Frozen VS Flake Food

BaleKlocoon · 04/01/2018, 11:06 AM

Is it OK to feed your fish pretty much 100% flake food? My fish seem to love the Omega One Marine Flakes with Garlic. I've tried feeding them frozen mysis shrimp and blood worms but they can't keep it down. They will swallow it, keep it in their mouth for a few seconds, and then spit it out. The flake food seems to go down easy. I have 2 clowns, 2 Allen damsels, a blue chromis, and a dalmatian Molly. The only inhabitant I've seen actually keep the blood worms or mysis down is my peppermint shrimp.

Why do they spit out the good stuff and seem to love the flake food?

Optionman · 04/01/2018, 11:13 AM

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Be happy they like what they like.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BrettDS · 04/01/2018, 01:08 PM

As long as the fish are healthy and well nourished then flake food should be fine. I feed my fish almost exclusively pellets, which is about the same... just not so flat and, well, flaky. I have three auto feeders, with different types and sizes of pellets and the fish are doing fine on that diet.

hkgar · 04/01/2018, 03:02 PM

Eliminate the garlic. It is reported to increase the incidence of liver problems with fish and won't help prevent ick.

I make my own frozen food and the fish love it.

earwicker7 · 04/01/2018, 05:01 PM

I have had this really bizarre thing with fish that refuse to eat anything but flakes while in quarantine, then will eat frozen within a day or two of going in the display. Happened with my white-tailed bristletooth tang, magnificent foxface and bellus angels.

Uncle99 · 04/01/2018, 05:06 PM

Yup, that's generally Ok, some fish don't like the texture or they "mouth" if it's to hard, yup, spit if they don't like. Experiment with something new from time to time in the meaty catagory, maybe they prefer something else...

RioReefr · 04/01/2018, 05:21 PM

I've been using a fine cheese-grater and take the frozen shrimp/clams and shred it. Maybe they are spitting it out because it is too big (??) The real-food sinks whereas the flake food seems to float and fowl the tank. I also give them some Seaweed Extreme S pellets, which also sink. Since doing this, the fish seem to really look forward to feeding time and the tank is cleaner.
I have clownfish, damsels, dottyback and hawkfish and they all love the frozen shrimp.
The tang won't touch it, but he gets nori anyway.

NO3 · 04/01/2018, 08:15 PM

I personally think its cheaper to shop seaford counters a grocery stores for sale items and makevyoir own food out of mussels ousters clams shrimp etc etc.

Ever look at the ingredients on mfgr'ed fish food? You are lucky if contents are higher than 35% protein.

Buying "whole sourced" food from seafood counter insiresbjigh protein content.

The ONLY WARNING with seafood counter sales is somebof the seafood is sprayed with nontoxic preservatives that will give you PHOSPHATE issues. But always RINSE the seafood with tapwater prior to chopping

slimfitz · 04/01/2018, 09:25 PM

What about mixing a little bit of frozen in with the feeding? They might start eating it then

kmbyrnes · 04/02/2018, 05:24 AM

I feed a varied diet of pellets, flakes, frozen, nori and occaisonal grocery fresh clam or shrimp. Everyone ends eating enough. If today's choice is not their favorite, tomorrow might.
Heck, I like steak but I don't want to have it for very meals.

hkgar · 04/02/2018, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NO3

I personally think its cheaper to shop seaford counters a grocery stores for sale items and makevyoir own food out of mussels ousters clams shrimp etc etc.

Ever look at the ingredients on mfgr'ed fish food? You are lucky if contents are higher than 35% protein.

Buying "whole sourced" food from seafood counter insiresbjigh protein content.

The ONLY WARNING with seafood counter sales is somebof the seafood is sprayed with nontoxic preservatives that will give you PHOSPHATE issues. But always RINSE the seafood with tapwater prior to chopping

+1 I make my own with shrimp, mussels, clams, oysters, squid, scallops and cod. I add Selcon to enrich with vitamins.

I soak all the seafood in ro water for two hours to remove some of the phosphates. Chop up and than rinse in ro

shaginwagon13 · 04/02/2018, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

Eliminate the garlic. It is reported to increase the incidence of liver problems with fish and won't help prevent ick.

I make my own frozen food and the fish love it.

+1 here.

Dmorty217 · 04/02/2018, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

Eliminate the garlic. It is reported to increase the incidence of liver problems with fish and won't help prevent ick.

I make my own frozen food and the fish love it.

+1 even as a appetite stimulant its not very good. There are plenty of other things you could buy from the local seafood market to entice fish to eat. Live foods are also great choice. Its best to try and feed a variety instead of the same food day in and day out

BaleKlocoon · 04/02/2018, 03:18 PM

Spirulina won them over. No to mysis and blood worms but they just all went nuts over the Spirulina. Not sure what that means.

shaginwagon13 · 04/02/2018, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaleKlocoon

Spirulina won them over. No to mysis and blood worms but they just all went nuts over the Spirulina. Not sure what that means.

Lol you use the Powder form of it? I have some I just bought to take myself as a vitamin but I might try to feed it to the fish.

BaleKlocoon · 04/02/2018, 06:42 PM

Haha no it was frozen.

04/01/2018, 11:06 AM	#1
BaleKlocoon Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Irving, TX Posts: 125	Frozen VS Flake Food Is it OK to feed your fish pretty much 100% flake food? My fish seem to love the Omega One Marine Flakes with Garlic. I've tried feeding them frozen mysis shrimp and blood worms but they can't keep it down. They will swallow it, keep it in their mouth for a few seconds, and then spit it out. The flake food seems to go down easy. I have 2 clowns, 2 Allen damsels, a blue chromis, and a dalmatian Molly. The only inhabitant I've seen actually keep the blood worms or mysis down is my peppermint shrimp. Why do they spit out the good stuff and seem to love the flake food?

04/01/2018, 01:08 PM	#3
BrettDS Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,109	Frozen VS Flake Food As long as the fish are healthy and well nourished then flake food should be fine. I feed my fish almost exclusively pellets, which is about the same... just not so flat and, well, flaky. I have three auto feeders, with different types and sizes of pellets and the fish are doing fine on that diet.

04/01/2018, 03:02 PM	#4
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	Eliminate the garlic. It is reported to increase the incidence of liver problems with fish and won't help prevent ick. I make my own frozen food and the fish love it. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

04/02/2018, 05:24 AM	#10
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	I feed a varied diet of pellets, flakes, frozen, nori and occaisonal grocery fresh clam or shrimp. Everyone ends eating enough. If today's choice is not their favorite, tomorrow might. Heck, I like steak but I don't want to have it for very meals. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

04/01/2018, 11:13 AM	#2
Optionman Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: NJ Posts: 774	If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Be happy they like what they like. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

04/01/2018, 05:01 PM	#5
earwicker7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 150	I have had this really bizarre thing with fish that refuse to eat anything but flakes while in quarantine, then will eat frozen within a day or two of going in the display. Happened with my white-tailed bristletooth tang, magnificent foxface and bellus angels.

04/01/2018, 05:06 PM	#6
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Yup, that's generally Ok, some fish don't like the texture or they "mouth" if it's to hard, yup, spit if they don't like. Experiment with something new from time to time in the meaty catagory, maybe they prefer something else...

04/01/2018, 05:21 PM	#7
RioReefr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 394	I've been using a fine cheese-grater and take the frozen shrimp/clams and shred it. Maybe they are spitting it out because it is too big (??) The real-food sinks whereas the flake food seems to float and fowl the tank. I also give them some Seaweed Extreme S pellets, which also sink. Since doing this, the fish seem to really look forward to feeding time and the tank is cleaner. I have clownfish, damsels, dottyback and hawkfish and they all love the frozen shrimp. The tang won't touch it, but he gets nori anyway.

04/01/2018, 08:15 PM	#8
NO3 In Memoriam Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 269	I personally think its cheaper to shop seaford counters a grocery stores for sale items and makevyoir own food out of mussels ousters clams shrimp etc etc. Ever look at the ingredients on mfgr'ed fish food? You are lucky if contents are higher than 35% protein. Buying "whole sourced" food from seafood counter insiresbjigh protein content. The ONLY WARNING with seafood counter sales is somebof the seafood is sprayed with nontoxic preservatives that will give you PHOSPHATE issues. But always RINSE the seafood with tapwater prior to chopping

04/01/2018, 09:25 PM	#9
slimfitz Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 68	What about mixing a little bit of frozen in with the feeding? They might start eating it then

04/02/2018, 03:18 PM	#14
BaleKlocoon Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Irving, TX Posts: 125	Spirulina won them over. No to mysis and blood worms but they just all went nuts over the Spirulina. Not sure what that means.

04/02/2018, 06:42 PM	#16
BaleKlocoon Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Irving, TX Posts: 125	Haha no it was frozen.