Dry Flake vs Home-Made Fish Goo

[Chuck Spyropulos]

I recently have been feeding my fish dry flake food instead of homemade fish goo. This, it seems, has had a positive effect in my tank as far as limiting/eliminating bad algae (bubble, dinos, hair). After all of the other techniques to export nutrients failed to get rid of the algaes, the dry food seems to have done the trick.

Has anyone switched to flakes from homemade and had the same results?

Does homemade contain more phosphates that flake?

The other thing I was thinking is that flake food might (just a guess here) be more readily exported by a skimmer than homemade frozen. The flakes are really light and small particles that this characteristic makes flake more readily exportable than other foods?

 

[SharkLover]

I recently have been feeding my fish dry flake food instead of homemade fish goo. This, it seems, has had a positive effect in my tank as far as limiting/eliminating bad algae (bubble, dinos, hair). After all of the other techniques to export nutrients failed to get rid of the algaes, the dry food seems to have done the trick.

Has anyone switched to flakes from homemade and had the same results?

Does homemade contain more phosphates that flake?

The other thing I was thinking is that flake food might (just a guess here) be more readily exported by a skimmer than homemade frozen. The flakes are really light and small particles that this characteristic makes flake more readily exportable than other foods?

funny as it be, i had a hugh cyano and dino problem for months (i think 4-6 to be specific). I removed my refugium, sump and skimmer and switched to weekly water changes and that fixed everything. So i guess what i'm saying is theres multiple ways to resolve export nutrient problems. yours may be just what your tank needed!

 

[Liam]

fish goo is just about the worst food source you can add to a tank IMO,flakes are the second worst

 

[emabie]

fish goo is just about the worst food source you can add to a tank IMO,flakes are the second worst

So whats the best food for your fish?

 

[Pinkskunk]

IMO, feed them bits that they can eat as whole. Goo are at least 50% liquified so fish can't drink them......... and as you guess it..... algea will feed on them just my guess......

i feed them shrinking pellets, and thanks to the pigs, they go after those pellets like there is no tomorrow....... little left go to waste.

So whats the best food for your fish?

 

[KSC]

From what I have read, pellets are the best food(besides live). Most vitamins are water soluable, so as soon as the food hits the water they start to disperse. Once you freeze food, you break down the cells so running it under water first washes out most of the nutritious stuff and leaves an "empty shell" for the fish to eat. That said, I feed a little of everything with pellets being at least 50% of their food.

 

[lisa foster]

what is fish goo. Is it the frozen cubes

 

[emabie]

what is fish goo. Is it the frozen cubes

No, Fish Goo refers to homemade mixtures of seafood, Nori, Garlic, bloodworms and all kinds of stuff mixed in.

There is a good thread someone just wrote up. I'll see if I can find it.

I make my own and it's a bit different each time.

Here is the link:

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=83681

 

[Liam]

IMO, feed them bits that they can eat as whole. Goo are at least 50% liquified so fish can't drink them......... and as you guess it..... algea will feed on them just my guess......

.

exactly

 

[mchartier]

So what pellets are you using?
I have been feeding Formula 1,2, Prime Reef and mysis on occasion some chopped squid. I do have some algae but my tank is still a little young about 6 months and if I can cut down on nutrients by the food it would be good.

 

[Cjtabares]

So do you think the frozen food is bad too?

 

[lisa foster]

I have been using the frozen cubes for 11 months. I do not have any hair algae or bubble algae.

 

[JayM]

So do you think the frozen food is bad too?

I thaw mine and rinse it when it is used, unless it is fish crack, cyclopeeze

I have some finicky fish (mandarin) so I can't go by pellets/dry alone

 

[Liam]

Fozen food is great as long as it is whole food items,is rinsed in saltwater(not fresh) and strained though a brine net

 

[Pinkskunk]

when i feed my fish frozen food, i just throw it in frozen as it came out of the freezer, my fishes go at it like children with ice cream......... some clownfishes even steal it and share it with their anemones. This method will reduce liquified food to be spread all over as the frozen liquid are also consumed.

if i have to strain the food and rinse this and rinse that and all that labor stuff, then i guarentee you i will leave my fish starve to death

 

[RayD]

Learn something new every day I guess.

Do pellets provide enough nutritional value to keep the fish thriving long term? I was always of the school that flake and pellets were more of a "snack" than a true food source.

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[KSC]

I think ORA has had pretty good "luck" with pellets....
http://www.orafarm.com/oraglo.html
Also if you go to a trout hatchery, they feed pellets too.

 

[Liam]

when i feed my fish frozen food, i just throw it in frozen as it came out of the freezer, my fishes go at it like children with ice cream......... some clownfishes even steal it and share it with their anemones. This method will reduce liquified food to be spread all over as the frozen liquid are also consumed.

if i have to strain the food and rinse this and rinse that and all that labor stuff, then i guarentee you i will leave my fish starve to death

Its the liquid that is used as a binder that causes the problems,that will melt on contact with the water and release the food items,the liquid then becomes algae food

 

[mchartier]

What about if it says no binder gel?

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Hi Liam!

Can you go into a little more detail regarding "whole food items"? Specifically wnat are the ingredients and how are they prepared?

As a reference talking point, my homade food is raw chopped up clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, Reef Nutrition Frozen, Mysis. I chop the big stuff individually then add the mysis and frozen. I never use a blender.

But still, the flake food is really making a difference in my tank as far as staving off algae.

Pellets it seems would even be better, as long as they provide the correct nutrition. I would definitely consider this type of food.

Fozen food is great as long as it is whole food items,is rinsed in saltwater(not fresh) and strained though a brine net