Fish food expiration

[DetectiveTofu]

I have some Formula 1 pellets, and was wondering about their expiration. The container says that the food is good for four months after the foil packaging is opened. Well, it has been four months since I have opened mine, and I still have a lot of pellets left. Are these pellets good anymore? Should I throw them out, or buy more? TIA

 

[Rekonn]

They may still be good, but it's not worth the risk to save a couple bucks IMHO.

 

[raddogz]

I still use dry fish food until I'm done with regardless of the expiration date.

 

[orientalexpress]

same here,so far so good.

 

[DetectiveTofu]

I definitely am not trying to skimp on a couple dollars for fish food so no worries - I think we all want the best for our fish; I was just curious, nothing more . I planned to get more anyways. Was just wondering about others' feedback regarding expiration dates and fish foods. I learned from a fellow aquarist that keeping pellets and the such in the freezer may aid in prolonging the nutritional value. I guess I my dry food is going in the freezer from now on

 

[raddogz]

The only concern would be the moisture content you have now introduced into the container. If you start getting freezer burn on the food, you may wind up wasting more food.

Let's look at this way - if the dry food gets moist, and then you stick it into the tank the dry food will not keep the same texture it'll probably (I'm guessing here) start dissolving pretty quickly and not in a good way.

 

[racrumrine]

For what its worth, I keep all my foods in the freezer.

I don't watch the expiration dates.

Best of luck,

Roy

 

[DetectiveTofu]

Eileen,

I don't think moisture is a huge issue with my food. I keep my pellets in a sealed container, underneath my fishtank in a cabinet.

 

[raddogz]

Moisture will become a problem if you keep it in the freezer in a container that is not freezer proof. If dry food was meant to be placed in the freezer don't you think that it would say so on the directions?

Call me strange but I don't put cereal in the freezer either.

 

[GreshamH]

Oxygen is dry feed's worst enemy (cracking seal=oxygen). Would you eat food past expiration and totally rely on it for most of your nutrition even though it can't provide it? Degration is a problem with fish food, this is why most manufacturers use Ethoxyquine or other anti oxidents. They can only do so much though, thus expiration dates.