I stopped feeding frozen entirely a couple years ago and only feed decent quality pellets now. Fish showed no change in coloration or health so I have not found a reason to feed frozen again. I do hatch baby brine to feed corals though.
Why feed pellets?
- Thread starter KevinC
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jsanchez
Active Member
I ate MRE's everyday for 25 months. I'd gladly take a human version of TDO over that.
WVNed
The fish are staring at me with hungry eyes.
dhnguyen
Well-Known Member
Have you looked at the ingredients for flake and pellet fish food? Often times they contain Ethoxyquin which is a preservative known to cause mortality in fish 
www.nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com
...According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), ethoxyquin is “considered to be toxic to aquatic organisms based on the acute toxicity data provided for fish, daphnia and algae.”...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Given that, why would you want to take the chance of risking harm to your fish?
Ethoxyquin does not belong in your food
Ethoxyquin is a synthetic antioxidant not approved for use as a direct food additive in foods for human consumption. So why is it being detected in the food supply, ask Adam Ismail and Harry Rice of GOED, the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s
www.nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com
...According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), ethoxyquin is “considered to be toxic to aquatic organisms based on the acute toxicity data provided for fish, daphnia and algae.”...
Ethoxyquin: a feed additive that poses a risk for aquatic life - PubMed
Ethoxyquin (EQ) is an antioxidant that has, to date, been commonly used in feed production. Reports on the detrimental effects of this substance on vertebrates are growing, but effects in aquatic systems have rarely been described. Therefore, the present study was conducted using serial...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Given that, why would you want to take the chance of risking harm to your fish?
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jsanchez
Active Member
Your in luck then
I used this for chili over the weekend. I prefer it over Beyond meat since the heme really helps it look and taste like beef.
fachatga
Well-Known Member
Somebody once linked to a great article on reefs.com about phosphate in food. They even had a list of which had the most based on weight so it was a fair Ratio. Some frozen is definitely better than others. But I also agree pellets aren’t as ideal as fresher food like frozen. Same true with people. I’d rather eat frozen chicken than a pellet full of protein. I also think it’s a lot easier to overfeed more pellets. But I use them sometimes just for simplicity. If I’m in a rush.
jsanchez
Active Member
Oh its definitely easier to over feed with pellets. 1 oz of frozen probably has 10% the nutrients as 1oz of pellets.
lefkonj
Active Member
To me it’s about variety more than anything. I feed frozen twice a week,nori each day and pellets twice a day. Each one provides different things the system needs. A varied diet is more reef like.
dhnguyen
Well-Known Member
Better check the ingredient list of that pellet food and see if it has Ethoxyquin in it.
rezaktp
Active Member
Pellets work well in auto feeders. I use the auto feeder when I’m at work around 2:00pm, then I feed frozen in the evening
Rp8
Valuable Member
i feed pellets in my auto feeder when on vacation and once over the weekend. the weekend feeding is to keep them interested in it when i am gone for long periods of time. fish like any pets can get picky when spoiled, lol
Hans-Werner
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In my opinion good dry foods are just as good or better than frozen foods.
Ingredients like ethoxyquin have to be declared on the label. I think it is not an allowed feed ingredient in the EU anyway.
The composition of pellets can specifically be adjusted to the needs of fish, for example in the proportion of fats. More fat means less ammonium and phosphate in the water, a fact that is used in aquaculture.
The quality of fats is determining the quality of the foods. Saturated or rancid fats are detrimental to fish, no matter whether in frozen or dry foods. Marine fish need the PUFA DHA and EPA.
Dry foods can be stored easier.
Frozen foods are sometimes thawed and refrozen, maybe also during transportation. This may lessen their quality significantly.
Ingredients like ethoxyquin have to be declared on the label. I think it is not an allowed feed ingredient in the EU anyway.
The composition of pellets can specifically be adjusted to the needs of fish, for example in the proportion of fats. More fat means less ammonium and phosphate in the water, a fact that is used in aquaculture.
The quality of fats is determining the quality of the foods. Saturated or rancid fats are detrimental to fish, no matter whether in frozen or dry foods. Marine fish need the PUFA DHA and EPA.
Dry foods can be stored easier.
Frozen foods are sometimes thawed and refrozen, maybe also during transportation. This may lessen their quality significantly.
I've read this a few time, always has be thinking if people think freezing then refreezing a food significantly reduces quality what do they think turning the food into a power, then drying it to an inch of its life, does to it
lefkonj
Active Member
I think it is similar to defrosting a piece of shrimp, refreezing it then thawing It to eat it. Not sure I would want to do that. However pellets are prepared to be that way so the is an intention and precautions are taken.I've read this a few time, always has be thinking if people think freezing then refreezing a food significantly reduces quality what do they think turning the food into a power, then drying it to an inch of its life, does to it
I feed frozen food just not as often as pellets. Convenience, cost, dirt in the tank, etc etc
Hans-Werner
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I have worked with frozen food and fish professionally for more than a decade. I know how "Nordseegarnelen" (North Sea shrimps) look like a short time after thawing.
In dry feeds for sure you have no bacterial decay and the air contact in the freezer is not better than the air contact to the dry food. Also freeze stored fatty acids get ranzid.
I recommend to enrich frozen foods with PUFA oils (fish oil etc.). The water will be less polluted and fish will look better. Fish fed with good pellets in my eyes may look better than frozen food fed fish.
