Annoyed about purchasing cyclopeeze (or any frozen food) (pics inside)

samstersam · 10/06/2007, 09:36 AM

I had a half used bar of frozen cyclopeeze...
and I decided to be preemptive and prepare so I bought another one from my LFS...

Look at the pics. The deeper red on is my half used (in freezer, ziplocked) and the brown one is the one I JUST bought. I even took it home in a thermos so I would minimize melting...

I open it up and its BROWN. It annoys me to think that I try so hard to maintain quality (i.e. thermos, ziplock bag in freezer), not knowing how they were treated before I purchased them. They must have sat unrefrigerated for a while.

So purchasing cyclopeeze (or any frozen food for that matter) is a gamble, you don't know if there were problems in shipping, careless LFS etc.etc....I don't want to dump that brown pollution in my tank...what a waste of money...

Freed · 10/06/2007, 10:40 AM

Or it coule be mixed in with fillers so you might not be getting your money's worth from them. Scam?

neelix · 10/06/2007, 10:45 AM

Better than the dry stuff they sell, nothing eats it!

samstersam · 10/06/2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Freed
Or it coule be mixed in with fillers so you might not be getting your money's worth from them. Scam?

Can't be fillers because the frozen cyclopeeze is vacuum sealed.
Unless the manufacturer of cyclopeeze did that....

samstersam · 10/06/2007, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Freed
Or it coule be mixed in with fillers so you might not be getting your money's worth from them. Scam?

Can't be fillers because the frozen cyclopeeze is vacuum sealed.
Unless the manufacturer of cyclopeeze did that....

dwd5813 · 10/06/2007, 11:57 AM

so what you are saying is that it cant be fillers because the frozen cyclopeeze is vaccum sealed?

vessxpress1 · 10/06/2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by neelix
Better than the dry stuff they sell, nothing eats it!

My fish love cyclo-peeze flakes.

uscharalph · 10/06/2007, 01:38 PM

My fish don't care what color it is. They'll eat just about anything. LOL!!!!

Gary Majchrzak · 10/06/2007, 01:45 PM

maybe the lighter red Cyclopeeze had less asthaxanthin dumped into the blend...

barjam · 10/06/2007, 02:19 PM

Why are you equating less red with rotten? It could possibly be natural variations in the different strains for all we know.

I would be surprised if the corals care one way or the other.

Freed · 10/06/2007, 02:25 PM

Does it smell bad? Does it look like it's all cyclops or some cyclops mixed in with other "stuff"? Should all be the same little critters all the way thru.

burton14e7 · 10/06/2007, 02:25 PM

I buy the liquid life marineplankton...squirt bottle cyclopeeze

I've been using it for 4 years and never had a problem with it.

MarineFishGuy · 10/06/2007, 04:35 PM

I agree with Barjam.
The zoo plankton that makes up Cyclopeeze may have been harvested at different times of the year.
Seasonal variations can lead to the critters themselves having different coloration.
Heck daytime vs nighttime collection can lead to vastly different zoo plankton composition in samples.
On my research trip where I studied Zooplankton Biomass distribution in the Sargasso Sea, we found the composition to vary considerably in every sample.
Doing 100 counts of species using a microscope on a rolling ship in 12 foot seas was very interesting.
If you lined up 12 samples on the counter they would all appear different, just before they were pitched on the floor by that last big wave.

I think smell (as Freed noted) would be a better indicator than color. Opening a sample jar after 3 days that had not been frozen could make you heave your lunch over the side.
Ken

coast2coast7390 · 10/06/2007, 08:24 PM

use zooplex its the exact same thing nor refrigeration required

Anemonebuff · 10/06/2007, 10:45 PM

I would follow my nose, it always knows.

If it smells rotten it is. If it smells like the other one it is probably just a different color variation.

GuySmilie · 10/06/2007, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by neelix
Better than the dry stuff they sell, nothing eats it!

Speak for yourself.
My little fishies just devour the 'whole freeze-dried' stuff.
They can't get enough of it! Corals like it too.

samstersam · 10/06/2007, 11:54 PM

you're right, color variation due to the seasonal change or diet before freezing is a possibility...

it doesn't smell any worse than the red ones...
(they smell ack anyway..)

melev · 10/06/2007, 11:59 PM

I would send a picture to the mfg and see if they feel you have anything to worry about. I've never had a package differ in color like that, and I've been buying several of the huge bars every year for the past 2 or 3 years (whenever it became available).

10/06/2007, 09:36 AM	#1
samstersam Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 389	Annoyed about purchasing cyclopeeze (or any frozen food) (pics inside) I had a half used bar of frozen cyclopeeze... and I decided to be preemptive and prepare so I bought another one from my LFS... Look at the pics. The deeper red on is my half used (in freezer, ziplocked) and the brown one is the one I JUST bought. I even took it home in a thermos so I would minimize melting... I open it up and its BROWN. It annoys me to think that I try so hard to maintain quality (i.e. thermos, ziplock bag in freezer), not knowing how they were treated before I purchased them. They must have sat unrefrigerated for a while. So purchasing cyclopeeze (or any frozen food for that matter) is a gamble, you don't know if there were problems in shipping, careless LFS etc.etc....I don't want to dump that brown pollution in my tank...what a waste of money...

10/06/2007, 10:40 AM	#2
Freed It's what it's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: 41° 2' 45" N 85° 8' 43" W Posts: 7,579	Or it coule be mixed in with fillers so you might not be getting your money's worth from them. Scam? __________________ Freed Current Tank Info: 180gal(1120 watts of MH/VHO light), 60gal "sump", Deltec 601 calcium reactor, Euro Reef CS8-3+ skimmer, 20 gallon QT

10/06/2007, 11:57 AM	#6
dwd5813 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: 813 Posts: 2,827	so what you are saying is that it cant be fillers because the frozen cyclopeeze is vaccum sealed? __________________ order some golf shoes, otherwise we'll never get out of this place alive. what can i say? in dog beers, i have only had one. - dublo8 Current Tank Info: 40B aiptasia farm

10/06/2007, 01:38 PM	#8
uscharalph Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,248	My fish don't care what color it is. They'll eat just about anything. LOL!!!! __________________ Ralph Mendoza Jr. Long Beach, CA Current Tank Info: 80 Gallon Reef Tank

10/06/2007, 01:45 PM	#9
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	maybe the lighter red Cyclopeeze had less asthaxanthin dumped into the blend... __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

10/06/2007, 10:45 AM	#3
neelix Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Fitchburg, Mass Posts: 209	Better than the dry stuff they sell, nothing eats it!

10/06/2007, 02:19 PM	#10
barjam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,695	Why are you equating less red with rotten? It could possibly be natural variations in the different strains for all we know. I would be surprised if the corals care one way or the other.

10/06/2007, 02:25 PM	#11
Freed It's what it's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: 41° 2' 45" N 85° 8' 43" W Posts: 7,579	Does it smell bad? Does it look like it's all cyclops or some cyclops mixed in with other "stuff"? Should all be the same little critters all the way thru. __________________ Freed Current Tank Info: 180gal(1120 watts of MH/VHO light), 60gal "sump", Deltec 601 calcium reactor, Euro Reef CS8-3+ skimmer, 20 gallon QT

10/06/2007, 02:25 PM	#12
burton14e7 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Keller, Tx Posts: 2,009	I buy the liquid life marineplankton...squirt bottle cyclopeeze I've been using it for 4 years and never had a problem with it. __________________ Go Lakers! Current Tank Info: Currently awaiting relapse.

10/06/2007, 04:35 PM	#13
MarineFishGuy Capn Jack Sparrow Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Central Oh-io Posts: 804	I agree with Barjam. The zoo plankton that makes up Cyclopeeze may have been harvested at different times of the year. Seasonal variations can lead to the critters themselves having different coloration. Heck daytime vs nighttime collection can lead to vastly different zoo plankton composition in samples. On my research trip where I studied Zooplankton Biomass distribution in the Sargasso Sea, we found the composition to vary considerably in every sample. Doing 100 counts of species using a microscope on a rolling ship in 12 foot seas was very interesting. If you lined up 12 samples on the counter they would all appear different, just before they were pitched on the floor by that last big wave. I think smell (as Freed noted) would be a better indicator than color. Opening a sample jar after 3 days that had not been frozen could make you heave your lunch over the side. Ken __________________ The Salt Life! Current Tank Info: 75g Mixed Reef, 40g Refugium, 100 Gallon sump, DIY Dual Recirc 12" x24" skimmer, 2x175w Halides.

10/06/2007, 08:24 PM	#14
coast2coast7390 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Garden Grove Posts: 3,627	use zooplex its the exact same thing nor refrigeration required

10/06/2007, 10:45 PM	#15
Anemonebuff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: LI,NY Posts: 3,877	I would follow my nose, it always knows. If it smells rotten it is. If it smells like the other one it is probably just a different color variation.

10/06/2007, 11:54 PM	#17
samstersam Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 389	hmm. thanks for the opinions.. you're right, color variation due to the seasonal change or diet before freezing is a possibility... it doesn't smell any worse than the red ones... (they smell ack anyway..)

10/06/2007, 11:59 PM	#18
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I would send a picture to the mfg and see if they feel you have anything to worry about. I've never had a package differ in color like that, and I've been buying several of the huge bars every year for the past 2 or 3 years (whenever it became available).