Do you have a fish filled acquarium in your home or office? If this was a new purchase, you may have many questions. One of the most common questions asked by new fish owners concerns food. Your first impulse may be to head to your local pet store and purchase the cheapest food available. Yes, this will do, but there is a much better option. That is buying frozen fish food from a trusted online retailer. Wait! Frozen fish food? As a new acquarium owner, you may have never heard of frozen fish food. You may also wonder what the benefits are and how to buy it.
Frozen fish food has many benefits. The greatest benefits it the nutritional value retained. These important nutrients are often lost through the entire process of making and packaging dry fish food. The added nutrients from frozen fish food can increase the energy and color of your fish. Not only do your acquarium fish reap the benefits, but you do too. You will get pride and joy from seeing your fish in their prime, full of energy and color.
You now know the benefits of feeding your acquarium fish frozen food, but how can you buy it? What factors should you consider?
Your acquarium contents. Frozen fish food is available for a wide range of fish; however, you will usually find an emphasis on marine and corals. As previously stated, it is recommended that you buy frozen fish food online, as you are presented with more choices and better prices. You should also get detailed descriptions. However, when in doubt, place a call to the customer service department. They can help ensure you choose the frozen food best for your acquarium fish.
Your acquarium fish size and food size. Since frozen, this fish food usually comes in cubes. For example, a coral food mix may come in 100G cubes, 200G cubes, or 1LB cubes. It is best to opt for the right size. When buying, consider the size of your fish. If not given a choice, frozen fish food cubes can be thawed and cut into smaller sizes.
The online retailer that you make your purchase through. As previously stated, buying frozen fish food online has its benefits. You get a better product selection and prices because there are many retailers to choose from. For your benefit and the benefit of your fish, make your choice wisely. Since you may have questions, ensure there is a customer service phone number or email available. Then, consider price.
Your shipping options. Although it is best to buy frozen fish food online, you must proceed with caution. To keep your food safe and to retain all nutrients, proper shipping is a must. Since the product is frozen, it cannot be shipped like traditional mail. A quality retailer will generally use two-day shipping with FedEx or UPS. Your purchase should be shipped in a Styrofoam cooler and with ice packs.
Your shipping costs. Shipping costs vary greatly online. If you are not careful, it can significantly increase the cost of your purchase. With frozen fish food, you are presented with a unique opportunity. You continue to freeze at home, meaning there is no rush to use the food before it goes bad or starts to produce mold. To save both time and money, opt for an online fish supplier that has flat rate shipping. You pay the same shipping costs regardless of quantity. Stock-up and get a better rate.
You now know how to buy frozen fish food and get the best value for your money, but what about when that food arrives? If this is your first time feeding your acquarium fish frozen food, carefully read the instructions on the package. Although you may find a variance, you should:
Begin thawing your frozen fish cubes twenty to thirty minutes before feeding time. Using hot water to hurry the thawing process is not advised. A constant stream of hot water decreases the freshness and nutritional value. Remember, the nutritional value was one of the benefits of frozen fish food, so don't wash it away.
Only thaw what you need. Frozen fish food should not be refrozen. This reduces the nutritional value and does pose health risks. Luckily, most fish foods that are frozen come in resealable plastic bags. Grab what you need for the next feeding, set that cube aside to thaw, reseal the package, and put in your freezer immediately.
First of all, fish tend to eat whatever they can find, hungry or not. This is especially true for goldfish, which tend to simply eat whatever has been made available, even if they are eating far too much in the process. Because of this, many fish can develop health issues as a result of overfeeding and over eating. If you want to keep your fish healthy for a long time, it is vital that you put serious consideration into how much you are feeding. Do a little bit of research on the fish in your aquarium or tank. How much food are they supposed to eat? Betta fish and goldfish are notorious for over eating. Other fish will also overeat if given the chance. We are not advocating under feeding here, but rather learning how much is just enough and feeding consistently at all times.
The second reason why over feeding your fish is one of the worst things that you can do for the health of your aquarium should be common sense. The more your fish eat the more waste they will produce in turn. This excess in waste is going to make the tank dirtier. Any excess food that is not eaten and processed by the fish is also going to create additional waste within the aquarium, and all of this is completely unnecessary. Not only does waste have a negative effect on the chemical composition of your aquarium, but it can also jam up your filtration system, which will only allow your aquarium to become less and less healthy for your fish companions. Your fish rely on your filtration system to keep their water in liveable conditions. When the chemical composition of the aquarium is compromised, fish can become sick or die.
So now it is important that you understand how to choose the right amount of food for your fish. You should only be feeding your fish whatever they can eat up in about 3 minutes. If you have bottom feeding fish, or timid fish, you should see how much they can eat up in about 15 minutes, and only feed that amount every single day. Your fish may respond to feeding as if they are starving, but this does not necessarily mean that they are underfed. Fish will beg for food much in the same way that your dog or cat will beg for table scraps, so you should not let it deter you from following set guidelines regarding their feeding. Fish do not have large stomachs and do not need that much food. As long as they are eating their food up in 3 minutes or 15 minutes depending on your fish, you are probably on the right track with their feeding schedule.
Both Bill Yaconis & Derek Rogers are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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