ringwurm
12-06-2006, 09:49 PM
I remember having alot of questions about food when I was new to the hobby so I hope this helps someone. :)
I've collected quite a few different types of food over the past few years and and the one thing that really stands out is.... "There is no single magic food". A reef is a very diverse place and requires a very diverse food supply.
Lets start off w/ Frozen foods.
Unless you are doing a huge order it makes alot of sense to buy your frozen food from a local retailer. The overnight frieght could end up costing you more than the food.
Brine Shrimp - $2-5
-I have heard that they don't contain much nutrients but the fish seem to love them. You can find baby brine and adult brine so make sure and check the package.
-One easy way to feed this food is to cut the end of the package and wave the edge of the frozen food in the water. Do it quick as they melt and come out fast.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4169.jpg
Silversides - $9
-This is a frozen pack of little silver fish. I use them to feed my anemone.
-To feed my BTA I chop one of the fish in half and soak it in Selcon(see below) for 10 min. Once the Selcon has soakin in for a bit I drop it onto the anemone.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4154.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4155.jpg
DT's Oyster Eggs - $8-12
-I use these primarily to feed my clams.
-You take a very small amount of the frozen material and drop it into the tank. My clams perk up within a minute of the food going into the water.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4153.jpg
Mysis Shrimp - $7-10
-I usualy mix in a chunk of this when making a batch of food for the tank.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4148.jpg
Frozen cubes - $5-15
-You can find this type of food in many brands and many flavors.
-Depending on the size of your tank you might only need 1/2 a cube per feeding. I use 1 cube in my 330g. I let the cube sit in a small tuperware container with a little tank water until it gets soft. I use scissors to cut the cube into smaller chunks. I also put a squirt of Selcon and a pinch of flake to the mixture. After everything is mixed (5 min) I feed to the tank.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4146.jpg
Flake Foods
Ocean Nutrition - $3-15 depending on size
-They seem to make a nice variety of food at a good price.
-They have nice labels that explain in plain english what that specific food is
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4163.jpg
Cyclop-Eeze Wafers/Flake - $8-20
-This stuff may be a little more expensive but you will realize why when you first open the container. It STINKS like freshly chopped up fish but I think thats why the tank loves it so much. Some of my smaller fish seem to have a hard time eating it since its much thicker than regular flake.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4164.jpg
Pellets
-The pellet food seems to be hit and miss with my fish.
-Depending on the type of food the pellets will either float on the surface or sink right to the bottom. I use the sinkers to feed my starfish and other sand dwellers. I've stopped using the floating pellets since my fish don't seem to grab them before they get sucked into the overflow.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4165.jpg
Seaweed
-Some people buy the Nori brand which you can find at some grocery stores.
-This is a good snack for tangs and other fish that like to graze.
-Most people use a clip and attach it to the side of the tank.
-I like to mix it up every now and then and attach a piece to a small rock and drop it in the tank.
-Beware of your snails when feeding seaweed. They love it more than your fish and will eat it all very quickly. I ended up hanging the clip from a return line on my last tank.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4161.jpg
The clip in action.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4162.jpg
ESV Freeze dried Phytoplankton - $10? (can't remember)
-I use this at night to feed the corals.
-Its a very find powder and you only use one little scoop per 20 gallons.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4158.jpg
Garlic
-Garlic is used attract the fish to the food and will help some timid fish to eat.
-It is also said to boost the immune system.
-Soak your food in a drop or two of garlic. It doesn't take much.
-I usually only use garlic when I notice the fish aren't feeling as good as they should be.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4157.jpg
Selcon - $8 - 12
-This is an additive that adds extra nutrition to your food.
-You can also use it directly in the water to feed your filter feeders.
-A couple times a week I will add a squirt to the fish food and let it soak for a few minutes.
-If you raise live brine shrimp you can feed the brine selcon right before you harvest to make them more nutritious.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4156.jpg
Mixing container and feeding tools
-I use small tuperware containers to mix each batch of food.
-They are great for tank sitters. I just leave a stack of containers next to each tank and they dump one in each day. It takes all the guess work out of it and everyone knows how to rinse out a bowl. ;)
-I use the tongs to grab the flake food. It seems to be easier to grab the same amount and it keeps your fingers from smelling like fish.
-The scissors are used for cutting up frozen food.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4167.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4168.jpg
FishKeeper Food - $6-15
-This can be found at most grocery stores.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4170.jpg
I hope this helps!
Greg
I've collected quite a few different types of food over the past few years and and the one thing that really stands out is.... "There is no single magic food". A reef is a very diverse place and requires a very diverse food supply.
Lets start off w/ Frozen foods.
Unless you are doing a huge order it makes alot of sense to buy your frozen food from a local retailer. The overnight frieght could end up costing you more than the food.
Brine Shrimp - $2-5
-I have heard that they don't contain much nutrients but the fish seem to love them. You can find baby brine and adult brine so make sure and check the package.
-One easy way to feed this food is to cut the end of the package and wave the edge of the frozen food in the water. Do it quick as they melt and come out fast.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4169.jpg
Silversides - $9
-This is a frozen pack of little silver fish. I use them to feed my anemone.
-To feed my BTA I chop one of the fish in half and soak it in Selcon(see below) for 10 min. Once the Selcon has soakin in for a bit I drop it onto the anemone.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4154.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4155.jpg
DT's Oyster Eggs - $8-12
-I use these primarily to feed my clams.
-You take a very small amount of the frozen material and drop it into the tank. My clams perk up within a minute of the food going into the water.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4153.jpg
Mysis Shrimp - $7-10
-I usualy mix in a chunk of this when making a batch of food for the tank.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4148.jpg
Frozen cubes - $5-15
-You can find this type of food in many brands and many flavors.
-Depending on the size of your tank you might only need 1/2 a cube per feeding. I use 1 cube in my 330g. I let the cube sit in a small tuperware container with a little tank water until it gets soft. I use scissors to cut the cube into smaller chunks. I also put a squirt of Selcon and a pinch of flake to the mixture. After everything is mixed (5 min) I feed to the tank.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4146.jpg
Flake Foods
Ocean Nutrition - $3-15 depending on size
-They seem to make a nice variety of food at a good price.
-They have nice labels that explain in plain english what that specific food is
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4163.jpg
Cyclop-Eeze Wafers/Flake - $8-20
-This stuff may be a little more expensive but you will realize why when you first open the container. It STINKS like freshly chopped up fish but I think thats why the tank loves it so much. Some of my smaller fish seem to have a hard time eating it since its much thicker than regular flake.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4164.jpg
Pellets
-The pellet food seems to be hit and miss with my fish.
-Depending on the type of food the pellets will either float on the surface or sink right to the bottom. I use the sinkers to feed my starfish and other sand dwellers. I've stopped using the floating pellets since my fish don't seem to grab them before they get sucked into the overflow.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4165.jpg
Seaweed
-Some people buy the Nori brand which you can find at some grocery stores.
-This is a good snack for tangs and other fish that like to graze.
-Most people use a clip and attach it to the side of the tank.
-I like to mix it up every now and then and attach a piece to a small rock and drop it in the tank.
-Beware of your snails when feeding seaweed. They love it more than your fish and will eat it all very quickly. I ended up hanging the clip from a return line on my last tank.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4161.jpg
The clip in action.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4162.jpg
ESV Freeze dried Phytoplankton - $10? (can't remember)
-I use this at night to feed the corals.
-Its a very find powder and you only use one little scoop per 20 gallons.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4158.jpg
Garlic
-Garlic is used attract the fish to the food and will help some timid fish to eat.
-It is also said to boost the immune system.
-Soak your food in a drop or two of garlic. It doesn't take much.
-I usually only use garlic when I notice the fish aren't feeling as good as they should be.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4157.jpg
Selcon - $8 - 12
-This is an additive that adds extra nutrition to your food.
-You can also use it directly in the water to feed your filter feeders.
-A couple times a week I will add a squirt to the fish food and let it soak for a few minutes.
-If you raise live brine shrimp you can feed the brine selcon right before you harvest to make them more nutritious.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4156.jpg
Mixing container and feeding tools
-I use small tuperware containers to mix each batch of food.
-They are great for tank sitters. I just leave a stack of containers next to each tank and they dump one in each day. It takes all the guess work out of it and everyone knows how to rinse out a bowl. ;)
-I use the tongs to grab the flake food. It seems to be easier to grab the same amount and it keeps your fingers from smelling like fish.
-The scissors are used for cutting up frozen food.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4167.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4168.jpg
FishKeeper Food - $6-15
-This can be found at most grocery stores.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/littleichiban/fish/pnwmas/IMG_4170.jpg
I hope this helps!
Greg