samuel90 Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 Has anyone tried the fluvial food for african cichlids? Usually get NLS... but ran out and the store only had Fluval as their "recommended" brand. So far they aren't taking to it, I know it can take a week or two for them to know its food. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 I think I recently saw a banner for it on PFK that said that it is rebranded "Tetra" brand food. I persoanlly did not like much of the tetra range so I probably will not use it and will stick with NLS. We started using it at work, and the fish (not africans) seemed happy enough to eat it. I can't note any extra waste produced or colour differences however sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 The african cichlids in my shop like it. In saying that they eat any food I feed like omega , hikari, fluval, tetra colorbits, nutrafin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samuel90 Posted May 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Ah maybe my fish are just picky then? They haven't touched the food! In and out they spit it! Have cucumber in there for them to tide them over until tomorrow....hopefully NLS will arrive in time! Was also concerned that the Fluval will not encourage great colour in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rouseabout Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 My Africans hoover up the fluval just as fast as they used to do to NLS :lar: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Comparing the ingredients is the best way to analyse foods, how readily your fish eat it shouldn't be the main concern. You only have to look at our own species to see what happens when taste is put ahead of nutrition! With NLS the two main ingredients are whole krill and whole herring, the Fluval food is herring meal (a by-product made of the left-over bits of herring) and the third main ingredient is potato. The Fluval food also has mussel meal (watch out for anything "meal") and soybean meal. There have been many in-depth discussions on food ingredients in the MFK cichlid forums, especially from a guy by the name of "RD" who has/had? a lot to do with NLS in the early days, and is passionate about the subject and very knowledgeable on the ingredients that go into fish food. It's worth searching thru and reading up on if you're interested, but long story short; NLS trumps pretty much everything else in terms of quality ingredients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 I have heard a few people throw around the Southern Delight brand of food in the states recently. Have your heard much or read into it at all David? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Haven't read the entire thread, but I'd be inclined to take Neil/RD's word about it; http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... rn+delight This is also a good read, starts getting interesting on page 5; http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... r-cichlids There is no defense in feeding raw ingredients such as corn, soybeans ( especially those that sway towards the carnivorous side of the equation), and/or protein and fat derived from poultry sources, to fish, - except that it is FAR cheaper than using high quality marine based ingredients. The debate begins, and ends there. This has nothing to do with brand A or brand B, and everything to do with what we as fish keepers have learned over the past 100 years of feeding fish in captivity. I stand by my original comments. I personally wouldn't feed that food to my fish if I was given a lifetime supply for free. My fish don't do corn, whole soybeans, or poultry processing plant waste. with regards to Southern Delight... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morfin Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 So where can you get NLS in NZ. I'd be keen for my discus to interchange with tetra it's, but flake doesn't work cos they just don't get it that its food I don't think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 You can't unless a back yard trader is bringing it, saying its for themselves, and selling some/all off. Long story but as with a lot of aquatic things people aren't prepared to purchase from shops therefore supply stops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 You can't unless a back yard trader is bringing it, saying its for themselves, and selling some/all off. Or you just order it yourself from kensfish.com. I'm all for supporting local retailers, but not to the extent of buying inferior product at a higher price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Or you just order it yourself from kensfish.com. I'm all for supporting local retailers, but not to the extent of buying inferior product at a higher price. Me neither actually, I stocked up with NLS before the local shop finished selling it so I am good for another 12 months . Kensfish is not in NZ is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Kensfish is not in NZ is it? Geographically, no, but the products on their website are able to be purchased and delivered here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexyay Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Comparing the ingredients is the best way to analyse foods, how readily your fish eat it shouldn't be the main concern. You only have to look at our own species to see what happens when taste is put ahead of nutrition! With NLS the two main ingredients are whole krill and whole herring, the Fluval food is herring meal (a by-product made of the left-over bits of herring) and the third main ingredient is potato. The Fluval food also has mussel meal (watch out for anything "meal") and soybean meal. There have been many in-depth discussions on food ingredients in the MFK cichlid forums, especially from a guy by the name of "RD" who has/had? a lot to do with NLS in the early days, and is passionate about the subject and very knowledgeable on the ingredients that go into fish food. It's worth searching thru and reading up on if you're interested, but long story short; NLS trumps pretty much everything else in terms of quality ingredients. I never new NLS was recommended - I've been feeding JBL but am more than happy to buy food online if it's better - would you recommend NLS for all kinds of tropicals? I've seen things like potato been put in food ingredient lists - is it normal or recommended to feed food that contains things like grains and "non aquatic" foods? Am I right in thinking that I should be looking for things like "Salmon" rather than "Salmon meal"? What kinds of major red flags are there when it comes to vegetarian/omnivorous/carnivorous food (and what kind of major ingredients should I be looking for as an ideal for my fish)? Does HFF not sell NLS any more? D: (Sorry to thread hijack) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 No HFF does not sell NLS any more. I don't know a huge amount about the ingredients in fish food but have a 5 1/2 month old pup who is 'raw fed' as most commercial dog biscuits have grains in them. If the same applies to fish food then meal is the ground up bones and left over bits that can not be used up any other way, a bit like sausages can be for humans. (Hope that hasn't put any one off their dinner) I would think potato in fish food is just bulking it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land_lubber Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Comparing the ingredients is the best way to analyse foods, how readily your fish eat it shouldn't be the main concern. You only have to look at our own species to see what happens when taste is put ahead of nutrition! With NLS the two main ingredients are whole krill and whole herring, the Fluval food is herring meal (a by-product made of the left-over bits of herring) and the third main ingredient is potato. The Fluval food also has mussel meal (watch out for anything "meal") and soybean meal. There have been many in-depth discussions on food ingredients in the MFK cichlid forums, especially from a guy by the name of "RD" who has/had? a lot to do with NLS in the early days, and is passionate about the subject and very knowledgeable on the ingredients that go into fish food. It's worth searching thru and reading up on if you're interested, but long story short; NLS trumps pretty much everything else in terms of quality ingredients. Looks like the main ingredients for NLS are Krill meal and fish meal not whole. I got this from kensfish. Here are the ingredients for NLS: MAIN INGREDIENTS: Krill Meal, Fish Meal, Wheat Flour, Amino Acids, Algae Meal, Soybean Meal, Fish Oil, Beta Carotene, Spirulina, Vitamin A Acetate, D-Activated Animal- Sterol (D3), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Folic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine, Biotin. GUARANTEED ANALYSIS: Protein 34% Min., Fat 5% Min., Fiber 5% Max., Ash 9% Max., Moisture 10% Max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Looks like the main ingredients for NLS are Krill meal and fish meal not whole. I got this from kensfish. Here are the ingredients for NLS: MAIN INGREDIENTS: Krill Meal, Fish Meal Maybe it got lost in translation with Kens, it says whole krill and whole herring on their website. http://nlsfishfood.com/index.php?option ... &Itemid=60 Alex; it's discussed in-depth in the links I posted if you're willing to trawl through them to find it. As I understand the "meal" is generally produced with the left over bits, and has far less nutritional value than the whole item. Adrienne, from what I understand with the raw diet (Jen sold us on it for our two about a year ago, and it's really great!) the aim is to replicate what a dog would eat if it took down a small prey animal like a bird or rabbit. So if you apply the same logic to the ingredients in fish food there is far more complete nutrition from using the whole fish rather than using fish meal made mostly from bones/fin/offal etc. Similarly products like yeast, potato, and terrestrial animal proteins aren't really ideal either, IMO of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land_lubber Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 That looks better. The ingredients list I got was from the 1mm cichlid NLS. Maybe they are different between food types? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land_lubber Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 David, I have had a look at a number of sites and they all state that the main ingredients are krill meal and fish meal not whole. I used to always by NLS and am needing some more food so unsure what to get now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 I'd certainly trust NLS own website over random retailers. I have buckets for five different NLS foods from recently purchased to 3+ years old and they all state whole krill and whole herring as the main ingredients. If you're using NLS and the fish are healthy then keep feeding it, just order it from Kens. IIRC last time Smidey and I ordered it seemed like three buckets was the optimum number for shipping efficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land_lubber Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Sounds like all these retailers are messing up the ingredients. If it says whole on the NLS labels then I'd believe them. Might go and order some from Kens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morfin Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 I have the Grow one and it has whole on the label for that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samuel90 Posted May 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 just got my thera-a and it says whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinnadian Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 I personally like the Omega One brand and would thoroughly recommend it. Overseas the typical opinion that I have come across is to either use Omega One or NLS, the rest aren't as good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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