Variety is the spice of life...

[omard]

Just wondering how many unexplained fish deaths are due to not meeting required diet needs...


Once starved a yellow tang to death, when first starting out, because of assuming just because it was gobbling up flake food I was feeding everyone in tank, that it was going to be fit and healthy.

But it slowly got thiner and thiner and finally passed on even while eating food right to end.



Of course now know need for additional green food needs and supplement all feedings with nori and spirulina flakes.---have very, very little natural algae in tank due to snails, hermits, asterinas eating up most.

Point is, I guess, is just because fish appears to be eating, it may starve to death as it is not getting "right" kind of food.

So, have long fed as wide a variety of foods as I can.

Besides a daily bit of homemade frozen chopped squid, clam, oyster, shrimp mix for carnivores, I also feed a mixture of various flake/pellet foods. These I mix up in jar along with some chopped up nori and spirulina so I do not have to feed individually each day.

In this way, I at least feel somewhat comfortable that everyone in tank is getting what it needs the most.

Just having a variety to choose from to eat each day may be important.


I feed twice a day, morning and evening, and not more then fish can clean up in just minute or two.

Am clueless as to whether underfeeding or overfeeding, but fish, inverts seem happy and healthy with no algae problems or nitrate/phosphate build up. Or if there is, water changes take care of it.

Actually is quite amazing how little food it really takes. For "heavily" populated main tank, I feed like 1/4 of a teaspoon of the dry "mixture" each time, and about half of that of the chopped frozen stuff once a day in AM.

Moral I guess, is not to depend on just one or two different kinds of food to meet dietary needs of all your fish.

Amount and frequency are important, but just as much so, is variety when feeding large number of different species.


Anyway, just a thought.

[lunatik_69]

That has happened to most of us. Like anything else in life, we must learn to crawl before we walk. Great point, hopely this will help out some newbies.

[omard]

Here is what I use to meet my "meat eaters" diet needs.

Got an Asian food store nearby? Mine carries this. (Of course you could just as well get all at local safeway...)

Check this out...

"Pacific Marina Brand" Gourmet Seafood Mix
Shrimp, Squid, Mussels, Octpus, Crab Sticks
Price $2.25 (net wt. 14 oz's)

Add a little nori/spirolina...put in blender/grinder --- freeze results and use as needed. (I freeze in flat paddies in ziplock bag and just break off size I want for each feeding)


Make a little extra, should be great on crackers.

[GeejEx]

Originally Posted by omard

Here is what I use to meet my "meat eaters" diet needs.

Got an Asian food store nearby? Mine carries this. (Of course you could just as well get all at local safeway...)

Check this out...

"Pacific Marina Brand" Gourmet Seafood Mix
Shrimp, Squid, Mussels, Octpus, Crab Sticks
Price $2.25 (net wt. 14 oz's)

Add a little nori/spirolina...put in blender/grinder --- freeze results and use as needed. (I freeze in flat paddies in ziplock bag and just break off size I want for each feeding)


Make a little extra, should be great on crackers.

Sounds tasty! I do keep eying the ahi/squid/scallop/clam/spinach mix I made a while ago. Probably be a good soup base!

[omard]

Originally Posted by omard

Here is what I use to meet my "meat eaters" diet needs.

Got an Asian food store nearby? Mine carries this. (Of course you could just as well get all at local safeway...)

Check this out...

"Pacific Marina Brand" Gourmet Seafood Mix
Shrimp, Squid, Mussels, Octpus, Crab Sticks
Price $2.25 (net wt. 14 oz's)

Add a little nori/spirolina...put in blender/grinder --- freeze results and use as needed. (I freeze in flat paddies in ziplock bag and just break off size I want for each feeding)


Make a little extra, should be great on crackers.

Heck with the above.

Went by my Asian food store today and was told they no longer carry this product.

So stopped by Safeway on way home and got:

6 shrimp
1 crab leg
1 sole fillet
4 scollops
4 mussels

Total cost: $2.75 (fresh!)

(was a bit weird buying. When I asked for 4 scollops, the sales person said "4" pounds? --- no just 4 I said. Then I asked for 4 mussels, same response. --- she finally got it on 3rd request )

Looks Like:





Chopped Nori and kelp flakes added then put thru grinder:





Yummy...ready to get out spoon...





Packed in sandwich bag & sent to freezer...this will take care of my frozen feeding needs for 2-3 months.




Some squid only thing I wanted to add also, but they were out of stock...

Oh...also added few drops of garlic extract to mix in grinder.


Good looking stuff...my fish will love it.

Scott

[omard]

PS...

Forgot to add...I skip feeding altogether 1 day a week.

(Just to remind fish how tough things used to be out on Reef...)

Actually I think it forces them to do a good tank cleaning out of any excess food laying about tank.

And, actually, complete fasting now and then has proven to be very, very good for us healthwise. Might just also be for them...

[baugherb]

Great info omard......

[vegasfish]

Omard,

Thanks for this info. I just started to stock my tank and bought some frozen food from the lfs and was thinking there had to be a better way and cheaper.

Does your formula take care of the meat eater and plant eater fishes?

Again thanks for the info.

[omard]

Originally Posted by vegasfish

Omard,

Thanks for this info. I just started to stock my tank and bought some frozen food from the lfs and was thinking there had to be a better way and cheaper.

Does your formula take care of the meat eater and plant eater fishes?

Again thanks for the info.

While I do have some in "mix" I do throw in some additional nori every couple of days for the green eaters...but all the fish seem to enjoy it.

Reminds me...about time to mix up some more...

(need a good low tide in next couple of days so I can get "really fresh" clams, oysters, crab (if I am lucky)...and whatever else that looks tasty laying about...)

[GuitarMan89]

thanks for the great idea. Im starting a new tank and was wondering how I would feed the carnivores when I get them. I will probably just copy what you did, hope you don't mind