frozen or dry food?

[cichlid101]

what is better for the fish, frozen foods or dry foods?
I have a humu humu, clown trigger, 2 perc clowns in a 140 48x24x28

 

[smokinstarfish]

Frozen foods that have been thawed in the fridge first are better than dried in most circumstances, IMO.

 

[dreeves]

Use both...alternate between them...

 

[thomas712]

If using frozen just make sure you thaw then rinse it if possible as the frozen can contain unwanted phosphates.
Flake works well for me, but recently purchased some frozen to make sure my wrasse and purple firefish get what they need.
Thomas

 

[polarpooch]

I alternate too...just to keep up the variety. My marine flakes provide the food for the herbivores, too, when I don't have fresh greens around.

 

[thomas712]

I will thaw a cube in a small plastic cup in tank water, leave it undesturbed, usually if I tip this cup the cube will not fall apart, then add Zoe or Selcon to the cube and let sit for a while then add some more tank water and let sit for a few minutes and let her rip in the tank.
For the finer stuff like your talking about, I understand there is little that you can do about it short of rinsing it in coffee filters, even I don't go that far.
Thomas

 

[cincyreefer]

I highly recommend using hikari frozen foods. They offer any type of food you would need and are far superior than any other I have ever used. They clean their food really well and don't pack it in nearly as much water as other brands, reducing the phosphate and nitrate. They also supplement with vitamins.

 

[bdhough]

I would go with frozen as much as possible. Feeding to much dry food will mottle the color of some fish and just can't replace good old fashioned raw food full of blood and guts . It doesn't hurt to feed dry every now and again if your feeling lazy

 

[thomas712]

Preservitives is exactly correct. Even in flake food. How do you avoid it. Even making your own food you would have to find out somehow if the processing from the seafood you purchase has been treated in any way with a presvertive, most likely it has.
But on the whole you can make your own and rinse the heck out of it with good ole RO and probably do better then other frozen food and wind up saving money as well.
Phosphates can also come from decaying matter which is what frozen food can or is becoming.
Here is a small phosphate list that are used as preservitives.
Acetylated distarch phosphate (thickener,
stabiliser)
Ammonium phosphates (acidity regulator)
Bone phosphate (anti-caking agent, emulsifier)
Calcium phosphates (acidity regulator, emulsifier,
stabiliser, anti-caking agent)
Distarch phosphate (thickener, stabiliser)
Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (thickener,
stabiliser)
Magnesium phosphates (acidity regulator, anti-
caking agent)
Monostarch phosphate (thickener, stabiliser)
Phosphated distarch phosphate (thickener,
stabiliser)
Potassium phosphates (acidity regulator,
emulsifier, stabiliser)
Potassium polymetaphosphate or Sodium
metaphosphate, insoluble or Sodium
polyphosphates, glassy (emulsifier, stabiliser)
Potassium pyrophosphate or Sodium acid
pyrophosphate or Sodium pyrophosphate
(emulsifiers, acidity regulators, stabilisers)
Potassium tripolyphosphate or Sodium
tripolyphosphate (acidity regulator)
Riboflavin or Riboflavin 5'-phosphate sodium
(colour)
Sodium aluminium phosphate (acidity regulator,
emulsifier)
Sodium phosphates (acidity regulator, emulsifier,
stabiliser)

 

[stumpdog]

What is this "zoe" stuff. I've heard about it. Can I get this at my LFS?
Tanks-
Jeremy