Bightwell AngeLixir(for sponge), food soak?

[geaux xman]

anyone use this product or think it could be useful?

* Complex of free-form amino acids in the same ratios found within tissues of sponges.
Beneficial to all fishes whose diets are in large part composed of sponges, including
angelfishes, butterflyfishes, Moorish Idols, and their respective allies.

http://www.brightwellaquatics.com/products/angelixir.php

 

[Monkeyfish]

Interesting. Tagging along and hoping to hear from some experienced fish keepers.

 

[djkms]

Dont waste your money on it. I talked to a representative from Brightwell at Reefstock a couple months back about this product. I have a Moorish Idol which feeds off of sponge in the wild, hence my curiosity about this product. He stated there is no sponge in the bottle and it is only used to entice picky eaters to feed, nothing more, there is no nutritional value to the soak.

Plus if you read the ingredients its something like 99% water. So if you want to pay $30 or more for water shoot me a PM we can work out some great deals!

 

[Angel*Fish]

According to their website it contains a "Complex of free-form amino acids in the same ratios found within tissues of sponges."

 

[djkms]

Exactly. Like every other snake oil in this hobby, they dont tell you whats in it. If I recall correctly on the bottle it states something like 99% water and 1% amino acids. If there was truly sponge in the bottle I would think they would advertise it as such.

Needless to say IMO its nothing more than expensive water. Now if you have a Angel/Idol/butterfly who is not eating this might do the trick otherwise I wouldnt waste my money on it.

I wanted something better than angel formula to feed my Idol (the formula does not sink) but have yet to find something with good sponge content. I just feed my Idol NLS pellets & Rods and call it a day.

 

[Angel*Fish]

The amino acids are the amino acids regardless of whether they come from sponge or a bottle provided they aren't using an isomer of the natural compound.

They are implying that it's the amino acids from sponge that these fish need and are missing from the diet if the fish doesn't get enough sponge. Whether or not that's true I have no clue. And whether these AA's should be consumed with something that is also only present in sponge to be absorbed properly, I don't know.

 

[djkms]

Well your one step ahead then the representative then!

I recall my conversation with him pretty vividly.

Is there sponge in the bottle - no
Is there any nutritional value to the bottle - no
what is the purpose of the soak - to entice feeding

Thats all I needed to know.

Angel Fish do you get sponge into your fish's diet? If so how? I am curious, neither my Idol or Angel cared about Angel Formula (which is the only food I know of which lists sponge as the first ingredient).

 

[Angel*Fish]

:lmao:
No, I'm in the same boat you are, except all my angels died in Hurricane Ike and I am just recently having enough heart to start up again.

It does sound like there's a low concentration of AA's in that stuff, but possibly a little goes a long way. The only claims they make are about proportions and not quantities. I would want to know how much amino acids there are per 5 drops or a teaspoon or something like that.

 

[snorvich]

Well having amino acids contained within and being beneficial to angelfish are two different subjects. I got sucked into buying it and found no beneficial value.

 

[Monkeyfish]

Kinda what I figured, but I was hoping otherwise. Guess I'll be scraping sponge this summer while diving local.