What foods are Crack for your fish?
- Thread starter FINWIN
- Start date
Hikari cichlid gold ingredients: Fish meal, wheat flour, flaked corn, brewers dried yeast, corn gluten meal, wheat starch, rice bran, spirulina, garlic, DL-methionine, astaxanthin, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (stabilized vitamin C), inositol, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, niacin, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, disodium phosphate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, red 3, yellow 5 (artificial colors).*
NLS cichlid ingredients: Whole Antarctic Krill, Squid, Whole Wheat Flour, Ulva Seaweed, Chlorella Algae, Beta Carotene, Spirulina, Kelp, Garlic, Alfalfa, Scallops, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Wakame Seaweed, Spinosum Seaweed, Ginger, Garlic, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, L-Ascorby-2-Polyphosphate (Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate And Manganese Sulfate.
So few basics you should know to read these ingredients,
1. All ingredients are ordered by weight.
2. Meal in this context means dried product, without meal the ingredient can be listed by wet weight, quality brands don't mix dry and wet weights. Fish meal can mean leftover parts are used, like scales, bones, heads. Usually meal is associated with low quality ingredients so some brands don't use it.
3. Fillers are cheaper alternatives used to save money, as aquatic ingredients are costly, these includes corn, rice, wheat, pea flour, soybean. Some type of binder is inevitable as pellet need to hold the shape, so you would see at least one, this won't be a filler as it needs to be there not a cost saving thing.
Given this, hikari uses lots of fillers. Doesn't list if fish meal is from whole fish or any quality fish. While NLS us using whole krill and squid as primary ingredient.
I usually order NLS from walmart and northfin from amazon.
When it comes to nutrients for flowerhorns or american cichlids, for protein 40-45% is good, fiber I like it to be at 4-5%, 4-5% for fat, ash at below 10% given quality ingredients are used.
That's wonderful explanation! RutuRaj. Thanks much for your reply!!
I will replace Hikari with NLS for sure..
I will replace Hikari with NLS for sure..
On top of excellent insight by RutuRaj, here is some interesting story found about NLS labs, hope readers find interesting, someone posted in review site :
"
Naturox vs. Original Recipe
In the Fall of 2017, New Life International updated their New Life Spectrum Cichlid formula to the “Naturox” recipe. I was curious what actually changed. My picture highlights the specific differences (Note: They're both soybean free even though it only says it on the Original Formula), but essentially, the main reason for changing the formula is to appease those who believe that the preservative know as “Ethoxyquin” presents a danger to their fish. If you’re interested in reading the whole story about how Ethoxyquin first acquired its current nefarious reputation, checkout my entire review. For those who want it short and sweet: Ethoxyquin is an FDA approved preservative and there is no evidence that the micro-amounts found in the original NLS cichlid formula present a legitimate risk to your fish. It’s completely fine if you don’t want to switch to the Naturox formula.... If you’re fish whine about your decision, tell them to get over it and just keep swimming.
In 1987, a study suggested that ethoxyquin was carcinogenic. The study came to this conclusion after scientists conducted tests on rats, dosing each rat with approximately 5,000 ppm's of ethoxyquin. In the present day, the FDA permits ethoxyquin concentrations under 150 ppm, thus labeling the preservative as safe for consumption when used in food products.
Somehow or another, cichlid enthusiasts recently became aware of that 1987 study and a controversy was born. New Life International released a statement in direct response to the uproar, which essentially stated that they do not actually put ethoxyquin into their fish food, but the preservative is found in some of the raw ingredients that they buy from certain distributors. But New Life didn't stop there...
First, they sent their original formula to the lab and tested it....not once, but TWICE. The ethoxyquin levels were found to be SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the FDA approved amount of 150 ppm, showing concentrations of less than 10 ppm in both lab tests.. THEN, New Life went the extra mile and created an all new formula called the Cichlid Naturox Series. Naturox is an all-natural, plant-based preservative. The Naturox Series uses ingredients that are either preservative free or preserved using Naturox. They also tweaked the formula a little. The protein levels are slightly higher in Naturox due to the addition of giant squid. Ginger was added to the formula for its immune boosting and anti-parasitic effects. Bentonite Clay was also added because it serves as an excellent natural binder and provides an extra source of minerals while containing less starch. For obvious reasons, Naturox costs a little more than the original formula, but the original formula will not be discontinued, so no worries if you don't feel like making the switch.
All in all, New Life International continues to demonstrate an unprecedented level of customer service. They didn't have to create a new formula, but they did anyways because they truly have a passion for this hobby and for the hobbyists like you and me. They didn't have to send their other formulas to the lab, but they did, just so you could have peace of mind..."
"
Naturox vs. Original Recipe
In the Fall of 2017, New Life International updated their New Life Spectrum Cichlid formula to the “Naturox” recipe. I was curious what actually changed. My picture highlights the specific differences (Note: They're both soybean free even though it only says it on the Original Formula), but essentially, the main reason for changing the formula is to appease those who believe that the preservative know as “Ethoxyquin” presents a danger to their fish. If you’re interested in reading the whole story about how Ethoxyquin first acquired its current nefarious reputation, checkout my entire review. For those who want it short and sweet: Ethoxyquin is an FDA approved preservative and there is no evidence that the micro-amounts found in the original NLS cichlid formula present a legitimate risk to your fish. It’s completely fine if you don’t want to switch to the Naturox formula.... If you’re fish whine about your decision, tell them to get over it and just keep swimming.
In 1987, a study suggested that ethoxyquin was carcinogenic. The study came to this conclusion after scientists conducted tests on rats, dosing each rat with approximately 5,000 ppm's of ethoxyquin. In the present day, the FDA permits ethoxyquin concentrations under 150 ppm, thus labeling the preservative as safe for consumption when used in food products.
Somehow or another, cichlid enthusiasts recently became aware of that 1987 study and a controversy was born. New Life International released a statement in direct response to the uproar, which essentially stated that they do not actually put ethoxyquin into their fish food, but the preservative is found in some of the raw ingredients that they buy from certain distributors. But New Life didn't stop there...
First, they sent their original formula to the lab and tested it....not once, but TWICE. The ethoxyquin levels were found to be SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the FDA approved amount of 150 ppm, showing concentrations of less than 10 ppm in both lab tests.. THEN, New Life went the extra mile and created an all new formula called the Cichlid Naturox Series. Naturox is an all-natural, plant-based preservative. The Naturox Series uses ingredients that are either preservative free or preserved using Naturox. They also tweaked the formula a little. The protein levels are slightly higher in Naturox due to the addition of giant squid. Ginger was added to the formula for its immune boosting and anti-parasitic effects. Bentonite Clay was also added because it serves as an excellent natural binder and provides an extra source of minerals while containing less starch. For obvious reasons, Naturox costs a little more than the original formula, but the original formula will not be discontinued, so no worries if you don't feel like making the switch.
All in all, New Life International continues to demonstrate an unprecedented level of customer service. They didn't have to create a new formula, but they did anyways because they truly have a passion for this hobby and for the hobbyists like you and me. They didn't have to send their other formulas to the lab, but they did, just so you could have peace of mind..."
