I hate New LIFe Spectrum(NLS) FIsh food

[mshill90]

I also have grown to dislike NLS pellets, for a few reasons, 1. they stink something awful. I have to hold my breath when I open the container and 2. It's difficult to tell what the best size pellet to get, they are expensive to buy just to test the right sizes. I got one of the smaller pellets and found they are still too big and hard for my fish to get in their mouth, takes long time to soften too. Lastly, they are expensive, paying more for a name doesn't necessarily mean it's good. The hype about fish going nuts over NLS or any other food is skiddish at best. Fish go ape-wild over any fish food you throw at them, this is just the way they are, always hungry. My fish go crazy over ordinarly inexpensive fish flakes, they love cheap brine shrimp too. Then there's the debate on Fish Nutrition, NLS sells this bit really well, thing is, fish can be really happy and healthy on nothing but fish flakes and nobody, not even the experts can prove otherwise. I think the main point is to allow everyone to choose what works for them but not to cram the brand hype down people's throat. Let the fish decide.

Oscars will eat cat food.. that doesn't mean it's good for them. My stingrays eat brine shrimp flakes when I throw them in the tank, but that doesn't mean it's good for them, nor does it mean that they can sustain on it.

I have mixed feelings on NLS. In my opinion it's all about which tank I feed it to. My FH tanks filter gets gross, and all muddy from it. My sturgeon tank however gets crystal clear.

I feed the NLS micro pellets to my smaller fish, and I have no issues with it at all. It's just the cichla formula I have issues with sometimes.

 

[dasani]

i've used the regular med size (2mm) NLS and the cichlid nls(1mm) and i noticed i had to clean my filter pad more frequently, based on a feed 1 per day 5min feed. My water does not smell foul.


You should give some NLS to a friend and see if it stinks up their water.

 

[J.Lake]

I have never had this problem with nls. I however have something to compare it to now. I just got some dats who are on hikari sinking carnivore. Since they are on pellets already I'm going to let them settle down for a few weeks in their new home before i make the switch over to nls. The dats love the carnivore pellets. I dont bc of they way they break down in the water. If one isnt eaten it makes quite a mess overe a larger area. The nls tends to stay together if not eaten. I also think each person should feed their fish what they think is right. Know the facts and make you selection from there. What works for person A wont always work for person B. The OP's setup I belive plays a larger role than the food.

 

[Allan01230]

Not to take any sides here but RD DID TELL HIM MANY TIMES to use something else. I only use NLS and it works FOR ME. Everyone will have thier preference. Use what works for you. If anyone is having a smelll issue tank is being over fed. aNY FOOD EVEN TETRA MIN WILL STINK IF OVERFED. hIKARI mASSIVORE NOW THAT STUFF STINKS, LOL

 

[JK47]

I've never had an isue with NLS and smell. I also feed thera A as well. Seems like routine may be the bigger issue. Like mentioned above, if your not down for the smell DON'T switch to massivore.. That stuff SMELLS!!!

 

[ck986]

I use cichlid 1mm pellets and Thera A my water gets a little messy while they feed, but it clears right up as i have a fluval 305 and 405. The water has a scent, but it's not too bad. If my wife doesn't complain then it's ok. Our basement is finished so we are always down there. If it smelled I would hear it.

I do a weekly 20% water change so don't notice any problems. I guess if I was to go longer it might begin to smell more.

 

[MonsterMinis]

been useing NLS for monthes now, close to a year.. overall I'm very happy with it.. and I've found it alot easier to fish out uneaten pellets then I did with hikari. I'm almost all out of hikari food now.. and do not plan on really buying more when it runs out. I also tend to mix my foods alot. the tanks that don't get flakes or hikari tend to over-all smell alot less.

but "horrible" tank smells ime are often related to filtration or water quality issues.. not food as RD stated a few times. sometimes I've had customers bring in water to test and just a wif of it tells me the tests general results are going to be.

personally though i'de put up with abit of a "stink" if i knew my pets where getting the proper nutrition they need. then feed them "Crap" that didn't smell at all. I htink most hobbyists get use to the smell of a healthy system and it simply doesn't register to their noses. I've gone to the aquarium a few times with friends and they can "smell the tanks" where to me I smell everything but the tanks. They often tell me it smells similar to my appartment. Most people don't find a healthy system offensive, not to say some people wouldn't.

 

[Cleanbio]

Did anyone mention the meal issue? There was a huge post on another forum about how nls uses meal (i.e. shrimp meal, fish meal, krill meal, etc), and it was linked to some biologist who wrote an article about meal having no nutritional value. It was an interesting read. lol

 

[RD.]

it was linked to some biologist who wrote an article about meal having no nutritional value

My brother has his masters in biology, that doesn't make him an expert on anything, let alone fish nutrition.

The following article was written by two individuals who are considered experts in their field, R.D. Miles, a Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences, and F.A. Chapman, Associate Professor, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences; University of Florida.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa122


I think that the moral of this story is there is no pleasing all of the people, all of the time.

Some people find that a fish food made from quality marine protein & fats stink something awful. (imagine that) Or are ready to blame the manufacturer because they apparently don't know how to choose the correct pellet size for their fish. Or due to a lack of starch fillers they don't soften up quickly enough. Or it's too expensive, as though cheap foods aren't cheap for a reason. Or in the absence of facts, post misinformation about various subjects such as fish meal.

IMHO some people would be better off buying food from the bulk bins at their LFS, where I can guarantee the cost will be far less than a premium food, the food will have the sweet smell of corn flakes & rice krispies, and due to the massive amount of starch fillers will soak up your tank water & turn "soft" in record breaking time.

 

[Bearbear]

Just a few short weeks ago you stated that your water tested positive for nitrites, which tells me that your set up has not fully matured.

Bit late to the party but seems like his issue was pointed out to him(or one of his issues). Just finished cycling a tank recently and fishy smell came and went or I got used to it.

I do notice an oarngish color on my filter media when using NLS, but doesn't seem to hurt to hurt the water quality any. With Hikari it is a little browner.