Advice on fish food and other escentials

[Irishlad123]

Im looking into trying a new foods and fertilizers for my community. I was only feeding tetra flake food and a tetra Algae wafer. I have corys snail cherry shrimp tetras platys and a gourami any recomendations. Thinking about fluval bug bites and some new wafer. And is hikari first bites worth getting or is crushed up flake the same

 

[Sylvan]

I'm a fan of the Fluval Bug Bites, I have them for my Bettas and my community tank which also gets the Tetra micro granules.

 

[Essjay 135]

I use food made by New Life Spectrum or Omega One. Both of these are made from high quality ingredients. But I do have to buy them on-line as I have not yet found a shop that sells them.

For the tetras, platies and gourami, flake is fine. For the cories, sinking pellets that are fish based. The other fish will also eat them if they catch them on the way down. For the shrimps, algae pellets/wafers, and the other fish, especially the platies, will also enjoy these. Break them into smaller bits.

 

[Back in the fold 9]

A variety is best. Every fish likes something different and a variety ensures a balanced diet. Look into live foods if you really want to cater to your fish. White worms, Grindal worms and wingless fruit flies to name the most common. I think fish need something to strike at. Keeps them feeling frisky.

 

[Byron]

I concur with both members above. Good quality fish food is key, and New Life Spectrum and Omega One are at the very top (these have no filler/additives), though there may be other new brands I am not aware of yet. The Bugbites (can't remember who makes these) are also good.

Variety is also important. I feed three different upper-fish foods and three different substrate-feeding fish foods, alternating over three days, then repeat (with a "fast" day in between).

 

[Irishlad123]

How about plant fertilizers i have moss valisneria salvinia amazon swords and crypts also looking into other low tech plants as i have a gravel substrate but i do put in root tabs

 

[Lilyann]

I use New Life Spectrum exclusively. They make an exceptional line of foods.

For low-tech, you might try an all-in-one fertilizer like NilocG ThriveC or UNS.
Here is a link to both:

http://nilocg.com/ThriveC/

https://aquaticsbynature.com/product/uns-all-in-one-aquatic-plant-fertilizer/

 

[Byron]

How about plant fertilizers i have moss valisneria salvinia amazon swords and crypts also looking into other low tech plants as i have a gravel substrate but i do put in root tabs

Light intensity drives photosynthesis (provided the spectrum is also what plants need) provided the nutrients are available. A comprehensive supplement used sparingly rather than excessively is what you want to aim for, always remembering that fish (fish foods to waste) and water changes also add nutrients.

Substrate tabs are preferred for larger plants like swords because these do not get into the upper water column where algae may be advantaged nor inside fish which is something to always keep in mind.

Depending upon how long your tank has been planted, the appearance of the plants after several weeks/months can indicate if you need more, or less, fertilizers. Minimum is always better for the fish and less likely to encourage algae.

 

[Irishlad123]

Ok thanks for all the info thd plants have been in for about 3 months

 

[FishGuest5123]

Im looking into trying a new foods and fertilizers for my community. I was only feeding tetra flake food and a tetra Algae wafer. I have corys snail cherry shrimp tetras platys and a gourami any recomendations. Thinking about fluval bug bites and some new wafer. And is hikari first bites worth getting or is crushed up flake the same

Looks like most of your questions have been answered. IF you were questioning the Hikari First Bites for fry, they yes, they are excellent! My fry do very well on them. I also feed live baby brine shrimp which really make the fry grow. You can Google how to make a brine shrimp hatchery out of a water bottle and desk lamp. Super easy! For the record, I feed New Life Spectrum, Omega One, Fluval Bug Bites, blanched peas, zucchini, cucumbers, and frozen blood worms (once a week). I feed the New Life Spectrum or Omega One every morning and alternate the others in evening. Hope this helps.

 

[fish48]

I culture my own live foods so fish get feed on it almost daily apart from a daily feed of normal flake food fish can be fed on life daily you should never feed the same live food continuously,

 

[Back in the fold 9]

Light intensity drives photosynthesis (provided the spectrum is also what plants need) provided the nutrients are available. A comprehensive supplement used sparingly rather than excessively is what you want to aim for, always remembering that fish (fish foods to waste) and water changes also add nutrients.

Substrate tabs are preferred for larger plants like swords because these do not get into the upper water column where algae may be advantaged nor inside fish which is something to always keep in mind.

Depending upon how long your tank has been planted, the appearance of the plants after several weeks/months can indicate if you need more, or less, fertilizers. Minimum is always better for the fish and less likely to encourage algae.

Byron once mentioned a substrate fertilizer tab that worked very well but he hasn't seen it in a while. I wish I could remember what it was so I could try to track it down. Byron, do you remember that? Stay away from liquid plant fertizers or only use them very sparingly in large tanks with lots of plants. My tanks are all small and I am afraid the stuff will get into my fishes blood streams. Just my opinion not science.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Byron once mentioned a substrate fertilizer tab that worked very well but he hasn't seen it in a while. I wish I could remember what it was so I could try to track it down. Byron, do you remember that? Stay away from liquid plant fertizers or only use them very sparingly in large tanks with lots of plants. My tanks are all small and I am afraid the stuff will get into my fishes blood streams. Just my opinion not science.

Put @Byron and he will get notice to look at this.

 

[Byron]

Byron once mentioned a substrate fertilizer tab that worked very well but he hasn't seen it in a while. I wish I could remember what it was so I could try to track it down. Byron, do you remember that? Stay away from liquid plant fertizers or only use them very sparingly in large tanks with lots of plants. My tanks are all small and I am afraid the stuff will get into my fishes blood streams. Just my opinion not science.

It is science, that's how fish physiology functions. Think of it like a person standing in a closed garage and breathing in exhaust fumes; to think the air in the lungs will not allow this to get into the bloodstream is false. Any substance added to the aquarium water similarly enters the fish.

The substrate fert was Nutrafin's Plant Gro Sticks; they came in a pack of five, and they were effective for a full year, and boy did the sword plants thrive. I have not been able to track them down online for 9 or 10 years now. I suppose I could write to Nutrafin, but I tried the Seachem Flourish Tabs and they are very good too, so I haven't bothered.

 

[seangee]

I guess the question nobody has asked is is there anything about your plants that suggests they are lacking anything? Just checking as I wouldn't want to spend money fixing a problem I did not have. Not all of my tanks get fertiliser.