best SINGLE food for reef aquarium

[daveverdo]

My fish like the pellets along with pretty much anything I feed them. The only thing they really don't like that much is dried seaweed. I put it on a clip int he tank and no one really goes after it. Even the Foxface will just only nibble.

The only thing I don't like about the pellets is they sink quickly. Anyone know a good floating or slowly sinking pellet?

Dave

 

[cardiffgiant]

I just started using these. I got a free sample with a BRS order several months ago, and bought a big container of the garlic enriched on my last order (haven't tired that yet). I still have some formula 1 and 2 pellet to finish using, but I've been putting this into the mix to get the fish used to it. Too soon for me to observe anything new in terms of color or health. I do like that they sink into the water column right away.

I feed pellet to the LPS periodically too, and they seem to respond very well. Pellet and an autofeeder is a great way to feed the tank several small meals throughout the day. My experience is that if one fish eats it, the rest will catch on (including my last dragonette and CBB).

 

[cardiffgiant]

Anyone know a good floating or slowly sinking pellet?

New Life Spectrum pellets

 

[block head]

the only food i've had a hard time feeding is nori. i've heard mixed reviews on rod's food. i'm really impressed with abc pets whole reef frozen blend. made in ny ,with 13 herbs and spices. very affordable as well.

 

[Paul B]

For me the best food would be live black worms or fresh salt water fish eggs like Salmon.
But thats just me

 

[Bluephish13]

I agree gary, new life spectrum pellets. I have been feeding new life spectrum for sometime now 1 yr+. It is the main(majority) food fed to my tank. It feeds my o.clown pair, sixline, hippo tang, even my mandarin will eat them, nass. snails, hermits, even lps corals that catch them.

5.3 oz can has lasted for more than a few months on my tank.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

For me the best food would be live black worms or fresh salt water fish eggs like Salmon.
But thats just me

live black worms for your CBB?
(In my case Spectrum pellets fuel the pod population that keeps my CBB and Mandarinfish well fed.)

what are the Salmon eggs for?

 

[RoscoPColtrane]

Can someone please tell me where I can find these in Buffalo or Rochester? I am looking for a pellet to put in my autofeeder. I do not recall seeing them around. Thanks...

 

[Johnny C]

Can someone please tell me where I can find these in Buffalo or Rochester? I am looking for a pellet to put in my autofeeder. I do not recall seeing them around. Thanks...

ARC sells them in several different sizes, not sure about ROC tho.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Can someone please tell me where I can find these in Buffalo or Rochester? I am looking for a pellet to put in my autofeeder. I do not recall seeing them around. Thanks...

ABC in Fairport has a large selection of Spectrum pellets.
MO (in Spencerport) has some as well. I don't know who else locally sells them but (IMO) all LFS's should.

drtango was the one that turned me onto these pellets years ago and his reef aquarium was one of the finest.

 

[Bluephish13]

Also all my fish are also original fish 2 yrs. Never had any breakouts of fish diseases,deaths, or high nutrients(in fact it was the opposite i had barely any nutrients at one point.)

colors on my fish are A+ in my opinion. On my hippo the blacks, and blue are very deep and rich. The yellow tail is very bright and vibrant, along with the orange on my clowns.

I also feed once a week rods coral blend and cyclopeeze.(more for the corals, and the rods seems to help keep nutrients up a lil and darken my acros.)

I guess you could say i feed almost exclusively new life spectrum as sated in directions 2x maybe 3x a day and get IMO very good growth, color, and overall health from my fish.

I went the new life exclusive route for the same reason gary, the ease of it. I wont change my feeding routine until it is no longer working.

 

[dv3]

how do you guys decide what is the best food ?
...do you test for phosphates, nitrates or other things?
...do you taste it?
...its the best price?
...i woke up this morning and think my corals and/or fish look better?

i hear alot of people recommending this but still no solid ideas as to why you thing its the best ...clue me in please

 

[tmz]

Paul is that roe for you or your aquarium:celeb1:

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

how do you guys decide what is the best food ?
...do you test for phosphates, nitrates or other things?
...do you taste it?
...its the best price?
...i woke up this morning and think my corals and/or fish look better?

i hear alot of people recommending this but still no solid ideas as to why you thing its the best ...clue me in please

I don't know how other people decide what is the best food but here's some of my personal criteria:
I test for low range PO4 with a Hanna Colorimeter. Spectrum pellets feed the whole aquarium but hit the fishes hard with a heavy percentage of each pellet making it's way into fish mouths. The small percentage of Spectrum that escapes the fishes feeds inverts in the aquarium. These pellets can be used to replace coral foods and you don't get the associated outbreak of cyanobacteria.

I don't taste fish food and price isn't really a concern. I mean, Spectrum doesn't make a cheapo product but it's price is certainly in line with the quality of it's product. It's relatively inexpensive. Why not roll the dice and try some?

I woke up this morning and my corals and fishes look better. Seriously. But that was over a year ago. If you've seen many marine aquariums you know when something is going right (or wrong) in one. One of the first thing people notice in my aquarium are the FAT colorful fishes and corals. Many have spawned in the past year. Might be a coincidence. But I don't think so.

 

[dv3]

I don't know how other people decide what is the best food but here's some of my personal criteria:
I test for low range PO4 with a Hanna Colorimeter. Spectrum pellets feed the whole aquarium but hit the fishes hard with a heavy percentage of each pellet making it's way into fish mouths. The small percentage of Spectrum that escapes the fishes feeds inverts in the aquarium. These pellets can be used to replace coral foods and you don't get the associated outbreak of cyanobacteria.

I don't taste fish food and price isn't really a concern. I mean, Spectrum doesn't make a cheapo product but it's price is certainly in line with the quality of it's product. It's relatively inexpensive. Why not roll the dice and try some?

I woke up this morning and my corals and fishes look better. Seriously. But that was over a year ago. If you've seen many marine aquariums you know when something is going right (or wrong) in one. One of the first thing people notice in my aquarium are the FAT colorful fishes and corals. Many have spawned in the past year. Might be a coincidence. But I don't think so.

now that makes a little more sense to me ....and might just try it now, even if its just to find out how it tastes :lolspin:

 

[jdoenumber2]

ABC food all the way.

 

[Paul B]

what are the Salmon eggs for?

They become Salmon. But in my case I feed them to the fish and corals. They are full of oil and everything else a fish needs.

Paul is that roe for you or your aquarium

I get one and they get one, I get one and they get one.

live black worms for your CBB?

No, for all my fish. If I want to keep them spawning, thats what I feed. Along with other things.

Also I don't think there is anything wrong with Spectrum pellets. I just like to feed natural things including plankton. I do also use some pellets.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I get one and they get one, I get one and they get one.

well... I believe the FDA has proven fish oil is good for your health!

some local long time reefkeepers are probably already aware that I've used pellet foods for a long time. I'm not posting on a whim of anecdotal observations.
I think (actually I already know) that if you took some of the aforementioned foods and fed them to marine fishes in a fish only (or FOWLR) system (this eliminates a lot of variables) the fishes getting fed Spectrum pellet will be more colorful.
Like I stated at the top of this thread: a rotation of good foods is best for your fishes but (IMO/IME) Spectrum pellet is probably the best SINGLE food choice. I was quite surprised when somebody pointed out that Bob Fenner has the same opinion.

 

[Capt_Cully]

well... I believe the FDA has proven fish oil is good for your health!

You're not insinuating you're concerned about heart disease in your fishes are you Gary???

Perhaps I'm in the wrong line of work? I should have been a marine cardiologist. Routine cholesterol checks, ching! stress tests, ching! angiocatheterizations and stent placements cha-ching!!!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

fish vets. There must be such things... right? Prolly out in LA.

anyways, since I have them right here... some pellet pix I took a year or so ago:

not all pellets are equal!