# Fish Food Expire Dates



## Cyworld (27 Jul 2010)

Should you be strict about the expire dates on your fish food?


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## roadmaster (27 Jul 2010)

I used to buy large containers of fish food but found that the expiration date arrived long before the food was gone  and I prefer to offer fresh foods to my fish. I then began buying smaller containers which get used up before they go out of date or expire.
 I usually buy several different varieties of food and then empty the small containers into rubbemaid tubs and store them in the fridge. I sometimes mix it all together and store it as well.
I believe once the food has reached expiration date maybe even before then,, it can lose some nutritional value. 
Pellets perhaps not so much as flake.


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## Jack middleton (27 Jul 2010)

I wouldn't be too bothered, we live in a throw away society, and the expiry dates of foods are only estimates, lots of food is thrown away when it is actually still perfectly edible and just as nutritious, dry foods do last long as well, I'd think you would be fine for up to 6 months past the sell by date.


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## chris1004 (27 Jul 2010)

Hi,

I never feed food to my fish, dog, kids or wife that has passed its expiry date, and not in that order...   

Its the only way to be certain.

I don't disagree that most of the time you'll get away with it but wherever there's doubt bin it. Its not like its even remotely expensive is it?

That's my opinion anyway for what its worth.

Regards, Chris.


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## Cyworld (27 Jul 2010)

Thank you for the advices.
I'll go with the 'okay for another 6 months' theory cuz i once fed all my fish food that was expired for a year or two for a long time and they were fine.
PS:
By the way, how about those bloodworms that are dried?
here this one http://www.petworldshop.com/hikari-sale ... dworms.php


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## mr. luke (28 Jul 2010)

Im currently using 44 year old flake food on my tanks without issues.
It was a bulk batch i bought a while ago and ive got over half left.


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## vauxhallmark (28 Jul 2010)

For me it depends on what else I'm feeding. If I've got one dried food that's a bit out of date, but I'm feeding a mixture of foods over the week, then I don't mind.

However, I am always aware that fish in our tanks have to get every single nutrient they need from the "big hand in the sky" (except algae eaters, and fish in tanks with livebearers or shrimps in, where they get to eat baby guppies and shrimp eggs too), so I wouldn't want to feed them only expired food.

That's my thinking.

Mark


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## chris1004 (28 Jul 2010)

mr. luke said:
			
		

> Im currently using 44 year old flake food on my tanks without issues.
> It was a bulk batch i bought a while ago and ive got over half left.



        

Surely your extracting the urine :!:  :!: .


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## Cyworld (28 Jul 2010)

chris1004 said:
			
		

> mr. luke said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



ahahaha!
that things more than twice my age!hahahaha
aw man thats a bit extreme dont you think?
like chris said its not all that expensive rite?


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## mr. luke (30 Jul 2010)

Typos are awesome arent they?   
Post is meant to say 4..... not 44


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## dw1305 (30 Jul 2010)

Hi all,
I don't feed much dried food, so even the small tubs are always half full when the date expires. I now mix a small amount of flake, algal wafers and Astax Red crumb together, enough to 1/2 fill a small flake tub. Weigh it, and then mix all the rest up and freeze it in 1/2 tub portions. Then even if I have some left in the tub in the fridge, after 6 months I throw it away and get a new bag out of the freezer. I know I'm a cheap skate, but it does cut down on waste. 

I used to buy coffee beans and grind my own when I needed it, and I got the idea from there, if you store the coffee beans in the freeze you can get the "freshly ground coffee taste" from beans which are years old.

cheers Darrel


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