I can understand if someone can't train a particular fish to eat NLS, or at least eat it eagerly enough for optimum growth & overall health. No one has ever said that 100% of the fish found on planet earth will consume NLS. I can understand if someone felt that the nutrient levels found in NLS are excessive, or not required for the fish that they keep. Clearly, freshwater fish are some of the most resilient creatures on the planet & will grow, show decent color, and breed, even when fed what many would consider cheap, very low quality food.
I can understand that some people would prefer to feed more starchy foods, because those foods absorb water more quickly than dense foods such as NLS, and one can feed larger pellets (and more at a time) to their fish without experiencing food particles coming out of their gills. I would personally consider that operator error, and a rather ridiculous reason for choosing one food over another, but I can understand it.
I can also understand if due to personal reasons feeding a more premium food is not an economical option, and lower cost farm feed is purchased in bulk & fed. I have supported that option in the past, as well as recommended exactly that a number of times for those looking for low cost alternatives for their fish.
And just to show that I'm not completely biased in this area, if I was looking for a less costly alternative I would consider feeding half NLS, and half bulk commercial farm feed. I think a reasonable compromise for those that want the best, but can't always afford it. Randy Reed appears to have a decent looking product that on the surface certainly appears to be reasonably priced. Granule size, up to 10mm. 20 kg (44 lb's) for $135.00 plus shipping.
http://www.reedmariculture.com/product_otohime_marine_diets.html
http://www.reedmariculture.com/pdf/product_otohime.pdf
Krill Meal, Fish Meal, Squid Meal, Wheat Flour, Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Fish Oil, Calcium Phosphate, Betaine, Soy Lecithin, Licorice Plant, Wheat Germ.
Made in Japan by Marubeni Nisshin Feed Co., Ltd.
They have another formula, but it doesn't appear to come in larger pellet sizes.
http://www.reedmariculture.com/product_tdo_top_dressed_oto.html
http://www.reedmariculture.com/pdf/product_tdo_pricing.pdf
Krill Meal, Fish Meal, Squid Meal, Fish Oil, Haematococcus, Wheat Flour, Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Calcium Phosphate, Betaine, Soy Lecithin, Licorice Plant, Wheat Germ.
While they are missing out on aquatic plant matter (algae meal/spirulina), both foods appear to have decent quality sources of protein, and both formulas are relatively high in both protein & crude fat, so one could most certainly feed fairly sparingly. I would reckon that their vitamin/mineral levels are at industry minimums, so while not at the level of a food such as NLS, not waaay off the mark either. Probably very similar to other foods that are Made in Japan. But this is why I would only feed it as a partial supplement food.
Beyond some people overfeeding a very calorie rich food, the only downside that I can see in feeding this 50% of the time is that ones fish may decide that this high fat food tastes a lot better than the lower fat more premium staple, and begin refusing to eat NLS, or whatever one feeds as a staple. Fish can be funny that way.
But I'm just tossing that out there, seeing as some people want to compare ingredients, or are simply fixated on protein levels, or cost. I've never used that product line so cannot personally vouch for its quality, but on the surface it looks like a "good" food too.
Human nature being what it is I can understand a LOT of things .........
But what I cannot for the life of me understand, is how anyone in their right mind can compare an overseas based company that utilizes low cost, low quality raw ingredients in their fish food such as corn flakes, soybean meal, gluten meal, rice bran, dried bakery product, alpha starch, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and not to forget the *mystery starch*, ........... to an American "Made in the USA" family owned & operated company such as New Life that utilizes what are beyond a doubt some of the highest quality raw ingredients found in any commercial food currently on the market, one which they have in fact set the industry standard for all future foods after them. This is precisely why New Lifes formulas & ingredients are now some of the most copied on the market.
That totally boggles my mind, especially those feeding formulas that cost double of what NLS can be purchased for.
Prior to New Life very few companies utilized any amount of krill (let alone Antarctic krill) in their food, and none used it as a main ingredient. (due to cost)
Prior to New Life no other company utilized herring meal as their source of fish meal (due to higher cost) even though herring meal has been proven to have the highest amino acid content of all fish meals.
Prior to New Life no other company utilized garlic in their food for its bioactive compounds that over this past decade have been proven to have a probiotic effect on fish.
Prior to New Life no other company utilized an algae/kelp/seaweed meal, in conjunction with spirulina, in ALL of their formulas, because Pablo knew that even carnivores required some of the nutrients found in aquatic plant matter.
Prior to New Life other manufacturers used only the minimum levels required as per the NRC for vitamin & trace minerals (many still do), never thinking outside the box as to what levels a fish under stress requires. Today the current aquaculture science supports this elevated stress related supplementation logic, and not just using bare minimums from data gleaned from studies back in the 1970's.
I'm old enough to remember when the food shown below was considered cutting edge, but still young enough to understand and appreciate the difference between a good fish food, and one that is truly based on cutting edge research & technology.
I can understand that some people would prefer to feed more starchy foods, because those foods absorb water more quickly than dense foods such as NLS, and one can feed larger pellets (and more at a time) to their fish without experiencing food particles coming out of their gills. I would personally consider that operator error, and a rather ridiculous reason for choosing one food over another, but I can understand it.
I can also understand if due to personal reasons feeding a more premium food is not an economical option, and lower cost farm feed is purchased in bulk & fed. I have supported that option in the past, as well as recommended exactly that a number of times for those looking for low cost alternatives for their fish.
And just to show that I'm not completely biased in this area, if I was looking for a less costly alternative I would consider feeding half NLS, and half bulk commercial farm feed. I think a reasonable compromise for those that want the best, but can't always afford it. Randy Reed appears to have a decent looking product that on the surface certainly appears to be reasonably priced. Granule size, up to 10mm. 20 kg (44 lb's) for $135.00 plus shipping.
http://www.reedmariculture.com/product_otohime_marine_diets.html
http://www.reedmariculture.com/pdf/product_otohime.pdf
Krill Meal, Fish Meal, Squid Meal, Wheat Flour, Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Fish Oil, Calcium Phosphate, Betaine, Soy Lecithin, Licorice Plant, Wheat Germ.
Made in Japan by Marubeni Nisshin Feed Co., Ltd.
They have another formula, but it doesn't appear to come in larger pellet sizes.
http://www.reedmariculture.com/product_tdo_top_dressed_oto.html
http://www.reedmariculture.com/pdf/product_tdo_pricing.pdf
Krill Meal, Fish Meal, Squid Meal, Fish Oil, Haematococcus, Wheat Flour, Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Calcium Phosphate, Betaine, Soy Lecithin, Licorice Plant, Wheat Germ.
While they are missing out on aquatic plant matter (algae meal/spirulina), both foods appear to have decent quality sources of protein, and both formulas are relatively high in both protein & crude fat, so one could most certainly feed fairly sparingly. I would reckon that their vitamin/mineral levels are at industry minimums, so while not at the level of a food such as NLS, not waaay off the mark either. Probably very similar to other foods that are Made in Japan. But this is why I would only feed it as a partial supplement food.
Beyond some people overfeeding a very calorie rich food, the only downside that I can see in feeding this 50% of the time is that ones fish may decide that this high fat food tastes a lot better than the lower fat more premium staple, and begin refusing to eat NLS, or whatever one feeds as a staple. Fish can be funny that way.
But I'm just tossing that out there, seeing as some people want to compare ingredients, or are simply fixated on protein levels, or cost. I've never used that product line so cannot personally vouch for its quality, but on the surface it looks like a "good" food too.
Human nature being what it is I can understand a LOT of things .........
But what I cannot for the life of me understand, is how anyone in their right mind can compare an overseas based company that utilizes low cost, low quality raw ingredients in their fish food such as corn flakes, soybean meal, gluten meal, rice bran, dried bakery product, alpha starch, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and not to forget the *mystery starch*, ........... to an American "Made in the USA" family owned & operated company such as New Life that utilizes what are beyond a doubt some of the highest quality raw ingredients found in any commercial food currently on the market, one which they have in fact set the industry standard for all future foods after them. This is precisely why New Lifes formulas & ingredients are now some of the most copied on the market.
That totally boggles my mind, especially those feeding formulas that cost double of what NLS can be purchased for.
Prior to New Life very few companies utilized any amount of krill (let alone Antarctic krill) in their food, and none used it as a main ingredient. (due to cost)
Prior to New Life no other company utilized herring meal as their source of fish meal (due to higher cost) even though herring meal has been proven to have the highest amino acid content of all fish meals.
Prior to New Life no other company utilized garlic in their food for its bioactive compounds that over this past decade have been proven to have a probiotic effect on fish.
Prior to New Life no other company utilized an algae/kelp/seaweed meal, in conjunction with spirulina, in ALL of their formulas, because Pablo knew that even carnivores required some of the nutrients found in aquatic plant matter.
Prior to New Life other manufacturers used only the minimum levels required as per the NRC for vitamin & trace minerals (many still do), never thinking outside the box as to what levels a fish under stress requires. Today the current aquaculture science supports this elevated stress related supplementation logic, and not just using bare minimums from data gleaned from studies back in the 1970's.
I'm old enough to remember when the food shown below was considered cutting edge, but still young enough to understand and appreciate the difference between a good fish food, and one that is truly based on cutting edge research & technology.
