# Current food trends



## Andrew Butler (20 Dec 2019)

I'm curious as to what products people are using as a 'general community' freshwater food and also any specific types relating to fish dietery requirements.

I'm also interested to learn if anyone has tried and liquid foods, detailed further in this separate thread.

Thanks in advance


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## Kalum (20 Dec 2019)

For fish: Fluval bug bites, frozen Artemia (with garlic) and frozen Bloodworm on rotation and BBS when I have time to hatch 

For shrimp; Shrimp king mineral and some other pellet food i get from a breeder


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## dw1305 (20 Dec 2019)

Hi all,





Andrew Butler said:


> I'm curious as to what products people are using as a 'general community' freshwater food


<"Live food mainly">. In the summer it can be 100% of the feed. 

In the winter I've traditionally topped it up with "Astax crumb",  <"Earthworm" and "Spirulina" flakes">, all from TA Aquaculture. They can't get the Astax crumb any more, so I'm using a mix of <"TA Blend No. 1"> and <"Freeze Dried Arctic Copepods"> at the moment 





Andrew Butler said:


> any specific types relating to fish dietery requirements


I add leaf litter and vegetables to the tanks.

If I had more fish time and money, I'd probably go back to hatching <"Baby Brine Shrimp"> (BBS), and might investigate <"Repashy gel foods">

cheers Darrel


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## Edvet (20 Dec 2019)

Frozen white, black and red mosquito larvea, frozen mysis, rarely live grindal/enchytraeae at home. I buy white and red mosquito larvea live once a year and feed those for a week
Only live food at work grindal, enchytraeae, i add Hyalella mexicana to the tanks regularly. Sometimes live daphnia.
I am cultivating a new "scud"species from asia, if i got plenty i will start adding them to my home tank.


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## BarryH (20 Dec 2019)

Kalum said:


> For fish: Fluval bug bites, frozen Artemia (with garlic) and frozen Bloodworm on rotation



Do you have a "brand" for the frozen Artemia Kalum, it's not something I've seen in local stores?


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## Kalum (20 Dec 2019)

BarryH said:


> Do you have a "brand" for the frozen Artemia Kalum, it's not something I've seen in local stores?



Pretty sure its aquadip, I don't have the packet as I remove from the blister pack and cut in half and put in a plastic tub for ease


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## BarryH (20 Dec 2019)

Thanks Kalum


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## PARAGUAY (20 Dec 2019)

Moving toward the insect granules recently fish science and later fluval bug bites, hikari granules always,tetra cory tablets, occasion frozen bloodworm and tetra crisps. Always got Aquarian flakes


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## mort (20 Dec 2019)

I try to feed as much live food as possible in the summer supplemented with a mix of dry and frozen foods that changes from time to time. I have frozen cyclops, daphnia and mini bloodworm for the winter months and use decapsulated brine shrimp eggs (the kind that don't need to be hatched and can be fed like a flake food), spiralina wafers and various all purpose flake like aquarian. I also add vegetables that I have grown on the allotment, like marrow, cucumber and beans plus anything else I can forage such as nettles etc for the shrimp. I'm basically very cheap.


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## john dory (20 Dec 2019)

I'll feed flake and pellets..but nothing is taken with as much enthusiasm as bloodworm and crushed peas.
Permanently hang a piece of red pepper on the side,until it's consumed.


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## tam (20 Dec 2019)

Bug bites, algae waffers (forget the brand) for dry and then live daphnia/blood worm twice a week (more in summer plus mosquito larvae) then rapshy or courgette once a week ish.


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## Siege (20 Dec 2019)

Dennerle NanoGran. By far the best results I’ve seen with a dry food.


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## Andrew Butler (21 Dec 2019)

Thanks for the input everyone; gives me quite a few options to look into and hopefully other people will benefit from this too.
Keep them coming if people have more to add.

I think I've listed you all! 
@Kalum @dw1305 @Edvet @BarryH @PARAGUAY @mort @john dory @tam @Siege


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## jaypeecee (22 Dec 2019)

dw1305 said:


> If I had more fish time and money...and might investigate <"Repashy gel foods">



Hi @dw1305 

Several people at my local fish club (Bracknell Aquarist Society) are full of praise for _Repashy_ fish foods. Two guys whose lives have revolved around keeping and breeding fish speak very highly of the _Repashy_ brand despite the price tag.

JPC


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## Onoma1 (22 Dec 2019)

Rapashy Soilent Green is consumed with gusto by Ottos. 

My thinking about feeding this is that they need nutrients  that vegetables cannot supply and while a small number may be able to get this from the tank if you have a large number of Ottis they will rapidly exhaust the supply. Equally the jury seems to be out on their diet and some subspecies seem to be omniverous.

Shrimp on the other hand get blanched or dried nettles.


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## BarryH (22 Dec 2019)

Onoma1 said:


> Rapashy Soilent Green is consumed with gusto by Ottos.



Please excuse my ignorance, but can I ask what Rapashy Soilent Green is please?

I've heard it mentioned a number of times before and when I found it on Amazon it seems to be in either a small screw top jar or in a packet. I then looked on YouTube and spotted people mixing it and became even more confused.


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## mort (22 Dec 2019)

BarryH said:


> Please excuse my ignorance, but can I ask what Rapashy Soilent Green is please?
> 
> I've heard it mentioned a number of times before and when I found it on Amazon it seems to be in either a small screw top jar or in a packet. I then looked on YouTube and spotted people mixing it and became even more confused.



It's basically a powdered food that you just add water to to make what you need. It has a shortish shelf life when made so the ability to make small amounts of food for a week or two is beneficial.
So you are paying for the food and not the water.


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## BarryH (22 Dec 2019)

mort said:


> It's basically a powdered food that you just add water to to make what you need. It has a shortish shelf life when made so the ability to make small amounts of food for a week or two is beneficial.
> So you are paying for the food and not the water.


I like the idea of paying for the food and not the water Mort, thanks for the help. Something else I can now add to my growing knowledge bank.


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## PARAGUAY (22 Dec 2019)

Forgot to say often live daphnia and brine shrimp when it's available. Nice info about the Rapashy solent green


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## jaypeecee (22 Dec 2019)

BarryH said:


> Please excuse my ignorance, but can I ask what Rapashy Soilent Green is please?



Hi @BarryH 

Please take a look at the following link and then, having read about _Soilent Green_, wander around and view the range of other foods on offer:

https://repashy.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=13

JPC


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## jaypeecee (22 Dec 2019)

Onoma1 said:


> Rapashy Soilent Green is consumed with gusto by Ottos.
> 
> My thinking about feeding this is that they need nutrients  that vegetables cannot supply and while a small number may be able to get this from the tank if you have a large number of Ottis they will rapidly exhaust the supply. Equally the jury seems to be out on their diet and some subspecies seem to be omniverous.



Hi @Onoma1

Recently, on another thread here on UKAPS, I mentioned that Otocinclus appear to consume periphyton, a cocktail of microflora and microfauna. For more information, take a look at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periphyton

My understanding is that Otocinclus will also eat brown 'algae' (diatoms). It's a fascinating world when you get down to the microscopic level.

JPC


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## Kalum (23 Dec 2019)

Just picked up some repashy silent green to try over the holidays as a supplement for my ottos and shrimp, sometimes add blanched veg but they barely touch it which would lead me to believe they have enough natural food sources to survive on but would rather make sure

The only thing that has put me off before is the mess created by repashy in a planted tank, but hopefully by placing a couple of rocks in so its sets on the rock might limit this....


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## jaypeecee (23 Dec 2019)

Kalum said:


> The only thing that has put me off before is the mess created by repashy in a planted tank, but hopefully by placing a couple of rocks in so its sets on the rock might limit this....



Hi @Kalum 

That's an interesting comment that you make. I also notice that you say "in a planted tank". In what way does it make a mess? Do you have fish in your planted tank? Please tell me more before I buy some.

JPC


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## Kalum (23 Dec 2019)

@jaypeecee from all I've seen of people feeding it on YouTube and from previous experience feeding spirulina gel (using agar agar) it can get messy as the fish and shrimp pick it apart, which is obviously not ideal in some of our very clean aquascapes 

So rather than just throwing in a loose block of it I'm hoping that setting it to a stone will keep it together a bit better when in the tank, got a funny feeling it won't matter though so just need to feed sparingly


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## jaypeecee (23 Dec 2019)

Hi @Kalum 

I have contacted one of the guys that I mentioned in the following post:

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/current-food-trends.59370/#post-581659

I do believe he said that there was no problem with the Repashy foods breaking up when added to an aquarium. But, I'll get that confirmed. It may be after Christmas when I get a reply.

JPC


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## jaypeecee (24 Dec 2019)

Hi @Kalum 

You're in luck! I got a reply late last night. This guy uses 'Spawn & Grow' and 'Bottom Scratcher'! He made the comment that "it stays in a solid lump, only put in what your fish can eat and you won't have a problem, they really do go for it". So, it looks like you are good to go.

Good luck and let us know how your fish get on with it.

JPC


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## Onoma1 (24 Dec 2019)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @Kalum
> 
> You're in luck! I got a reply late last night. This guy uses 'Spawn & Grow' and 'Bottom Scratcher'! He made the comment that "it stays in a solid lump, only put in what your fish can eat and you won't have a problem, they really do go for it". So, it looks like you are good to go.
> 
> ...


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## Onoma1 (24 Dec 2019)

I think that ensuring that you have the correct ratio of water to powder is fairly important in ensuring a consistency that allows the gel to maintain its form. 

I haven't had any problems at all. The only issue seems to be that the ottos now ignore vegetables!


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## Kalum (24 Dec 2019)

Good to hear @jaypeecee and cheers for the info, looking forward to seeing how the ottos (hopefully) take to it


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## Siege (24 Dec 2019)

I’ve used them before. Didn’t find they broke up.

I made up a small amount and pasted it onto small stones that stored well in the fridge for a week.

Then popped one in the tank when needed.

You can add as much or as little water as you like to alter the consistency. It’ll make sense when you make some. It’s dead easy!


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## Gill (26 Dec 2019)

Mmm
Tetra crisp wafers + color enhancer
Nt labs - shrimp enhancer, cichlid green, red  guppy crumb.
Shrimp king - pellets that expand and crumble
Fish science - shrimp tabs stick on
Tropical - discus granules, spirulina powder, and another tiny pellet one.
Aquacare - tropical tans, granules, pellets, tropical flake and Goldie flakes.
Flake from the pound shop.

Health food shop - chlorella tabs, spirulina tabs. Bee pollen pellets.
Botanicals- oak leaves, Indian almond leaves, nettles.
Frozen- daphnia, bloodwork, brine shrimp.
Live  - bloodworm, daphnia, ostracods, brine shrimp,  gammarus, white worms, ants in the summer plus their eggs, female spiders full of eggs, mosquitos larvae.
Veggies - nettles, lettuce, cucumber, courgette, peas, tomatoes.
Meats - cooked chicken shredded, ham, egg yolks heard boiled.
Bread crumbs from toast and sarnies. 
Cooked rice.

Think that all of it. Obviously not all same time. Like to mix up the foods.

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


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## Gill (27 Dec 2019)

Oh an if you have Koi in a Pond they go nuts for Cornflake and Rice Krispies.


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