Anglers have long relied upon Purina fish food powder mixed with saltwater and Menhaden or Pogie oil as bait, so be sure to read its ingredients list prior to starting fishing.
To know you are eating real fish meat, the ideal fish meals will feature whole fish as the first ingredient.
Contents
Fish Meal
32%-protein extruded pellet size product that provides optimal growth, reproduction and overall health benefits to numerous fish species. It works naturally alongside everyday food sources in your water to address poor nutrition that often limits forage fish populations.
Nature provides fish with enough vitamin C through either direct periphyton “grazing” or through absorption from other herbivorous fish who have also eaten it, while in an aquarium setting high levels of vegetable protein are required to ensure optimal fish health and none of the twelve book references (compendiums containing thousands of research papers on fish nutrition) reviewed for this article showed any need to add extra vitamins or minerals to most foods for fish.
Shrimp Meal
Shrimp are an invaluable food source for many predatory fish and baitfish species. Hikari shrimp cuisine provides an easy alternative to the complex mixtures of menhaden oil, Kozy Kitten powders and chunks of stale bread traditionally fed to shrimp and other bottom feeders. Sinking quickly to the bottom, it quickly feeds shrimp as it contains all of their essential vitamins and nutrients needed for healthy growth and successful molting (periodic shed of exoskeleton), natural proteins and promotes vibrant coloration.
Algae Meal
Fish enjoy feeding on algae such as pond scum and the slimy growth that forms on unused pools, but these single-celled organisms can also provide essential nutrition.
Spirulina contains high concentrations of vegetable protein that fish find easy to digest, providing more complete nutrition than meat proteins. Furthermore, Spirulina improves digestion and enhances mucosal IgA production within the gut immune system.
Spirulina provides dietary fiber, binds bacterial toxins and heavy metal ions, and contains natural antimicrobials like EPA and DHA which serve to naturally combat infections by binding these harmful organisms to its cell walls and binding them together into one mass – making spirulina one of the most versatile ingredients used in fish feed.
Natural Color Enhancers
Many fish foods use natural color enhancers such as carotenes, xanthophylls and astaxanthin to increase vibrant hues in fish, such as blue and purple hues. These work in concert with the chromatophores of fish to produce these colors; some of the most effective coloring can be achieved directly through food – yellow and red hues being particularly effective – while other hues require a balanced diet which also includes these carotenoids for maximum effect.
One key thing to keep in mind when using color enhancing fish foods is that they should only be used as supplements, not in lieu of other essential nutritional needs. Whole foods which meet wild feeding capabilities while providing essential vitamins and minerals will result in vibrant aquarium fish species.
