My Midas

[RD.]

Storing in a fridge is not such a great idea, due to the moisture/ humidity levels. I keep my food in the basement, in a cool, dry, dark area, with container sealed tight. If you do that, most commercial foods will be good for approx 2 years, depending on the expiration date.

 

[jjohnwm]

I hesitate to turn this into another "food" thread, but it seems like an appropriate place to insert this: If a person who shall remain nameless were so cheap that he only purchased fish food in large economy-size containers, and then subdivided each one into smaller portions which were then vacuum-sealed in individual pouches and only opened as required, there seems to be no readily apparent problem with the odour, colour or palatability of this food even a year or two down the line.

I use...oops, sorry, I meant to say "this person" uses...a lot of different foods in rotation, and doesn't really keep huge numbers of fish at one time so food can be sitting for easily a year or two before the last pouch is used up.

If someone decides to follow my...this person's...example, it's a good idea to place a strip of filter floss in the pouch along the inside of the edge that is actually heat sealed. Failing to do this allows tiny fragments of food, especially flake food, to get sucked into the pump on the vacuum sealer and bung it up.

When that happens, my...this person's...wife becomes unhappy and trouble ensues.

 

[fishdance]

Use oxygen absorption satchels inside your bags, try to eliminate excess air when heat sealing plastic bags and store in freezer (removes humidity), not fridge. The silica gel satchels to remove moisture don't work on bag size volumes.

I have a small chest deep freezer, guillotine heat sealer, various sized bags (100 micron) and oxygen absorber satchels are cheap, available on eBay.

I date the repacking date and use a bag size that holds 2 weeks of food.

I do use a non working fridge to store opened fish food with the food above and fish chemicals below. The fridge reduces temperature variations and is rodent proof.

 

[JackEmerson]

I am always up for a good food fight

this person's...wife becomes unhappy and trouble ensues

But seriously, I think our wives are related. I am in the same situation. Given the variety of foods I rotate, I don't keep enough fish to go through all my food. I had previously thought that opened food only lasts 6 months, but RD clarified that food will last much longer if properly stored. I only keep one 55 gallon with a bunch of smaller cichlids. It takes me a while to go thorough one small 150g container (I feed small amounts). But the real solution to this dilemma is to get more tanks to justify the food purchases. Towards this end, I got "permission" to renovate the garage into a fish room, so should be able to fix the problem over the next year or so.

 

[RD.]

Just thought I would report back on the large floating NF pellets. The end result was unfortunately no bueno. My Midas stopped eating them a month or so in. Other cichlids began holding out for other offerings a month or so after the Midas stopped eating them. With this Midas it was flat out refusal, not having it, not even a closer look. The instant it hit the water he rejected any food until a day or two later - and after repeated try’s over several weeks/months I could not never get him to try it again. Maybe the magpies will eat it….

 

[jjohnwm]

Just thought I would report back on the large floating NF pellets. The end result was unfortunately no bueno. My Midas stopped eating them a month or so in. Other cichlids began holding out for other offerings a month or so after the Midas stopped eating them. With this Midas it was flat out refusal, not having it, not even a closer look. The instant it hit the water he rejected any food until a day or two later - and after repeated try’s over several weeks/months I could not never get him to try it again. Maybe the magpies will eat it….

Well, that's unfortunate! I suspect that your fish is not a SRB (Spoiled Rotten Brat) like so many other big-ass cichlid pets on MFK, so it really surprises me to read about this negative development. I'm fortunate that I have never had a fish that ever behaved like this, at least not to the extent that I couldn't outlast/outwait it.

Maybe that's why I gravitate more towards Big Dumb Fish like catfish...rather than Big Smart Fish like cichlids; I just don't relish battles of will like this one.

 

[RD.]

Yeah, this is true. If it was sinking I could at least get my loaches to eat it. Bottom feeders are used to eating ****. Lol

 

[jjohnwm]

...Bottom feeders are used to eating ****. Lol

You need a Jelly Cat! Floating, sinking, mid-water, makes no difference. The only challenging part is actually getting the food into the water before the action starts!

 

[coltiger1975]

Almost 11 years old now ..........


View attachment 1510135

Such a handsome fella

 

[RD.]

Thanks, he’s still going strong.…