Vitamins and other aquarium supplements?

[NoчnoyGostь]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post, but does anybody add those commercial vitamins and/or other water supplements? Right now I'm looking at a bottle of AZOO SUPPLEMENT VITAMINS. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Aries]

If this is for freshwater - I have never added supplements to food or the water column - at least those that are targeted to fish. [ I do fertilize the plants though ]. If you feed a variety of high quality foods, this should never be an issue.

I know nothing of saltwater.

My guess is not to dose anything like this.... But again that is my $0.02.

Good Luck

Aries

 

[NoчnoyGostь]

Thanks. Just wondered... if somebody is selling them, then somebody must be buying them... right?

 

[RTR]

FW fish do not drink water, so something in the water column is not going to get much if any absorbtion across the gill membranes. If you soak frozen food while it is thawing, or presoak FD foods, you would have some absortion and thus some delivery to the fish.

 

[Aries]

RTR - how benificial - if at all - are these supplements??? Do you know??


Just curious

Thanks

Aries

 

[Slappy*McFish]

They're a waste of money if added to the water column. Instead, as RTR stated, add the vitamins to the food.

 

[daveedka]

From what I've read the ebnefits of vitamin supplements are highly arguable. Some folks swear by them others swear at them. I keep a bottle of liquid centrum on hand (people vitamins), and depending on type and quantity of foods I feed, I do sometimes supplement. I cannot say if it has any real effect. In cases of disease such as HITH, I consider daily supplements a must, but with healthy fish I have been unable to find any real proof good or bad on the subject. Here are a couple of articles, one from each side of the argument.
http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modul...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=48&page=1
http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modul...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=50&page=1

The thing I find interesting about both is that the first one deals primarily with HITH treatment and prevention, the second is geared mostly Toward Discus breeders where vitamins and supplements seem to be overly popular. No article I have been able to find deals directly with routine supplementation in a typical tank.
HTH

 

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

I soak frozen food in some water and Zoe over night when conditioning to spawn and recovering after a spawn...Cannot say conclusively if it make a difference, but it doesnt seem to hurt

 

[RTR]

I'm pretty much w/MightyQueenPixie on this. I also presoak FD and some thawing frozen with Zoe for puffer feeding, rarely fo other fish. I have no clue as to whether or not I am wasting my money, but I do know that those fish's captive diet is very different from their wild diet, so I hope that I am helping. Since my puffs seem to live longer than most, it is at least not hurting to any detectable extent.

 

[ChileRelleno]

FW fish vitamin supplements designed for use in the water column are useless IMHO. On the other hand quality FW fish liquid vitamin supplements meant for food supplementation have their place and are beneficial.
I use FW 'Vita-Chem' brand.