The right fish food?

Reef Doctor · 10/29/2011, 11:10 AM

I have a new 3 month old 75 gallon reef tank, 150lbs live rock. I have a pair of Bangaii (Kauderns) Cardinals in quarantine and after will be adding an ocellaris clownfish pair. I know in quarantine I should get them eating multiple foods, but I didn't know which were the best? I've heard of Cyclop-eez, Nutramar ova, Mysis, brine shrimp, pellet, flake, etc. Is it best if I get them to eat all of these types of food, make my own mix, or try to steer them to something in particular? I know that there is a lot of opinions, and probably no clear cut answer, but any direction would be helpful.

AquaReeferMan · 10/29/2011, 11:28 AM

I feed everything PE Mysis and Prime Reef Flakes. Been doing those for about 5 years now. Also PE Mysis sells a pack with Cyclop-Eeze now so lately I've been throwing that in the mix as well.

crashwl21 · 10/29/2011, 08:42 PM

true always better when u mix up the diet

kellerexpress · 10/29/2011, 08:50 PM

Rods food. It will feed your entire reef.

Palting · 10/29/2011, 09:25 PM

Are you asking while in quarantine, or in DT? There really isn't a specific difference in feeding fish in DT vs QT, unless your fish eat nothing but live food, like mandarins. For cardinals, meaty food is best, as they are carnivores. Shrimp, blood worms, mussels. I have a pajama cardinal in QT now, and he loves the IO gel food, marine blend, as well as flakes and mysis. Clowns generally are pigs, and will eat anything, even tang poop

. I vary the food I give, not only because I have a wide variety of fish, but variety is good for any fish.

Flippers4pups · 10/29/2011, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellerexpress

Rods food. It will feed your entire reef.

So true. Rod's here. The best food I've ever used.

P.E. mysis for my mandarin.

syrinx · 10/29/2011, 10:26 PM

I have a couple tanks that have no access to freezers or the ability to use frozen foods. These tanks I feed high grade flake, and vary the brand each time replaced. Every fish in those two systems could be the photo in a textbook. All of the fish in my other tanks get varied diets and are also healthy- but not more so.

billdogg · 10/30/2011, 05:50 AM

I have been using New Life Spectrum pellet food for about 20 years almost exclusively. I will throw in some rods food are a little PE Mysis every couple weeks.

Ron Reefman · 10/30/2011, 05:57 AM

Uck! All I can say is, how happy would you be if all you got to eat was peanut butter sandwiches every day for 20 years!

I use a glass and mix frozen (many kinds including shrimp I catch and freeze), freeze dried, flakes, granules, paste, bottled... whatever. And sometimes I soak them in a vitamin supplement as well. I try to do something a little different every day. I mix it up in the glass with some tank water and use a turkey baster to serve it where I want. If I'm not meeting the nutritional needs of my critters, nobody is.

jucario · 10/30/2011, 11:40 AM

I feed with everything you mention. I really like to provide a varied nutrition to my fishes. Bangais when they just arrive may not want to eat pellets or flakes, so frozen mysis is what has worked for me as initial food, but I like to move them to a home made mix as soon as I can since I know how I prepare it and it seems to be more nutritional.

10/29/2011, 11:10 AM	#1
Reef Doctor Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 141	The right fish food? I have a new 3 month old 75 gallon reef tank, 150lbs live rock. I have a pair of Bangaii (Kauderns) Cardinals in quarantine and after will be adding an ocellaris clownfish pair. I know in quarantine I should get them eating multiple foods, but I didn't know which were the best? I've heard of Cyclop-eez, Nutramar ova, Mysis, brine shrimp, pellet, flake, etc. Is it best if I get them to eat all of these types of food, make my own mix, or try to steer them to something in particular? I know that there is a lot of opinions, and probably no clear cut answer, but any direction would be helpful.

10/29/2011, 11:28 AM	#2
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	I feed everything PE Mysis and Prime Reef Flakes. Been doing those for about 5 years now. Also PE Mysis sells a pack with Cyclop-Eeze now so lately I've been throwing that in the mix as well. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

10/29/2011, 09:25 PM	#5
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Are you asking while in quarantine, or in DT? There really isn't a specific difference in feeding fish in DT vs QT, unless your fish eat nothing but live food, like mandarins. For cardinals, meaty food is best, as they are carnivores. Shrimp, blood worms, mussels. I have a pajama cardinal in QT now, and he loves the IO gel food, marine blend, as well as flakes and mysis. Clowns generally are pigs, and will eat anything, even tang poop . I vary the food I give, not only because I have a wide variety of fish, but variety is good for any fish. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

10/30/2011, 05:50 AM	#8
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I have been using New Life Spectrum pellet food for about 20 years almost exclusively. I will throw in some rods food are a little PE Mysis every couple weeks. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

10/30/2011, 05:57 AM	#9
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Uck! All I can say is, how happy would you be if all you got to eat was peanut butter sandwiches every day for 20 years! I use a glass and mix frozen (many kinds including shrimp I catch and freeze), freeze dried, flakes, granules, paste, bottled... whatever. And sometimes I soak them in a vitamin supplement as well. I try to do something a little different every day. I mix it up in the glass with some tank water and use a turkey baster to serve it where I want. If I'm not meeting the nutritional needs of my critters, nobody is. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

10/29/2011, 08:42 PM	#3
crashwl21 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 15	true always better when u mix up the diet

10/29/2011, 08:50 PM	#4
kellerexpress Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 504	Rods food. It will feed your entire reef.

10/29/2011, 10:26 PM	#7
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	I have a couple tanks that have no access to freezers or the ability to use frozen foods. These tanks I feed high grade flake, and vary the brand each time replaced. Every fish in those two systems could be the photo in a textbook. All of the fish in my other tanks get varied diets and are also healthy- but not more so.

10/30/2011, 11:40 AM	#10
jucario Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 88	I feed with everything you mention. I really like to provide a varied nutrition to my fishes. Bangais when they just arrive may not want to eat pellets or flakes, so frozen mysis is what has worked for me as initial food, but I like to move them to a home made mix as soon as I can since I know how I prepare it and it seems to be more nutritional.

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