What's worse: uneaten food or fish waste?

[zzyzx85]

So I was watching my cories scurry around the tank, looking for bits of food when I thought about the question: What's worse for the tank environment, uneaten food or fish waste?

I think it's the uneaten food because fish waste has already been "processed" and digested, therefore it's been broken down. While it isn't always completely broken down, it is still been "processed" compared to uneaten food.

What do you guys think?

 

[chunkoblue]

I would say uneaten food is worse.. can be a breeding ground for unwanted bacteria as well.

 

[msjinkzd]

yup, uneaten excess food is worse, at least fish poo produces nitrates which plants can use

 

[jpappy789]

I guess uneaten food...but in a perfect world none would be in my tank

 

[khombre]

Uneaten food even catches fungus sometimes. (Mostly on cycling/uncycled tanks). :headshake2:

 

[J double R]

yup, uneaten excess food is worse, at least fish poo produces nitrates which plants can use

uneaten food goes thru a similar cycle (albeit a little different since it has to break down) but it ends up being nitrates too, hun.

 

[msjinkzd]

:footinmouth::hitting:

 

[J double R]

but i agree.. uneaten food has to rot before it makes ammonia.. whereas fish waste and feces has the ammonia ready to go.

 

[Star_Rider]

but don't plants actually prefer ammonia to nitrate?

 

[silentskream]

not necessarily.. they can use both equally.

i'd say uneated food is worse. cuz it rots and occasionally funguses and clouds the water and gets ugly.