Written by Gwen S. who works in Drs. Foster and Smith’s Technical Support Department.
When I first started working in Drs. Foster & Smith’s LiveAquaria.com area, I thought that setting up a fish tank would be beneficial to me as it would make it easier to answer the questions our customers would ask. So I set up my first freshwater tank that I had for approximately one year hoping to get some experience in fish keeping. I fed my fish on a daily basis using flake food and every once in a while they would get frozen bloodworms. I performed water changes every two weeks and did not have any problems with my setup.
When I decided that I was more interested in saltwater invertebrates rather than fish, I switched to a saltwater tank. I added only a few fish to the tank, as I stated invertebrates were my interest. Learning more about fish nutrition, I decided to feed my fish every other day using flake and pellet food with the occasional frozen brine shrimp offering. I also performed biweekly water changes.
One of the more frequent questions I seem to get is about fish nutrition and what type of fish foods is best for their fish. With such a large selection, I can imagine the confusion when trying to pick a “quality” food. There are numerous great flake and pellet foods; but using a variety of foods is always best for fish. However, the reason my fish did not get the frozen foods often, even though they loved the frozen food, was because I would have to cut the cubs into small pieces, using ½ of the cube for my three small fish and freeze or discard the rest. Once cut up, it also would take time to thaw the food before feeding my fish.
Anyone with children knows that time is of the essence and if they do not want something right then and there, they are likely walking toward you ready to ask for something. Not having a lot of time to feed the fish, the frozen foods seemed more of a hassle to me and so it would sit in my freezer. But not anymore!
The Instant Ocean Soft Gel Foods are a great alternative to frozen foods. I am able to cut the packet open and empty the contents directly into the tank. It is fast and easy, while still providing the nutrition (protein, omega fats, vitamins, and minerals) that the fish need to remain healthy. If the whole packet is not used in one feeding, it may be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. This is a product that I would recommend anyone use for their saltwater fish.
As we are learning more and more about reef keeping, I love trying the new products that are continually coming out in hopes of making this hobby easier without harming the beautiful specimens we love.
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Agree with your assessment. I frequently feed corals with those gel foods and always get a good feeding response.
Gary
I have Freshwater Fish and i am feeding them the tropical Crisps. Sometimes i think they may be to big for my smaller ones. So i occasionally feed them the flake food.