In your own opinion what is the best food to use for tropical fish?

I might do that then... Just toss in 2-3 cubes and let them pick at it.
Nooooooooooo!
Instant over-feeding!

Throw in one cube...or defrost a cube in aquarium water and see how long it takes them to eat that.
Then use that knowledge to guide future use. ;)

Frozen food is merely a supplement to the normal feeding, which is (currently) either King British Tropical flake or Fluval Bug Bites, or Aquacare Tropical with mealworm tablets, pressed to the glass to facilitate easier headcounts. ;)
 
Nooooooooooo!
Instant over-feeding!

Throw in one cube...or defrost a cube in aquarium water and see how long it takes them to eat that.
Then use that knowledge to guide future use. ;)

Frozen food is merely a supplement to the normal feeding, which is (currently) either King British Tropical flake or Fluval Bug Bites, or Aquacare Tropical with mealworm tablets, pressed to the glass to facilitate easier headcounts. ;)
Well if I had 3 peacock gudgeon, 5-6 peppered cories, 6 lambchop rasboras, and 2 nerite snails is 2-3 cubes over feeding? I would think 2 may be a good amount but 3 maybe needed
 
You'd be surprised my friend, you'd be surprised
Pssssst...I'd like to say I wouldn't be, but that'd probably upset too many. :D
...Just toss in 2-3 cubes and let them pick at it.
It was the 'just toss in' bit that concerned me...too random and unmonitored and possibly even unnecessary.
You may well learn from experience how much to feed without over-feeding and spoiling your tank, but you need that experience to be able to do that.
All of my fish join in the feeding frenzy, except my bristlenose...but he seems content enough nomming down on the various algaes I have about and then even he gets half an algae wafer on occasion.
I also know that both my pygmy cories and golden pencils are adept at finding leftovers, so now I'm fairly confident that one cube will suffice at one feeding.
 
Throw in one cube...or defrost a cube in aquarium water and see how long it takes them to eat that.
Then use that knowledge to guide future use. ;)
I personally use a shot glass and tank water to defrost a cube for my saltwater fish, when I feed them mysis.

Never throw in a whole cube unless you have a lot of food.
 
I don’t know if someone has already said this, but I use Omega One, New Life Spectrum, Hikari, and Fluval Bug Bites.
 
Pssssst...I'd like to say I wouldn't be, but that'd probably upset too many. :D

It was the 'just toss in' bit that concerned me...too random and unmonitored and possibly even unnecessary.
You may well learn from experience how much to feed without over-feeding and spoiling your tank, but you need that experience to be able to do that.
All of my fish join in the feeding frenzy, except my bristlenose...but he seems content enough nomming down on the various algaes I have about and then even he gets half an algae wafer on occasion.
I also know that both my pygmy cories and golden pencils are adept at finding leftovers, so now I'm fairly confident that one cube will suffice at one feeding.
OH NO! I did not mean to sound random and like I didnt care. I was just saying like toss them in as put them in... I can understand though how it sounded.
 
Because the bigger fish may bully the other fish, who would then be left unfed?
Yes, it’s better to defrost in a glass and then pick the food up in clumps with aquascaping tweezers. This way you can “spot feed” where the different fish hang out in the tank.
 
I personally use a shot glass and tank water to defrost a cube for my saltwater fish, when I feed them mysis.

Never throw in a whole cube unless you have a lot of food.
So, I just keep buying shot glasses? Lol
 
Yes, it’s better to defrost in a glass and then pick the food up in clumps with aquascaping tweezers. This way you can “spot feed” where the different fish hang out in the tank.
What if I have floating plants though with feeder rings? I cant really "spot feed" then...
 
What about the chloromines in the water soaking into the food?
The amount of chlorine/ chloramine that gets into food is minimal and does nothing.

--------------------
What sort of fish are you feeding?

You should try to feed a variety of dry, frozen and live foods if you can. Variety is the spice of life and that applies to every part of life from food to socialising to holidays.

Dry flake foods should contain mainly fish and shrimp, but they should not contain any sort of grain (wheat, oat or soy flour), and they shouldn't have herbs and spices. Fish food companies add wheat or other types of flour to help bind the product together, but also to reduce the price. However, fish never evolved to eat grains and foods that contain flour are not helping the fish. The same can be said about things like rosemary, garlic and other types of herbs and spices they add to fish foods. These are from terrestrial plants and fish don't digest terrestrial plants that easily.

A lot of companies jump on the human health food band wagon and think "well, if vitamin A, B, C, D or E is good for people, then it's good for fish". People and fish have quite different needs when it comes to nutrients and people can eat things other animals and fish can't tolerate. So try to find a fish food that doesn't have too many things added to it.

Try to keep dry fish food in an airtight container to stop it absorbing moisture from the air. Dry foods can become damp quickly and they start to go off after a few weeks. Get a small container and us it up within a month or divide a container of food up into smaller packets and remove the air from the packets. Then they will last longer and the nutritional value won't break down as quickly.

Keep fish foods cool and dry and out of the light to maximise their shelf life.

----------
Freeze dried foods are quite good for fishes that eat floating foods. The freeze drying process basically cooks the food at a low temperature (around 60C). It removes the moisture, sterilises the food, and leaves most of the nutrients intact. However, freeze dried foods should be soaked for a few minutes before feeding to remove the air from them before feeding to the fish.

Freeze dried foods can last for years if kept in an airtight container. this is because there is no moisture in it to encourage mould, fungus or bacteria to grow on it.

Again, keep freeze dried fish foods in a cool, dark, dry place to maximise shelf life.

----------
Frozen foods are available from most pet shops and either come in a blister pack made up of individual cubes with a foil top. You simply pop one out and let it float around the tank and the fish can pick at it. Frozen foods also come in sheets in a zip lock bag and you break a bit off and put it in the tank for the fish to eat.

If you have greedy fish that try to swallow the whole block of frozen food, then defrost it in a small glass, ceramic or plastic container. Drain the excess liquid off (pour it down the drain), and then offer the fish a few bits at a time. You can use your fingers to handle the frozen food or a pair of tweezers.

Wash your hands and food dish with warm soapy water. I you have a dishwasher, then wash the food dish with warm soapy water and then put it in the dishwasher. If using soap, try to use a soap that does not contain perfumes or anti-bacterial things added to it

If you are using frozen bloodworms for small fish, use a pr of scissors to cut the bloodworms into little bits so its easier for the fish to eat. If you have really small fish, use the scissors to cut the heads off the bloodworms and throw the heads in the bin. The head of the bloodworm is smooth and round and looks like a ball. It is very hard and fish can't digest it. So removing the head from frozen bloodworms males it safer for small fish.

A word of caution when handling frozen bloodworms. Some people have an allergic reaction to the liquid and bacteria on these insect larvae. So avoid touching your eyes, nose, face or any part of your body when feeding these to the fish. You can touch them with your fingers but wash your hands (and scissors) with warm soapy water after. And then monitor your hands for an hour after. If they get itchy or go red, you are allergic to them.

If you are allergic to frozen bloodworms, try a few different brands because some companies like Hikari, irradiate their bloodworms to kill off the bacteria and quite often these don't cause an allergic reaction. But monitor your skin the first few times you handle the product and always wash up with warm soapy water after handling frozen fish foods or working in fish tanks.

Other frozen foods are not normally a problem for fish keepers, although if you are allergic to shellfish, you should be careful handling some frozen fish foods because they can contain shrimp/ prawn, clam and other types of shelfish.

-----
Some of the more common frozen foods include brineshrimp (available in adult and baby form), daphnia, mysis shrimp, marine mix (consists of prawn, fish & squid) and rotifers. You can also buy frozen prawn/ shrimp from a bait shop or a supermarket in the seafood section. Keep them in the freezer and when you want to feed the fish, take out a prawn, defrost it, then remove the head, shell and gut (thin black tube in body) and throw these bits away. Then use a pr of scissors to cut the remaining prawn tail into little bits and offer a few bits at a time.

If you have shrimp in the tank, cook the prawn before feeding it to the fish so you don't introduce diseases like Microsporidia. This causes the muscle tissue to turn cream then white. The infected animal dies and is usually picked at by other fish and shrimp and they catch it from the contaminated flesh. Cooking kills the disease organisms and prevents the tank inhabitants catching anything.

----------
If you have goldfish or rainbowfish, they require a lot of plant matter in their diet. Aquatic plants are the best source for them, however they also pick at various fruits and vegetables. but avoid potatoe and onions or onion relatives.

You can buy vege flakes and pellets from pet shops and these are better for goldfish and rainbowfish due to the higher level of plant matter in their ingredients.

You can also buy frozen marine algae from some pet shops and dried marine algae from some health food shops or Asia supermarkets.

-----
If you keep Tropheus cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, they require a diet that is 99% plant based and don't do well on meat foods. They can tolerate small amounts of daphnia, mozzie larvae, brineshrimp and rotifers, but should not be fed much if any frozen bloodworms or prawn or fish.
 
The amount of chlorine/ chloramine that gets into food is minimal and does nothing.

--------------------
What sort of fish are you feeding?

You should try to feed a variety of dry, frozen and live foods if you can. Variety is the spice of life and that applies to every part of life from food to socialising to holidays.

Dry flake foods should contain mainly fish and shrimp, but they should not contain any sort of grain (wheat, oat or soy flour), and they shouldn't have herbs and spices. Fish food companies add wheat or other types of flour to help bind the product together, but also to reduce the price. However, fish never evolved to eat grains and foods that contain flour are not helping the fish. The same can be said about things like rosemary, garlic and other types of herbs and spices they add to fish foods. These are from terrestrial plants and fish don't digest terrestrial plants that easily.

A lot of companies jump on the human health food band wagon and think "well, if vitamin A, B, C, D or E is good for people, then it's good for fish". People and fish have quite different needs when it comes to nutrients and people can eat things other animals and fish can't tolerate. So try to find a fish food that doesn't have too many things added to it.

Try to keep dry fish food in an airtight container to stop it absorbing moisture from the air. Dry foods can become damp quickly and they start to go off after a few weeks. Get a small container and us it up within a month or divide a container of food up into smaller packets and remove the air from the packets. Then they will last longer and the nutritional value won't break down as quickly.

Keep fish foods cool and dry and out of the light to maximise their shelf life.

----------
Freeze dried foods are quite good for fishes that eat floating foods. The freeze drying process basically cooks the food at a low temperature (around 60C). It removes the moisture, sterilises the food, and leaves most of the nutrients intact. However, freeze dried foods should be soaked for a few minutes before feeding to remove the air from them before feeding to the fish.

Freeze dried foods can last for years if kept in an airtight container. this is because there is no moisture in it to encourage mould, fungus or bacteria to grow on it.

Again, keep freeze dried fish foods in a cool, dark, dry place to maximise shelf life.

----------
Frozen foods are available from most pet shops and either come in a blister pack made up of individual cubes with a foil top. You simply pop one out and let it float around the tank and the fish can pick at it. Frozen foods also come in sheets in a zip lock bag and you break a bit off and put it in the tank for the fish to eat.

If you have greedy fish that try to swallow the whole block of frozen food, then defrost it in a small glass, ceramic or plastic container. Drain the excess liquid off (pour it down the drain), and then offer the fish a few bits at a time. You can use your fingers to handle the frozen food or a pair of tweezers.

Wash your hands and food dish with warm soapy water. I you have a dishwasher, then wash the food dish with warm soapy water and then put it in the dishwasher. If using soap, try to use a soap that does not contain perfumes or anti-bacterial things added to it

If you are using frozen bloodworms for small fish, use a pr of scissors to cut the bloodworms into little bits so its easier for the fish to eat. If you have really small fish, use the scissors to cut the heads off the bloodworms and throw the heads in the bin. The head of the bloodworm is smooth and round and looks like a ball. It is very hard and fish can't digest it. So removing the head from frozen bloodworms males it safer for small fish.

A word of caution when handling frozen bloodworms. Some people have an allergic reaction to the liquid and bacteria on these insect larvae. So avoid touching your eyes, nose, face or any part of your body when feeding these to the fish. You can touch them with your fingers but wash your hands (and scissors) with warm soapy water after. And then monitor your hands for an hour after. If they get itchy or go red, you are allergic to them.

If you are allergic to frozen bloodworms, try a few different brands because some companies like Hikari, irradiate their bloodworms to kill off the bacteria and quite often these don't cause an allergic reaction. But monitor your skin the first few times you handle the product and always wash up with warm soapy water after handling frozen fish foods or working in fish tanks.

Other frozen foods are not normally a problem for fish keepers, although if you are allergic to shellfish, you should be careful handling some frozen fish foods because they can contain shrimp/ prawn, clam and other types of shelfish.

-----
Some of the more common frozen foods include brineshrimp (available in adult and baby form), daphnia, mysis shrimp, marine mix (consists of prawn, fish & squid) and rotifers. You can also buy frozen prawn/ shrimp from a bait shop or a supermarket in the seafood section. Keep them in the freezer and when you want to feed the fish, take out a prawn, defrost it, then remove the head, shell and gut (thin black tube in body) and throw these bits away. Then use a pr of scissors to cut the remaining prawn tail into little bits and offer a few bits at a time.

If you have shrimp in the tank, cook the prawn before feeding it to the fish so you don't introduce diseases like Microsporidia. This causes the muscle tissue to turn cream then white. The infected animal dies and is usually picked at by other fish and shrimp and they catch it from the contaminated flesh. Cooking kills the disease organisms and prevents the tank inhabitants catching anything.

----------
If you have goldfish or rainbowfish, they require a lot of plant matter in their diet. Aquatic plants are the best source for them, however they also pick at various fruits and vegetables. but avoid potatoe and onions or onion relatives.

You can buy vege flakes and pellets from pet shops and these are better for goldfish and rainbowfish due to the higher level of plant matter in their ingredients.

You can also buy frozen marine algae from some pet shops and dried marine algae from some health food shops or Asia supermarkets.

-----
If you keep Tropheus cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, they require a diet that is 99% plant based and don't do well on meat foods. They can tolerate small amounts of daphnia, mozzie larvae, brineshrimp and rotifers, but should not be fed much if any frozen bloodworms or prawn or fish.
I hope by saying this I dont insult you... But, man that was very overwhelming and a lot to take in... I think I may have more questions from that now than answers...
 

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