Tetra Flakes

Tetra was the first popular commercial flake food, but that doesn't mean it's the best. I think if you tried giving your fish something like Omega One they would find it more enticing. It smells a lot "fishier" and the ingredients are obviously less of a filler nature.

Compare the basic freshwater formulas...

Omega One Freshwater Flakes:
Ingredients: Whole Salmon, Halibut, Black Cod, Whole Herring, Seafood mix (Including Krill, Rockfish, Shrimp, Squid, Clams and Octopus), Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Soy Flour, Fresh Kelp, Lecithin, Astraxanthin, L-ascorbyl-2-pophosphate (Vitamin C) Natural and Artificial Colors, Vitamins A, D, E, K3, B1, B2, B6, B12, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Biotin, Inositol, Ethoxyquin and Naturox (Natural mixed to tocopherols and Rosemary Extract) as Antioxidants.

Tetramin Ingredients:
Fish meal, torula dried yeast, ground brown rice, shrimp meal, wheat gluten, dried potato products, feeding oat meal, dehulled soybean meal,soybean oil, fish oil, algae meal, sorbitol, lecithin, gelatin, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (vitamin C). Natural and artificial colors. Ethoxyquin as a preservative.

That being said, if you like to feed often, probably best to go with something less rich. I only feed once a day, but it's denser higher quality food than the standard Tetra or Wardley.

Exactly


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It's ok... It's like feeding your dog purina rather than wellness, if any one knows anything about dog food. Ha. It's more of brand name thing. I'd like to think that feeding my fish a higher protein enriched diet, like omega one, will lessen the amount of fish waste coming into the tank because the fish's body can use more of what is in the food, thus less waste, and a healthier tank. I think tetra is good at advertising and appeal to the consumer price wise. That's why it's been in Meijer/ Walmart forever and why they stay in business. I would just rather feed the most useful food I can. Fish need less of it and saves me money in the long run even though I'm paying a little more for the good stuff.


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This is kinda what the lady at the LFS said to me when I asked about the differences in brands. I walked out of the store with Omega One Super Veggie and Omega One Super Color Flakes. ;)
 
There are many fish that will do poorly on a high protein food and is not recommended. It comes down to the type of fish and it's requirements. Just because a food is touted as being better does not mean it is the ideal food for a particular fish. Fish, like humans, need a balanced approach to food. Please research the dietary needs for the fish you have and then buy appropriately.

Although a good comparison of using one particular dog food over another, certain foods are not all they appear to be regardless of the name on the label. I have seen many so-called dog foods claiming to be grain-free have rice and sorghum as ingredients. Some even have oatmeal listed as a filler! That hardly qualifies them as grain-free! So please read label of contents and understand what you feed vs. what they need.
 
I've wondered why more fish food makers don't use insects/insect meal in their foods. There certainly is no shortage of insects. They're readily available everywhere, would be inexpensive to harvest or farm and would more closely match the natural diet of most freshwater fish.
 
Wow Slappy...what a great point! I had never thought of that. I guess "earthworm flake" is about as exotic as we can hope for. Cockroach crumbles, Pupa pellets and Fly flakes are probably not getting here any time soon, lol.
 
I think we sold freeze dried crickets in our fish food section at the pet store I worked at. It was the same brand and everything as the one for reptiles, but it was labeled and marketed for fish. Also, mealworms if I'm not mistaken. I know we fed our African butterfly fish live crickets. (I worked at a big box store).

Emily
 
Slappy:

I think insect meal has to much "exoskeleton". So nothing but shells.
 
Hi guys

A few months ago I took a really hard look into this brand and feeding thing. I've used tetra flakes for years without a problem. I switched to omega one but wasn't that impressed and while looking into things I came across the much touted "New Life Spectrum (nls)" I sent them an email and read through their site and forums. People heaped praise on this food, everywhere. And reading their site they made some seemingly lofty claims. BUT and I could never find anything to substantiate these claims. No pics or vids of before and after, nothing. So I decided to make a vid and what I documented changed my feeding regime for good.

It's important that you watch this in 720p

[video=youtube_share;O4-jhVMlNAw]http://youtu.be/O4-jhVMlNAw[/video]

Personally I think that it comes down to ingredients. Every food out there claims to improve color but when you take a look at the actual ingredients, their isn't a comparison. Fish can live happily on tetra foods. But if you introduce a feed rich in vitamins your fish will glow. And once that happens there is no going back to regular fish meal.

*Edit*

I want to add that my all apistos spawns and free swimming fry doubled with nls. The hongsloi spawns jumped from 60 - 120 and I got about 100 fry whereas pre nls spawns I'd get 50-60. I also nolonger feed frozen or live foods to get the apistos in the mood. Strictly nls.
 
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Nothing wrong with Tetra.. used it for years.. I switched to Kens because it is cheaper in bulk.. my angels love the angel flake I also feed earthworm and color..

NLS I have tried.. I mix it with tetra color or sera pellets..it's fed to my discus and rams.. btw , they don't seem to touch it unless I mix it.

altum and discus get a variety of food.. including bloodworms(FD and frozen) Black worm (FD loose) ,flake for Altum, discus get flake and pellets.

adults fed 2 small meals daily..young 3-4 X
 
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