Pond sport fish food for cichlids

[Tj203]

Has anyone tried using pond sport fish food to feed cichlids? It is so much cheaper. I hate how things for fish tanks are so much more money. aquarium salt is the biggest rip-off in the industry you can get water softener salt for $6 for 40 lb or you can go to a pet store and pay like $7 for 2 lb.

Here is the link for the fish food that I am going to try. I got 50lb for $58 delivered! You can't beat that. this one is for Bluegill ,bass and trout. they have some for catfish, fry, starter food and more. I go through 2 1/2 - 4 lb of a week depending if I'm feeding once or 3 times a day. I read a scientific study that the fish grow exponentially faster when you feed three times a day compared to two and that gets very expensive using New Life Spectrum.$60 plus for 4.4 lb
I will also be feeding crickets,mealworms and seaweed to name just a few others.
If I need to supplement some vitamins or something like that it's what I'm looking for

AquaMax® Sport Fish MVP Fish Feed | Purina

Purina AquaMax® Sport Fish MVP feeds a greater percentage of different sized fish in your pond helping smaller fish grow. Find more nutrition information here.

www.purinamills.com

 

[Tj203]

Anyone?

 

[tlindsey]

supplement some vitamins

If you don't see any on the pond food add Vita Chem.

 

[duanes]

I used it over a decade ago, giving trout chow to carnivores, and pan fish and catfish chow to omnivores.
I didn't notice any change in health from the expensive stuff.
For predominantly vegetarian cichlids like C pearsei , and bocourti, and/or Etroplus suratensus, I did supplement marine and algal foods like AlgaeMax, and fresh leafy greens.

 

[jjohnwm]

Watching this thread with interest. The Largemouth Bass food seems to hold promise for large catfish and other predators, with pellets 1 inch x 3/4 inch in size. Too bad they float, but that's not a deal-breaker.

I also used Trout Chow back in the day; not sure which brand, as the local retailer bought in bulk and re-packaged it into smaller bags. Very economical, with a strong odour which seemed to make it more attractive to fish. It left a bit of an "oil-slick" on the surface which I was in the habit of skimming off manually right after feeding.

thebiggerthebetter mentioned in at least one thread a suspected link between a particular low-priced catfish feed he used and health problems in multiple large fish he owned. I haven't been able to re-find that thread and I have forgotten the brand name of the food so it's tough to search. Viktor...?

In my area, any of these foods are special-order-only. Hopefully more folks can chime in with experience of specific versions; I hate the idea of buying a ginormous quantity of something that doesn't work out for me. I'm currently using up a tub of Sturgeon-specific pellets I bought with the idea of feeding large catfish...only to find that the pellets are extremely small and better suited size-wise to much smaller fish. My fault, of course; should've checked more carefully.

 

[pacu mom]

Seventeen years ago, my husband came across the mother of yard sale finds - a 55 gallon tank chock full of big fish - four large oscars, two 15" pacu and two 12" plecos. Along with the tank and fish, a bag of Yardley Pond Pellets was thrown in. That's what the fish ate for years until they got so big, that a swish of a tail sent the floating pellets into the overflow box, forcing us to switch to sinking pellets.

Surprisingly, pond pellets actually are pretty good. I participate in a pacu forum now, and one of the most frequently asked questions is "what do you feed your pacu?" I did a comparison of different food. All the fish food has vitamins added. Of course, food for carnivores had more protein.







After comparing different food, I suspect that all manufactured fish food is nutritionally adequate based on whether it is omnivore or carnivore fish. Also, I find Algae Wafers to be expensive. I was pleased to find Cobalt Aquatics Algae Grazers on Amazon, but then I came across Kens Fish Premium Veggie Wafers, which I now buy 25 pounds at a time. Kens Fish has a lot of their own fish food. If you buy fish food in bulk, check out Kens Fish, you might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Tj203]

Watching this thread with interest. The Largemouth Bass food seems to hold promise for large catfish and other predators, with pellets 1 inch x 3/4 inch in size. Too bad they float, but that's not a deal-breaker.

I also used Trout Chow back in the day; not sure which brand, as the local retailer bought in bulk and re-packaged it into smaller bags. Very economical, with a strong odour which seemed to make it more attractive to fish. It left a bit of an "oil-slick" on the surface which I was in the habit of skimming off manually right after feeding.

thebiggerthebetter mentioned in at least one thread a suspected link between a particular low-priced catfish feed he used and health problems in multiple large fish he owned. I haven't been able to re-find that thread and I have forgotten the brand name of the food so it's tough to search. Viktor...?

In my area, any of these foods are special-order-only. Hopefully more folks can chime in with experience of specific versions; I hate the idea of buying a ginormous quantity of something that doesn't work out for me. I'm currently using up a tub of Sturgeon-specific pellets I bought with the idea of feeding large catfish...only to find that the pellets are extremely small and better suited size-wise to much smaller fish. My fault, of course; should've checked more carefully

When I feed my fish I put all the fish food in a measuring cup or you can use a container add water to it and let it sit till they all sink. My thinking behind this is when you soak it in water all the air comes out of the pellets. I think that helps protect them from bloat as they are not ingesting are when they grab it from the top of the water also the little air that would be trapped inside the pellets. This is pure speculation for anybody that is reading this.

 

[tlindsey]

check out Kens Fish, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Yes been using Kens Fish products for a few years now.

 

[Tj203]

Seventeen years ago, my husband came across the mother of yard sale finds - a 55 gallon tank chock full of big fish - four large oscars, two 15" pacu and two 12" plecos. Along with the tank and fish, a bag of Yardley Pond Pellets was thrown in. That's what the fish ate for years until they got so big, that a swish of a tail sent the floating pellets into the overflow box, forcing us to switch to sinking pellets.

Surprisingly, pond pellets actually are pretty good. I participate in a pacu forum now, and one of the most frequently asked questions is "what do you feed your pacu?" I did a comparison of different food. All the fish food has vitamins added. Of course, food for carnivores had more protein.

View attachment 1497184

View attachment 1497185



After comparing different food, I suspect that all manufactured fish food is nutritionally adequate based on whether it is omnivore or carnivore fish. Also, I find Algae Wafers to be expensive. I was pleased to find Cobalt Aquatics Algae Grazers on Amazon, but then I came across Kens Fish Premium Veggie Wafers, which I now buy 25 pounds at a time. Kens Fish has a lot of their own fish food. If you buy fish food in bulk, check out Kens Fish, you might be pleasantly surprised.

I just looked at the Cobalt aquatic and it is more money then New Life Spectrum I have yet to find a better food for less money anywhere. Their ingredients are all whole fish not meal and you get 70 OZ or 2000 grams or 4.4 lb of food for $60. The kens is very cheap but so are the ingredients it's about half price of the new life Spectrum.
The sport fish food is $1.16 per pound
NLS $13.63
Kens $6.52

 

[tlindsey]

The kens is very cheap but so are the ingredients it's about half price of the new life

This is their 9 mm Krill pellet hard and sinks.
It's up to you on what you choose just wanted to share ?