formula one frozen food problem

kevensquint · 05/12/2006, 02:50 PM

I bought this popular fish food for the first time last night and today I gave it a try. I first tried to cut a frozen cube with a knife and had alot of trouble, so I put a cube in a small glass of tank water. It stayed intact, and when I tried to pick it into smaller pieces with my fingers it would'nt come apart, its like rubber. I can't get the pieces small enough to be bite size for my fish. Whats up, is this stuff really rubbery like that? or is it a bad batch?

RoscoPColtrane · 05/12/2006, 02:54 PM

i smash it in my fingers, i have some smaller fish that are not able to eat the bigger piecces. It's not a bad batch, just the gel binder for the food.

Billybeau1 · 05/12/2006, 02:55 PM

I just tried this product as well. Mine was rubbery but disolved apart when it went in the tank. I had to stop using it because something in that food makes my skimmer go crazy for a couple hours after feeding.

psimitry · 05/12/2006, 03:09 PM

Yeah, I had the same problem with it.

I'm told that one of the best ways to feed it is to essentially stick a paperclip through it and let it hang in the tank so that your fish can graze on it.

I stopped using it though, the gel binder made my skimmer overflow bigtime.

I do use some Ocean Nutrition product though (in the form of flake, or pellets when I drop in home-made frozen food).

nemo1 · 05/12/2006, 03:33 PM

Try to find one without the gel-binder. I use both, the one that I have with it, is the Angel formula and I just let it sit in some tank water for a while then place it in a fish net and with clean fingers I crush it.

kevensquint · 05/12/2006, 07:28 PM

Thats dissapointing news, my old marine mix by big al's was so easy to use, I thought I was doing better with this "real" brand.

mta · 05/13/2006, 06:48 AM

The gel -binder is only in the cubes.Buy the same food in the flat version (flats).No gel and breaks apart fine.

Billybeau1 · 05/13/2006, 09:38 AM

Thanks MTA, I'll try that. My fish really like it.

Sk8r · 05/13/2006, 09:58 AM

Cyclopeeze is another break-apart that's really good for corals and smaller fish. Drives chromis and dartfish crazy.

dandydan · 05/13/2006, 05:16 PM

Exactly the same, like lumps of rubber, frightened my fish.

I wont touch any of their products now, plenty of other choices out there.

niteshado · 05/13/2006, 05:28 PM

I have used formula I and II cubes with sucess. Last month a batch came with more gel binder that Would not break apart easily. Went to a different lfs and it borke apart easily when thawed in tank water for 15 minutes.. I gues it depends on the batch you get

Larry

racrumrine · 05/13/2006, 06:52 PM

They should just get rid of the gel binder. What's the point of it? I won't buy it again.

Best of luck,

Roy

mta · 05/14/2006, 08:06 AM

The binder keeps the food in the cube shape.Just buy the flats.

SDguy · 05/14/2006, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by racrumrine
They should just get rid of the gel binder. What's the point of it? I won't buy it again.

Best of luck,

Roy

No way man! I love the gel binder. As someone who was using this stuff before they had it in cubes with gel binder, I can tell you it is better now. I want to feed my fish, not my whole tank with a cloud of extra particulates!! Trust be, constant feedings like that will just be a nutrient control problem eventually. Frankly, take the time, chop up the cube into tiny bite sized pieces, the way I do with any food I give my fish. Thaw in tank water in a cup. Feed using airline tubing as a straw. The fish eventually associate the tube with food, and will literally eat ANYTHING that comes out of it.

HTH

LittlePuff · 05/15/2006, 11:54 AM

Does it sink to the bottom of the tank, or will the "blob" float?

Kim

psimitry · 05/15/2006, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LittlePuff
Does it sink to the bottom of the tank, or will the "blob" float?

Kim

IME it sinks - which is kind of a bummer because the fish don't get to it before it sinks. It becomes shrimp and snail food.

SDguy · 05/15/2006, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LittlePuff
Does it sink to the bottom of the tank, or will the "blob" float?

Kim

IME also, it sinks. But nothing like pellet food. It sinks pretty slowly. Most any fish with a health appetite should get it before it hits the bottom. This might be bad for open water only feeders, but then again, I really can't think of a food that doesn't either sink or float, but hangs mid-water??

tatoofr · 05/15/2006, 12:56 PM

Hi,
Cut it up with a razor to the size needed.

Frank

Craig Lambert · 05/15/2006, 01:59 PM

I bought the angel formula with gel binder and I absolutely hate the stuff. It's perfectly designed for the person who wants to spend an entire hour each time they feed their fish. I'll never buy it again. (Probably won't ever finish using what I bought). I'll stick to prime reef and a few other frozen foods.

SDguy · 11/02/2006, 11:07 AM

Had to dig this thread up while I eat crow

My last pack of Formula 1 frozen cubes was purchased many years ago (small tank/few fish). I just bought a new pack. OMG how much gel binder to they use now!!??

You guys were totally right....it's like rubber. My fish refuse to swallow it. Even minced into TINY pieces, some of my fish still won't swallow it, but not for lack of trying.

My previous stuff would turn to particulates if I left it in water for too long. This new stuff I left for 24 hrs...literally. No change! I try smashing it against the sides of the cup, and the pieces just squish out like rubber jello jigglers. Very disappointing! And for such a low min. crude protein, it's not worth the hassle.

05/12/2006, 02:50 PM	#1
kevensquint Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: new york Posts: 2,277	formula one frozen food problem I bought this popular fish food for the first time last night and today I gave it a try. I first tried to cut a frozen cube with a knife and had alot of trouble, so I put a cube in a small glass of tank water. It stayed intact, and when I tried to pick it into smaller pieces with my fingers it would'nt come apart, its like rubber. I can't get the pieces small enough to be bite size for my fish. Whats up, is this stuff really rubbery like that? or is it a bad batch?

05/13/2006, 09:58 AM	#9
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Cyclopeeze is another break-apart that's really good for corals and smaller fish. Drives chromis and dartfish crazy. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/13/2006, 05:16 PM	#10
dandydan Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 284	Exactly the same, like lumps of rubber, frightened my fish. I wont touch any of their products now, plenty of other choices out there. __________________ Dan the Man Current Tank Info: 560Ltrs actual, DIY LED lighting, Deltec TC2060 due to NPS

05/13/2006, 05:28 PM	#11
niteshado Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Oak Park,CA Posts: 223	I have used formula I and II cubes with sucess. Last month a batch came with more gel binder that Would not break apart easily. Went to a different lfs and it borke apart easily when thawed in tank water for 15 minutes.. I gues it depends on the batch you get Larry __________________ trade frags and save a reef Current Tank Info: 130 gal reef, 35 gal sump, octo 150 recirc,SunBrite 60" LED F series lighting

05/15/2006, 11:54 AM	#15
LittlePuff Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Peoria,IL Posts: 685	Does it sink to the bottom of the tank, or will the "blob" float? Kim __________________ 90gal FOWLR (planning) 55gal FOWLR

05/12/2006, 02:54 PM	#2
RoscoPColtrane Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 586	i smash it in my fingers, i have some smaller fish that are not able to eat the bigger piecces. It's not a bad batch, just the gel binder for the food.

05/12/2006, 02:55 PM	#3
Billybeau1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dyer, Indiana Posts: 12,010	I just tried this product as well. Mine was rubbery but disolved apart when it went in the tank. I had to stop using it because something in that food makes my skimmer go crazy for a couple hours after feeding.

05/12/2006, 03:09 PM	#4
psimitry Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,560	Yeah, I had the same problem with it. I'm told that one of the best ways to feed it is to essentially stick a paperclip through it and let it hang in the tank so that your fish can graze on it. I stopped using it though, the gel binder made my skimmer overflow bigtime. I do use some Ocean Nutrition product though (in the form of flake, or pellets when I drop in home-made frozen food).

05/12/2006, 03:33 PM	#5
nemo1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: miami Posts: 10	Try to find one without the gel-binder. I use both, the one that I have with it, is the Angel formula and I just let it sit in some tank water for a while then place it in a fish net and with clean fingers I crush it.

05/12/2006, 07:28 PM	#6
kevensquint Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: new york Posts: 2,277	Thats dissapointing news, my old marine mix by big al's was so easy to use, I thought I was doing better with this "real" brand.

05/13/2006, 06:48 AM	#7
mta Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: yonkers new york Posts: 418	The gel -binder is only in the cubes.Buy the same food in the flat version (flats).No gel and breaks apart fine.

05/13/2006, 09:38 AM	#8
Billybeau1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dyer, Indiana Posts: 12,010	Thanks MTA, I'll try that. My fish really like it.

05/13/2006, 06:52 PM	#12
racrumrine Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,290	They should just get rid of the gel binder. What's the point of it? I won't buy it again. Best of luck, Roy

05/14/2006, 08:06 AM	#13
mta Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: yonkers new york Posts: 418	The binder keeps the food in the cube shape.Just buy the flats.

05/15/2006, 12:56 PM	#18
tatoofr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,044	Hi, Cut it up with a razor to the size needed. Frank __________________ !20 tech tank ATI T5 Club Current Tank Info: 120 reef

05/15/2006, 01:59 PM	#19
Craig Lambert Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,897	I bought the angel formula with gel binder and I absolutely hate the stuff. It's perfectly designed for the person who wants to spend an entire hour each time they feed their fish. I'll never buy it again. (Probably won't ever finish using what I bought). I'll stick to prime reef and a few other frozen foods. __________________ "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will spend all day in a boat drinking beer." Current Tank Info: 75G Tank, 29G Sump, 100lbs LR, AquaC EV-180, Iwaki MD-20RT return Tunze nano streams 4X54 t-5/Icecap Ballast & SLR's 2x110 vho actinic

11/02/2006, 11:07 AM	#20
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	Had to dig this thread up while I eat crow My last pack of Formula 1 frozen cubes was purchased many years ago (small tank/few fish). I just bought a new pack. OMG how much gel binder to they use now!!?? You guys were totally right....it's like rubber. My fish refuse to swallow it. Even minced into TINY pieces, some of my fish still won't swallow it, but not for lack of trying. My previous stuff would turn to particulates if I left it in water for too long. This new stuff I left for 24 hrs...literally. No change! I try smashing it against the sides of the cup, and the pieces just squish out like rubber jello jigglers. Very disappointing! And for such a low min. crude protein, it's not worth the hassle. __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.