Flake vs Frozen food

[pyro]

I've always assumed in the past frozen food (krill, squid, ect) was horrible for the water colomn due to all the extra waste and everything. I was reading the thing of flake food the other day and I realized just how much excess protien is in the stuff. I've always fed flake cause I thought frozen would put too many nutrients into my water; but will all the extra protien in flake food, is frozen food really any worse for the water?
I've never thought much of this before and am looking for some opinions

 

[lion_crazz]

I do not really know for a fact which has more excessive nutrients in it, but I always have used frozen foods. I do not use flake or pellet at all.

 

[sleasia]

I think if you thaw out your frozen food in a little tank water with your drops of vit c, zoe, or whatever you vitamin supplement with, and then you are careful to strain out the excess water before you dump the food into the tank you can cut down on the excess which will contribute to nitrates. At least this is what I do. I alternate pellet with nori with frozen meaty foods. But I thaw and strain the frozen before putting it in the tank using a little mesh tea strainer spoon thing.

 

[pyro]

Yeah, I'm starting to think frozen foods on a daily/every other day basis would be healthier for the water (and fish) than just the flake.
I have an algae issue and am trying to cut down all extra nutrients.

 

[hardcrab67]

I've read that if using flake, use it sparingly(treat).I have anthias, so I give them a pinch for lunch every other day, hardly any makes it to the bottom, so I'm not polluting the tank w/ it. I don't know about the nutrient part, but read on the container that it is low in phosphorus (not free of it). I've discontinued use of it to see if it was contributing to the rise of phosphate in my tank. I'll probably chop some clam or shrimp bits for their lunch now. Everything else is either fresh or frozen.

 

[debbie]

I use both, in small amounts I think a combo of both is the best. My coral beauty loves the spirulina flakes as well as some frozen foods.

 

[gsd]

I use pellet type and froozen. ANy of the minute particles of frozen is good for corals and other filter feeders......flake has too much phosphates in it, and I always had cyano outbreaks even when I fed small amounts. I started to feed pellets, Hirari S and also M sized and then started otuse locally made frozen food, and finally started ot use my own frozen food I make and they have been doing just fine on it for over 1 1/2 years on it now.

 

[pyro]

Ohh; never thought of that. Pretty sure my flake says PO4 free or something like that, but who knows.
I'm gonna switch over to only frozen for a couple weeks and see if things clear up =).
Thanks for the opinions everybody.

 

[arsen_36]

i feed formula one pellets and bits of krill for two for two days then i feed frozen marine cuesine(sp) and formula one for one day. i feed more of formula one first then the meaty foods.

 

[dbgator1]

I use both and my fish eat it all i have used both for along time and it has done well for my fish. I believe variety is the key as long as you switch it up the fish will be happy. Although with the frozen i do like how i can soak the vitamins into it then you know your fish are getting them. :happyfish

 

[arsen_36]

Originally Posted by dbgator1
I use both and my fish eat it all i have used both for along time and it has done well for my fish. I believe variety is the key as long as you switch it up the fish will be happy. Although with the frozen i do like how i can soak the vitamins into it then you know your fish are getting them. :happyfish

 

[stanlalee]

All the frozen food I have is 90%+ mosture and only 3-4% in protein content. and the rest is fat or fiber. While the prepared food (I use mostly pellets but the content is about the same) is usually between 38-50% protein, less than 10% moisture and fortified with vitamins. I basically only feed the frozen so the fish dont have to give up fresh real seafood meat and for the corals. then again the only frozen I have are plankton and mysis. I havent ever read the labels of krill, squid and other frozens.

 

[pyro]

Well; if all else fails, my purple firefish that didnt' look so great shows noticable improvement in just 36 hours =). I made sure to spot feed it some squid (took a while and some jiggling and a lot of nerves in fear of teeth) and it seems to have really helped its fins and fatten it up a bit.
I'll make an update in 2-3 weeks stating any good/bad results just to let everybody know my expiriences for reference =).
Thanks for all the opinions again.

 

[mudplayerx]

I feed my fish, corals, and inverts with seafood from the grocery store. As long as you package it correctly in the freezer, it lasts a very long time and costs roughly the same as flake food and drasticly less than frozen food.
I chop ut up very very finely like a chef does with a big butcher knife while it is still frozen. I then get a small dish of tank water and dethaw it in there and stir it up really good. A syringe is what I use to spot feed the corals and fish. The inverts such as crabs, stars, and shrimp I just give a larger piece of thawed seafood.

 

[vanquish]

Flakes contain higher phosphate levels. I'm trying to cut back on flake and move to frozen.

 

[theappe]

I alternate. I use flake/pellet one day and then frozen variaties another.

 

[pat713]

Originally Posted by mudplayerx
I feed my fish, corals, and inverts with seafood from the grocery store. As long as you package it correctly in the freezer, it lasts a very long time and costs roughly the same as flake food and drasticly less than frozen food.
I chop ut up very very finely like a chef does with a big butcher knife while it is still frozen. I then get a small dish of tank water and dethaw it in there and stir it up really good. A syringe is what I use to spot feed the corals and fish. The inverts such as crabs, stars, and shrimp I just give a larger piece of thawed seafood.

What kidn of seafood do you buy from the store? crab? fish? shrimp?