Fish Food

[clarkeymaster]

Iv got a bit of a dilema. If fish food (flakes, tablets) pass their use by dates are they no good for me to feed my fish or is it still ok.iv found some old fish food that i have that has use by dates or APR04.

Also what are the live bugs that get attracted to fish food and are these alright to feed to the fish, they are tiny brown insects.

[Duke3d]

I am using some old food at moment. I justified it in my brain by alternating between fresh stuff and the expired stuff. I think that it will have lost some of its nutritional value, but there still has to be some left.

We can eat old food, just doesn't taste very nice!!

As for the bugs, sounds like you have a perfect live food source.

But that is only my thoughts

[Alan]

I'd use it as long as it hasn't started to break down.

Foods that contain vitamins quickly loose them.

But with a varied diet, go for it.

Waste not,want not.

Alan 104

[Caryl]

Should be OK as long as it was still sealed until now.

[clarkeymaster]

no it was unsealed when i brought it early last year.

[Caryl]

Once the seal has broken the food starts to lose its 'goodness' It will not harm the fish (unless it has something growing in it) but also will not provide maximum nutrition. Use it but alternate with 'fresh' flakes.

[clarkeymaster]

its the only flakes i have but in between i feed them frozen brineshrimp and frozen bloodworms and ocasionally live white worms.

[Faran]

Simply put, if it's past the expiry date you should toss it. That expiry date is how long that food will be considered useable for, sealed or not. If it's resealable then it doesn't matter all that much whether it's been opened a few times, so no diff to if it had never been cracked. Just toss it and get some new, or use it in ponds

[Caryl]

Once the seal has been broken the air gets in and it is this exposure that starts the deterioration. Expiry dates are more for the sales people to make sure product is rotated correctly. Many pills for instance have an expiry date but are quite useable many years past their use-by dates.

[Ira]

Many pills for instance have an expiry date but are quite useable many years past their use-by dates.

And some medications become toxic if you go too far past their use by date.

But with the food it's just losing vitamins. Vitamin C for example degrades on contact with oxygen.

[Alan]

Just wondering BlueandKim if you work in an LFS

Food can often be used after the E date

Checked ya bread or any of the grocery lines lately.

Use it up, you have a good mixed diet going there.

Stop going grey over nothing

Alan 104

[Wok]

The normal usage of expirey and best before dates in the food industry is that:

Expirey. product should not be used after this date as it might not be good for you. (just like what Ira said)

Best Before: product will be still good up to the date stated but can be consumed after that date without much detriment to your health but your taste buds might rebel. ie Bread, it has a best before date of a week but you can still eat it after that provided you don't mind eating mould

but with fish food..... you can take a risk.... if it has bugs crawling all over it then you have live food which is better than flake

[dee_jay_01]

hey the bugs are probably weavels, as for the food should be ok as everyone has said. Mix it with some fresh stuff and some dried fresh bread crumbs and fish love it.