Do fish pellets go bad?

[j.Zero]

Hi!

I would like to ask if fish pellets go bad or get spoiled? I have been using Ocean Nutrition Formula One Marine Pellets to feed my pair of Clownfish. However, today before feeding, I noticed that the pellets feel moist and smells really bad compared to what it was before. Also, I'm not sure if it was like this before but it now has white grains as seen on the photo. The expiry date on the bottle is November 2022 but I opened it around May this year.

So the question is, do fish pellets expire/go bad/spoil faster when opened? Compared to the actual expiry date. If no, is my fish food still good to be fed to my fishes?

Thank you for the help and happy new year!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi!

I would like to ask if fish pellets go bad or get spoiled? I have been using Ocean Nutrition Formula One Marine Pellets to feed my pair of Clownfish. However, today before feeding, I noticed that the pellets feel moist and smells really bad compared to what it was before. Also, I'm not sure if it was like this before but it now has white grains as seen on the photo. The expiry date on the bottle is November 2022 but I opened it around May this year.

So the question is, do fish pellets expire/go bad/spoil faster when opened? Compared to the actual expiry date. If no, is my fish food still good to be fed to my fishes?

Thank you for the help and happy new year!

Yes! Especially in humid and warm environments like the Philippines. There are ways around that - keep the bulk of the food frozen in air tight containers, and just remove enough for a month or so of feeding. Never reach into the container with damp fingers, always shake the food out of the container. Finally, if there is a change in how the food looks, or an odor, throw it out.

jay

 

[Timfish]

I've compared it to keeping cereal in conversations with new aquarists. You wouldn't want to eat breakfast cerial that's been sitting opened on a counter or shelf for 6 months would you?

 

[j.Zero]

Yes! Especially in humid and warm environments like the Philippines. There are ways around that - keep the bulk of the food frozen in air tight containers, and just remove enough for a month or so of feeding. Never reach into the container with damp fingers, always shake the food out of the container. Finally, if there is a change in how the food looks, or an odor, throw it out.

jay

Thank you for the info and suggestions! I'll try doing that since the smallest jar/bottle of the same pellet is 100g which is too much for a pair of clownfish lol. Or maybe I'll find another with smaller packaging.

I've compared it to keeping cereal in conversations with new aquarists. You wouldn't want to eat breakfast cerial that's been sitting opened on a counter or shelf for 6 months would you?

My impression of pellets was that it was dry and preserved to the point that it won't spoil easily and wouldn't have to be consumed quick. Guess I was wrong and it's a different case once opened. Thank you!

 

[Ocean Nutrion USA]

Formula One soft and moist slow-sinking pellets are an all-natural product. They contain natural preservatives and have a recommended shelf life of 4 months after the nitrogen-flushed (the process of using nitrogen gas to remove oxygen from food packaging, increasing its shelf life) foil bag has been open. We also recommend they be stored in a cool dry place after opening, which is important when storing a soft and most pellet.

 

[Paul B]

Taste them ;Spitoutdummy