I've noticed that HBH brand foods all seem to contain copper proteinate as one of their ingredients. Now normally I would think copper+inverts=hell no. However, they include this ingredient even in their "Crab and Lobster Bites. Of course I found out all of this after I bought a big bag of their algae wafers for my mixed invert tank. So what's the deal on this stuff?
Copper Proteinate in foods
- Thread starter EdC
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Lupin
Registered Member
- Sep 21, 2006
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- Paul
Usually small concentrations of copper proteinate is fine. Copper proteinate is chelated copper which is not as toxic as the unchelated ones. The toxicity has been reduced in this case and in small concentrations, they shouldn't pose too much problems.
Also shrimp require a certain kind of copper to live. I had the same question and emailed Hikari about it. This is what they said:
"Here is a more in depth response from our research staff.
Yes, too much copper in the diet will kill the shrimp. But, shrimp need a very small amount of copper in their food for good health.
Not like us(humans), animals or fish, most shrimp use copper to deliver oxygen
inside of their body. For example, we (humans) have red blood cells which
contain hemoglobin. Hemoglobin contains iron metal (Fe), and this iron
actually absorbs oxygen at large and delivers this oxygen to every part of
body and organs.
However, in the case of Shrimp, they have Hemocyanin in their blood cells, with
copper metal. They use copper to deliver oxygen to their vital organs and circulatory system.
That is why their blood is clear or green color rather than red color like ours (humans).
We hope this additional information helps!"
"Here is a more in depth response from our research staff.
Yes, too much copper in the diet will kill the shrimp. But, shrimp need a very small amount of copper in their food for good health.
Not like us(humans), animals or fish, most shrimp use copper to deliver oxygen
inside of their body. For example, we (humans) have red blood cells which
contain hemoglobin. Hemoglobin contains iron metal (Fe), and this iron
actually absorbs oxygen at large and delivers this oxygen to every part of
body and organs.
However, in the case of Shrimp, they have Hemocyanin in their blood cells, with
copper metal. They use copper to deliver oxygen to their vital organs and circulatory system.
That is why their blood is clear or green color rather than red color like ours (humans).
We hope this additional information helps!"
ooooh, i have heard this copper proteinate question asked a few times already and the general consensus was that it was safe but a response from hikari is always good to see 
Yay for new info (to me at least).
Yay for new info (to me at least).
Thats good to know about the Hikari Shrimp food. I wasn't going to touch the stuff because it had copper listed. I'm still a bit skiddish. Perhaps I'll try it out only with one tank to see what happens soon as I can get some.
How cool is it that Hikari is willing to provide such detailed answers? You can't hardly get that kind of response on human food, so it's amazing you can get it for fish food.
Aquaria people are good people.
Aquaria people are good people.