one species after another, which gives the illusion that the binding agents (such as middling and flour) are several ingredients down on the ingredient list. The fact is that no matter how many types of fish make up the main ingredient, they are still just part of a single fish meal, period. As an example, if one used 500 lbs. of fish meal per ton of food, it doesn't matter how many species of fishes you use to get that 500 lbs., in the end it's still 500 lbs. of fish meal, and the true second or third ingredient will usually be a binding agent such as flour. Many unaware hobbyists see several kinds of fishes listed at the top of the ingredient list, followed by wheat flour, and assume that this particular brand must have very little wheat flour, and a very high concentration of fish protein. In reality it is no more than a single generic fish meal being used, comprised from numerous species of fish. All fish foods require a high quality binding agent, or they would simply fall apart long before they reached the aquarium. Premium foods use as little as 25% binding agent, while lower quality foods can be as high as 50% of middling and flour.

Here's a link on this subject on the NLS forum, of course it's biased towards NLS but it is pretty cool that the creator of the product took the time to respond to it himself.
Nls Vs Omega One - New Life Spectrum Fish Food Forum

 

[ashleynicole]

Yes but it still is referring to the use of fish meal. Omega one doesnt use fish meal. All I could find about new life spectrum's manufacturing process on their site is this:
http://nlsfishfood.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=60


Again, nothing against new life spectrum. The op asked what is best and I am just stating the facts. To me best is the freshest and least processed whole foods.

I have seen a benefit in my own life eating fresher foods and paying attention to how things are manufactures. I wish new life spectrum gave more info on where their fishmeal comes from and how it is processed. At least omega one gives you all that information.

 

[jetajockey]

I understand that there is some losses in different processing methods, but what are they exactly?

For example, what does omega have that NLS or another food doesn't? And do you think it makes much, if any difference overall to the fish being fed?

 

[ashleynicole]

I understand that there is some losses in different processing methods, but what are they exactly?

For example, what does omega have that NLS or another food doesn't? And do you think it makes much, if any difference overall to the fish being fed?

They use whole products that they farm, keep on ice at a specific temperature and use immediately. They don't use fish meal... Which has been processed prior to being used to make the fish food. It could've been stored for who knows how long, protein begins to break down and nutrients are lost.
The longer any food is processed or waits to be processed it loses nutritional value. Which means more processed ingredients and have to be used to make up the difference.

How have I seen improvement with omega one?

Many people use live foods to induce spawning.

I successfully spawned my betta's on omega one betta buffet. I had tried previosly feeding other foods including bloodworm and brine shrimp along with hikari betta pellets but none of my betta's over the years ever spawned.

I started using omega one a year ago and had my first successful spawning with betta's. The dad ate all the fry, but I think the omega one really helped condition the fish and induce the spawning.


My fish, all of them, love the food and none is left behind, ever..fish are healthy, color is good, and I havnt had disease in at least 6 months. The last time I had disease was from adding new fish without QT and only the new fish were affected. Also didnt lose any fish with that episode if illness .

 

[jetajockey]

They use whole products that they farm, keep on ice at a specific temperature and use immediately. They don't use fish meal... Which has been processed prior to being used to make the fish food. It could've been stored for who knows how long, protein begins to break down and nutrients are lost.
The longer any food is processed or waits to be processed it loses nutritional value. Which means more processed ingredients and have to be used to make up the difference.

How have I seen improvement with omega one?

Many people use live foods to induce spawning.

I successfully spawned my betta's on omega one betta buffet. I had tried previosly feeding other foods including bloodworm and brine shrimp along with hikari betta pellets but none of my betta's over the years ever spawned.

I started using omega one a year ago and had my first successful spawning with betta's. The dad ate all the fry, but I think the omega one really helped condition the fish and induce the spawning.


My fish, all of them, love the food and none is left behind, ever..fish are healthy, color is good, and I havnt had disease in at least 6 months. The last time I had disease was from adding new fish without QT and only the new fish were affected. Also didnt lose any fish with that episode if illness .

Thanks again. Flash freezing or temperature control on a commercial fishing boat is not really unusual at all since their goal is to deliver fresh product. I guess the big difference is that omega one claims that their seafood comes directly to them rather than through a processing plant first.

We could assume that a fish meal processor is sending old stale product, but just as easily we could assume that they process fresh fish and then it is used immediately by the food manufacturers like NLS. There's no evidence either way on that one that I've seen yet, so it's hard to claim it as a negative unless there is some data showing it in that light.



I use live food for conditioning for spawning, although I've had many fish spawn without it. Food conditioning is just one part of the equation to spawning, as I'm sure you know.

I guess my question is do you think that your fish would stay just as healthy and happy with another product? I feed my different fish with different foods and I've not noticed one being superior to another in any way, with the exception of live foods.

 

[ashleynicole]

Ive used a lot of different products over the years, from the cheapest wardly and tetra, up to ordering speciality foods online and live and thawed foods.
I would have to say I notice the most improvement in my fish when I started feeding more thawed or live foods. I've been feeding the omega one for almost a year now and I feel my tanks are all the healthiest they have ever been.

I always enjoy discussions like this because it really does bring a lot of good information to debate.

 

[Soccerfish]

my african cichlids are all on Omega One, except my fry they are on hariki first bites and crushed up Omega One, they get a base diet of the chichlid pellets/flakes along with the super veggie and tropical colour enhanced flakes- for awhile i even was giving them some of the marine blend sometimes. They also get fresh veggies- kale- zucchini- carrots-etc, some fruit very rarely- apple or banana. Blood worms, krill, brine shrimp, frozen raw chicken and i want to add in chicken hearts and or beef heart as well. I read someplace that warm blooded meat (cow-chicken-turkey) wasn't good for fish, but that was the only time I saw it, plus in the wild they would probably eat off an animal that died in the water once in a while.

they also get earthworms sometimes.

but back to the point, I really like the Omega One- i won't feed my fish any other Pet store brands really (with the exception of the hakari baby food.) i have herd many bad things about my cust switching to.tetra and fish won't touch it or it makes the water cloudy.

 

[Greenphantom]

I dont think I will be feeding my fish Tetramin anymore this is one of the worst I seen

 

[Aquarist1234]

I dont think I will be feeding my fish Tetramin anymore this is one of the worst I seen

Ya not too good for your fish.

 

[1 LARA]

is this true

I am a fish enthusiast, and I want them to have the very best. I had heard nothing but good things about the Omega One brand, so when I got my first betta, a male crowntail, I bought some of these pellets at my local live fish store.

Be warned that while these pellets do provide good nutrition for your betta, they also contain a controversial preservative: ethoxyquin. Ethoxyquin is approved for use as a preservative in pet foods, but it is also used as a pesticide. That's right -- a pesticide! As long as Omega One continues to use ethoxyquin, I cannot recommend their products, no matter what other ingredients they contain.

"I had my betta on this for 3 years..."

This type of anecdotal evidence is not convincing. Where is the research? Where are the statistics? Ethoxyquin has historically been used as a pesticide, and to my knowledge it has never proven its safety for use as a food preservative. It is not our burden to prove the harm of ethoxyquin, since it has been used extensively in context as a pesticide; the burden is on the users of ethoxyquin to prove the safety of its use in products intended for consumption.

Furthermore, longevity is not proof of safety. For example, the longevity of one particular smoker does not account for the reduced quality of life; the chronic bronchitis and emphysema, the grueling death by cancer, the constriction of blood vessels, the reduced immunity, the constant expense, etc. Do you really want to expose your pet to a product that could negatively and drastically impact the quality of its life?

"Nothing wrong with this product regardless the contents."

On what do you base this claim? Again, ethoxyquin has historically been used as a pesticide used to kill animals, not to protect them. If there is some evidence to the contrary, please present it to me, and I will reconsider my position. As far as I know, the users of ethoxyquin, a known pesticide, have not proven its safety as a food preservative. In fact, its use is prohibited in products intended for humans. Why on earth would I voluntarily feed this to my pet?

To conclude, in my opinion the use of ethoxyquin as a preservative in pet foods is indefensible in light of its history as a pesticide and its ban on use in foods intended for humans. Why a company that promotes its products as a healthful alternative for pets chooses to use ethoxyquin as a preservative is beyond me.

 

[vanimal]

So would that mean Hikari is better than omega one m