How long does fish food last?

[corylover5]

I ordered Omega One Flakes for my fish as a Christmas gift. It so happens that I accidentally bought a HUGE container that is 7 inches tall
I looked at the expiration date but it is slightly distorted on the year so I can't tell if it says 2023 or 2029. Does anyone know about how long this will be good for? My fish seem to love the flakes so that's good

 

[Fishmanic]

Most likely 2023 as my NLS has a 4 year expiration date.
I have large container of New Life Spectrum. I put a two month’s supply in a smaller airtight container and put a week’s worth into a still smaller container for near term use. I store the large original container in the refrigerator. Since I am not opening the large container very often, the flakes will stay fresh longer.

 

[corylover5]

Most likely 2023 as my NLS has a 4 year expiration date.
I have large container of New Life Spectrum. I put a two month’s supply in a smaller airtight container and put a week’s worth into a still smaller container for near term use. I store the large original container in the refrigerator. Since I am not opening the large container very often, the flakes will stay fresh longer.

Thanks!

 

[corylover5]

Most likely 2023 as my NLS has a 4 year expiration date.
I have large container of New Life Spectrum. I put a two month’s supply in a smaller airtight container and put a week’s worth into a still smaller container for near term use. I store the large original container in the refrigerator. Since I am not opening the large container very often, the flakes will stay fresh longer.

Oh and Happy Holidays!

 

[Colin_T]

Pretty much what Fishmanic said, except I would keep the extra food in the freezer, not the fridge. But any dry fish food will absorb moisture and go off within a few weeks of being open, so try to have a small container that gets used up in a couple of weeks, and keep the rest in an airtight bag or container and freeze it or keep it cool and dry and out of any light.

 

[corylover5]

Pretty much what Fishmanic said, except I would keep the extra food in the freezer, not the fridge. But any dry fish food will absorb moisture and go off within a few weeks of being open, so try to have a small container that gets used up in a couple of weeks, and keep the rest in an airtight bag or container and freeze it or keep it cool and dry and out of any light.

Thanks! Happy Holidays!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Same here. When I buy fish food in bulk, I put most of it in an airtight container in the deep freeze.

 

[corylover5]

Thanks for all the replies! I saved a weeks worth in the container and put the rest in an airtight bag in a freezer

 

[AbbeysDad]

Pretty much what Fishmanic said, except I would keep the extra food in the freezer, not the fridge. But any dry fish food will absorb moisture and go off within a few weeks of being open, so try to have a small container that gets used up in a couple of weeks, and keep the rest in an airtight bag or container and freeze it or keep it cool and dry and out of any light.

I AGREE and keep all fish food in the freezer except for small containers near the appropriate tanks that are refilled about monthly or less.
(I mix up a blend of 2 or 3 high quality flake foods and store in the freezer. I like the idea of the 'special blend' as it better ensures a more balanced blend)

 

[corylover5]

I AGREE and keep all fish food in the freezer except for small containers near the appropriate tanks that are refilled about monthly or less.
(I mix up a blend of 2 or 3 high quality flake foods and store in the freezer. I like the idea of the 'special blend' as it better ensures a more balanced blend)

Oh thanks! What are some good foods? I feed Aqueon Algae wafers (for snails), Tetra Shrimp wafers, API Cichlid pellets (my cories like them), Fluval Bug Bites, Omega One Freshwater Flakes, and frozen bloodworms.

 

[Colin_T]

Oh thanks! What are some good foods?

What sort of fish are you keeping?

 

[corylover5]

What sort of fish are you keeping?

I have Corydoras, Upside down cats, snails, 3 mollies, and 1 platy

 

[AbbeysDad]

Oh thanks! What are some good foods?

I mix Omega One with Cobalt Tropical, Cobalt Breeder, Tetramin Tropical. Basically any three high quality foods. Here's a deep dive into Commercial Fish Foods - worth the read.

 

[Colin_T]

What sort of fish are you keeping?

I have Corydoras, Upside down cats, snails, 3 mollies, and 1 platy

The mollies and platy should have a diet consisting of plant/ algae, insects and insect larvae and a bit of marine based meat (prawn fish, squid).

The catfish should have a similar diet to the mollies but with less plant matter. Basically insects and insect larvae, small worms, marine based meats.

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Check the ingredients on any dry foods and see what they contain. If it has any sort of grain (wheat, barley, oats, corn, soy, etc) in, then you are wasting your money. Fish can't digest grains and never evolved to eat them.

If the ingredients contain herbs and other terrestrial plants (rosemary, thyme, etc), you are wasting your money for the same reason as grains. Fish never evolved to digest these items and whilst they sound fancy and good for the fish, they don't benefit the fish.

You also need to see what ingredients are listed first. Normally manufacturers have to put the main ingredients first and lower percentage ingredients towards the end of the list. If the first ingredient is fish, prawn, vitamins, that isn't too bad because the main ingredients are fish and prawn.

If the ingredients read wheat flour, fish products, soy meal, herbs & spices, water soluble vitamins, etc, that isn't a good food for fish.

In relation to vitamins, they spoil and degrade quickly in damp/ humid conditions so any fish food containing vitamins needs to be kept cool, dry and away from light to minimise their breakdown.

 

[corylover5]

The mollies and platy should have a diet consisting of plant/ algae, insects and insect larvae and a bit of marine based meat (prawn fish, squid).

The catfish should have a similar diet to the mollies but with less plant matter. Basically insects and insect larvae, small worms, marine based meats.

--------------------
Check the ingredients on any dry foods and see what they contain. If it has any sort of grain (wheat, barley, oats, corn, soy, etc) in, then you are wasting your money. Fish can't digest grains and never evolved to eat them.

If the ingredients contain herbs and other terrestrial plants (rosemary, thyme, etc), you are wasting your money for the same reason as grains. Fish never evolved to digest these items and whilst they sound fancy and good for the fish, they don't benefit the fish.

You also need to see what ingredients are listed first. Normally manufacturers have to put the main ingredients first and lower percentage ingredients towards the end of the list. If the first ingredient is fish, prawn, vitamins, that isn't too bad because the main ingredients are fish and prawn.

If the ingredients read wheat flour, fish products, soy meal, herbs & spices, water soluble vitamins, etc, that isn't a good food for fish.

In relation to vitamins, they spoil and degrade quickly in damp/ humid conditions so any fish food containing vitamins needs to be kept cool, dry and away from light to minimise their breakdown.

Thank you. All the foods I have currently have pretty good ingredients especially the omega one brand. I sometimes get them live foods. What is a good live food to get them? The stores by me sell live blackworms, live tubifex worms (I have never bought these), live brineshrimp, and some frozen bloodworms. Thanks again!

One other question, as a gift yesterday a friend get me a container of fluval bug bites goldfish formula. I don't keep goldfish (although I want to) and I can't find ingredients listed on the bottle. Would these still be ok to feed my fish?