Left over frozen food

CamG · Mar 17, 2017

Hi,
In my last tank, I had no problem feeding a complete frozen cube into the tank. However, I am setting up a nano this time with probably 2 small fish. I think a full cube will be way too much. Any ideas what to do with the rest of the cube after it's melted ?

Thanks,
Cam

ahiggins · Mar 17, 2017

Usually I cover it with tankwater and it'll keep as long as it's refrigerated. Mysis usually 3 days. Cyclopeeze a week. Roe a week. Reef frenzy 2 days.

wkscott · Mar 17, 2017

Cut the frozen cube into the portions that you need. Put the rest back into the freezer.

wkscott · Mar 17, 2017

ahiggins said:
Usually I cover it with tankwater and it'll keep as long as it's refrigerated. Mysis usually 3 days. Cyclopeeze a week. Roe a week. Reef frenzy 2 days.

Thawed seafood degrades in quality, nutritional value, and spoils quite rapidly, even if refrigerated. For example, for your own consumption, would you take a fish fillet out of the freezer, cook half of it, put the remaining thawed half on a plate and put it in the refrigerator? If so, would you come back in 3 to 7 days and feed it to your kids? Probably not.
Frozen foods need to be eaten promptly after being defrosted and should not be stored in the refrigerator for later use.

Roy 9121 · Mar 17, 2017

I put one cube in a small water bottle, then mix in a few ounces of tank water. Feed what i need, then refrigerate the rest. It will last a couple days if you keep it refrigerated

wkscott · Mar 17, 2017

Up to 2 days may be fine in the refrigerator but after that ammonia will start to be released. It's like using a dead shrimp to start the cycle in a new tank.

Roy 9121 · Mar 17, 2017

wkscott said:
Up to 2 days may be fine in the refrigerator but after that ammonia will start to be released. It's like using a dead shrimp to start the cycle in a new tank.

Make sure you smell it before you feed also. If it smells really fishy, throw it away.

eatbreakfast · Mar 18, 2017

I find that frozen food starts to 'turn' pretty quickly. I wouldn't refrigerate longer than a day.

Finatik · Mar 18, 2017

wkscott said:
Cut the frozen cube into the portions that you need. Put the rest back into the freezer.

That's exactly what I do too.

Roy 9121 · Mar 18, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
I find that frozen food starts to 'turn' pretty quickly. I wouldn't refrigerate longer than a day.

Yeah, the frozen food doesn't have preservatives in it. I've had it last 2 days in the refrigerator, but i wouldn't keep it longer then that.

Reefltx · Mar 25, 2017

Roy 9121 said:
Yeah, the frozen food doesn't have preservatives in it. I've had it last 2 days in the refrigerator, but i wouldn't keep it longer then that.

Really? So I've been feeding my fishs junk all this time. I usually go 3 days or more.

Fishs still looks heathy, tank's still clean.

Paul B · Mar 25, 2017

wkscott said:
Cut the frozen cube into the portions that you need. Put the rest back into the freezer.

+1

wkscott · Mar 25, 2017

Reefltx said:
Really? So I've been feeding my fishs junk all this time. I usually go 3 days or more.

Fishs still looks heathy, tank's still clean.

You could eat vegetables that were half rotten and they probably wouldn't kill you or even make you sick, but many of the nutrients would be gone, and I doubt you would like the taste. You would still eat it if that was all that was available.

Roy 9121 · Mar 25, 2017

Reefltx said:
Really? So I've been feeding my fishs junk all this time. I usually go 3 days or more.

Fishs still looks heathy, tank's still clean.

I wouldn't go more then 3 days.

HB AL · Mar 26, 2017

In the past I would simply cut the frozen cube in half, now my fish and corals get 7 cubes once a day.

Willcar · Mar 26, 2017

I thaw the cube in a small cup and place in the fridge. the mysis works well with that, and very fresh

Shaun Sweeney · Mar 26, 2017

If you have a fine grater, you can just grate what you need off the cube and leave the rest frozen for next time. At the least, you'll get two uses out of a single cube and no storage time issue.

Reefltx · Mar 26, 2017

Willcar said:
I thaw the cube in a small cup and place in the fridge. the mysis works well with that, and very fresh

Same but mine takes a couple days worth.
Some of us with smaller tanks don't have a lot to feed and just a single cube is a lot. I raise mines and after thawing with ro water. This helps to keep it fresh for longer imo.