Which of these brands is the best?

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cichlidcichlid

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Jun 15, 2006
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I recently made a trip to Petsmart to buy more cichlid pellets and realized that the food I normally buy went up to $13.99 for an 8.8 ounce bag. I have always used Hikari Gold and have been very happy with the results, but it is just getting to expensive.

I ended up leaving with the Hikari Gold because I did not want to settle for a cheaper substitute. However, I noticed that they started selling Omega One cichlid pellets and it is actually cheaper than the Hikari. On the the ingredient list there is more fish listed than the Hikari. Is Omega One a quality product meaning it won't cloud the water and cause any nutrient deficiencies?

I have used Hikari Gold for over seven years now, but it may be time to change to something else that is more economical. Omega One came out at 7 something for a 6 ounce container of pellets so it is a lot closer to a price that I am willing to pay.
 
Omega One is among the higher quality mass produced food lines. A very good choice.
 
Either food is a quality food. The question is how much food do you get for your dollar? I feed Hikari Cichlid Gold as a main staple and then offer other treats from time to time. Watch the protein in foods for cichlids as it can cause bloat it they get too much. A little fat is fine. As with most foods, anything in moderation is fine and varying the offering is best.
 
I find it's best to offer more than 1 food so the spoiled fish don't go on a hunger strike if their favorite is unavailable or the formula is changed. I've used several of ken's foods, he may have 1 or 2 that are similar to what your fish are used to. You may be able to find Hikari gold less expensively online too. BTW none of my fish ever acted like NLS was anything more than it's better than nothing, guess they didn't read the label, Omega 1 was eaten better but didn't try cichlid.
 
Cichlid PeeWee by Xtreme Aquatic foods is another great food, available in bulk quantities. My fish seem to like it better than NLS, it's softer and seems to smell more fishy...Omega One is a great food, I would even say it's better quality than Hikari Gold. As was said above - no substitute for mixing it up! Variety is the spice of life.
 
Variety is not a nutrient. It is not necessary in a complete and balanced diet. In fact, in can contribute to malnutrition when the animal picks through the options.

The problem is that animals are attracted to certain foods because they have nutrients that are hard to find in nature. This means that if you offer them two foods and one has more fat, they will go for it. This does NOT mean it is healthier, in fact it could be the exact opposite. This is like allowing a child to choose what it wants to eat and deciding the candy is the healthiest because they like it the most.

Their nutrition is vital, the most important aspect of their care. Their 'lack of enthusiasm' for a particular food doesn't mean it is not the best thing for them.
 
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