When it comes to NLS food, what size do I get?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Correct. Fish need to be able to swallow NLS whole. It's a great food.

I use 1mm for my small fish (pearl gouramis, 2" clown loach, and 4-5" pictus catfish)
I use 3mm for my medium fish (5" green terror and 4-5" pictus catfish)
I use the 6mm "jumbo" for my large fish (14" Nandopsis Haitiensis)

I REALLY like the thera a formula that NLS has. It's the same as the other stuff, except it has some garlic in it. The garlic is good for the immune system, and gets fish to readily eat it.

You can use thera a for all cichlids. Talk to RD about it. He has successfully raised many bloat prone cichlids without incident on it. It's just flat out a great food.
 
I've raised everything from Tropheus cichlids to dwarf shrimp on NLS and would say I am a big fan of their products.

For most I have been using 1mm cichlid formula or 3mm Thera+A
 
FYI - all NLS formulas contain garlic, the TherA formula simply contains a LOT more garlic. Personally I only use the TherA for fish that need an extra immune boost, such as newly acquired fish, or fish under severe stress. I know many others that feed it as a daily staple, while some find the garlic odor in the TherA to be a bit overwhelming.

As far as pellet sizes, this will depend on the species being fed, but mostly by the size of the fishes mouth. A large fish can always eat a smaller pellet, a small fish will always make waste (from excessive chewing) with a pellet that is too large for it. As an example, I have raised 9-10" African cichlids on the 2mm pellets. Yes, they have to eat more pellets than they would if fed a larger pellet such as the 3mm, but there was zero waste, and the larger fish learned to "hunt" their food down. I have seen massive 16" CA cichlids fed nothing but the 3mm pellets.

There's a BIG difference between what a fish can fit in its mouth, and what size of pellet is the correct size for a fish. Pellets that are too large will cause a lot of chewing, and a lot of fine particulate matter (food) in the water column. That equates to excess & unnecessary pollution, and wasted food, which is wasted $$$.

It's not about what a fish can fit in its mouth, it's about what a fish can comfortably eat & swallow with little to no chewing involved. (less waste) As an example, in commercial operations most trout/salmon pellets designed for adult brooders typically start at 5mm. 10-12mm pellets is what is fed to 6-8 foot sturgeon. Keep that in mind when you are selecting pellets for a 6" fish. :)

Some fish prefer to feed at the surface (such as oscars, and other large cichlids), some fish prefer to feed mid-water, others are bottom feeders. In mixed tanks you may have to feed a mix of sizes, or types. (floating for some fish, sinking for others)

Feeding fish is part art, and part science, and sometimes one needs to experiment a bit in order to get things to work within their particular group of fish, or system.
 
Here is a size comparison, left is massivore and the two smaller pellets are the 6mm...

Although that massivore comes from a 380g bag...


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:( the 6mm is smaller then I expected! I was wondering the same thing I use 1mm and 3mm but the 3mm seems to small for my 10+ fish, I have to drop it in my jags mouths or they seem to not be able to find them.

Does NLS make a size pellet like the massivore pellet?

Sorry to thread jack, better then starting a whole new thread.
 
6mm is fine for 10-20" fish IMHO. Read rd's comments about pellet size, and what they use for sturgeon to put things in perspective.
 
Thanks again Fat Homer. Your all welcome I asked Nice and he delivered. As many have said the 10mm pellets are really hard and most fish have a hard time eating them. I'm going to give the 6mm pellets a try next food I buy.

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6mm is fine for 10-20" fish IMHO.
Click to expand...

Correct.

The 10mm Mega fish formula was designed for true "monster" fish, with monster appetites. If the 6mm doesn't fit the bill, the H20 wafers can be broken into smaller pieces, or fed whole to very large fish. They tend to be less hard/dense, than the 10mm.
 
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