What does everyone feed?

[capewind]

Normally, we feed the Tetra Pond product line, as it is what is available locally. I always seem to find an excuse to not order something online, but now have no choice and need more food soon for the INSIDE fish, so am asking for warmer weather food suggestions.

When I say "warmer weather", again these fish are inside.

The ones in "tanks" stay 72-74 degrees (no heaters used but between room temps and light strips, this is where they are at).

The 600 IS heated for plants, at 70.

The 750 is hovering about 64-65 (no heater, just the temp in my basement), and will stay there for most of the winter, but if we get a nasty cold snap, I think the lowest that pond has ever gone was 58...

Since these babies are inside and growing, I am looking for a good food that doesnt have a lot of fillers... aka thinking about pond pollution... and it does NOT have to be an official growth formula. Not worried about forcing growth with a mega high protein diet, but do need something that comes in a small pellet variety, as I am tired of grinding or snapping pieces in half for the smaller guys LOL.

So far my options...

Stay with the Tetra Sticks, as they do soften in water, but as the babies attack it, see a lot of waste floating around...

Dainichi Growth Plus, has a small pellet.. protein level is at 44%, but know to feed less (I do understand the protein values of low/high protein, quality of ingredient vs amount fed)... says above 60F

Blackwater Max Growth, also has a small pellet.. protein level at 38%, but says above 65F

IF temp is an issue, I can raise the temp in the 750 to or just above 65 to keep food options open. It isnt a big deal to do, but if I dont have to plug another item in, I dont want to LOL. It would be most convienent to buy one product that can be fed to everyone.

I am specifically looking at the Fosters and Smith site as I have had good luck with them in the past with receiving my orders in a timely manner, but wont restrict myself to them if you have a suggestion of something they dont carry, and have had good luck with another company to order from. Without opening my back up bag of "Spring & Fall Diet" I have about 2 weeks worth of food left.

 

[sissy]

I use tetra but use either pet mountain.com or that fish place.com .Depends on which one has it cheaper and which one is offering free shipping .

 

[capewind]

I decided to stick with the Tetra, but hadnt ordered yet... I am really bad about getting around to ordering LOL... anyways, all ordered now Ended up going through pet mountain. If you need anything before the end of the month, use this coupon code, HL49ER it will drop the free shipping requirement to $49 instead of $75 in purchases. I simply ordered 2 bags of food and met it and they were the cheapest for the food too...

 

[sissy]

I always check prices and free shipping anything to save money helps these days .I buy the giant bag and just keep it in a cool dry place and fill a plastic coffee can with food to feed the fish .I buy the 6 lb bag and buy the OSI koi treats in orange, blueberry and strawberry .

 

[capewind]

I normally feed the Vibrance, but got the growth instead... aka if I feed less, maybe less pollutants... we shall see...

 

[j.w]

I don't have koi but my goldies get the tetra stuff and I keep the excess in the freezer. Thinking about changing the food to the kind addy gets as it's supposed to cut down on their waste. It's called Kenzen Koi Food.

 

[gardengimp]

I don't feed the fish during the summer time, plenty of eggs, larvae and bugs for them. I do keep a small container of pellets by the pond for visiting the fish. I've got a bag of Laguna Goldfish/Koi Small Pellets. Goldfish and Rosie Reds like it just fine. The betta thumbs his nose at it. The pellets, even small are too big for the babies I got last week. How/why would you chose one brand over another? I picked up the bag I've got strictly on pellet size. What do you feed the little babies? Though they seem to like the frozen bloodworms I got for the betta.

 

[capewind]

I figured for now, I would stick with a product I am farmilar with, and look seriously at changing to something better in the spring. I am so bad about ordering online, by the time I finish researching, it WILL be spring, and I need food soon LOL.

 

[capewind]

Inside, the fish dont get all the yummies available outside...

For my tiny babies, I grind the pellets into a powder.

As to the how and why... how and why would you choose one food for yourself over another? The better the quality of the ingredients, the healthier we would all be... same answer for any pet....

My favorite meal is a blood red steak, with a baked potato slathered in sour cream... in trying to be more healthy, I switched to a sweet potato without the sour cream;-) (Ok, so still not the best meal, but that is as far as I can stretch it - not giving up that steak LOL)

 

[gardengimp]

What are good ingredients for a goldfish? Soy as the first ingredient on a bag of dog food is not something I want to be feeding my dogs, but I have no idea about fish. Hey, and I like sweet potatoes, especially one from the gang taking over our cul-de-sac. Our dogs like sweet potatoes also .

 

[capewind]

I am not a fish food expert, and I am embarrassed with myself for having not done all the research, as I am very specific to feed my DOG a "species appropriate diet"... AKA for dogs, I support a RAW diet, and up til a few years ago managed a large co-op for that purpose.

With any being, research what they would eat if they lived in the ideal environment for their species. Some are oppurtunist in the regards that they will eat whatever they can, but if their appropriate prey or veggie matter was ample, what would they go for first?

We know with koi and goldfish, they will go for bugs (protein) and algae (veggies)... they wouldnt hop out of the water and go for milled corn, so we know that wouldnt be "species appropriate" just a cheap filler.... So the question for them is what is the best quality protein we have available? same question for the veggie matter...

Do a websearch on "what is really in dog food" or "how to read food lables" and you will find tons of info to form your own opinion from.

 

[sissy]

We always make our pets suffer and make them eat healthier ,like it or not .Then we go and put garbage in our own bodies ,Never makes since but learning more since my hubbies heart attack and he really has to watch now as he does not want to clog the stent that is keeping his heart arteries open .His heart muscle is still very weak and will be for awhile and mostly have to watch his enzyme levels to make sure they do not go back up as it could mean the onset of another heart attack .Believe me when i say he lived and learned and the pics of the arteries in his heart before the stent was put in and after gave him a big wake up call .It still amazes me what a little tiny spring can do .

 

[koiguy1969]

feeding smaller fish indoors every year, i buy the TetraPond and their cheaper Tetra brand foods, also Wardleys. the Tetra / Tetra Pond foods are quite good for leaving minimal wastes. i put them in a 'manual powered' nut chopper to chop them into smaller pieces so i kinow every one gets to eat. both are available at Walmarts... so is the nut chopper! i also chop up honey nut and peanut butter cheerios for treats and buy canned french cut green beans dice them up and they get a mid day meal of them every other day.

 

[sissy]

nut chopper I just use a garlic press .I have it hanging on a nail near the pond .I tried the cheerios and guessing my fish are not fans of them ,because I had to scoop them ll out .They do like green beans though .

 

[koiguy1969]

depending on its size, you can chop a cup or even more at a time in about 10 seconds or so with a nut chopper... how much can you do with a garlic press?