Ocean Nutrition Formula One Flake and Pellets

[albert_dao]

I just picked up both of these products from work to give em a go in my reefs. I decided to go with both because, despite being labelled the same, they are different on composition (ingredients and additives).

My first impression of the flakes was very positive. The fish seem to love it. No break in period or anything. I just dropped the food in and everyone, including a newly added purple tang (previously refusing everything but algae, even cyclopeeze), took to it immedietly. Extremely promising, especially if the food is all it's marketed to be (see the labeling of the product).

Later in the evening, I gave the pellets a try. While my fish ate the food, I found that it sank MUCH, MUCH too fast to be of any interest to all but the most gluttonous of clownfish. I think that definitely detracts from the appeal of the product. My tangs won't even take a second glance at most foodstuffs that have hit substrate and they did likewise with the pellets.

Anyway, I don't know what the actual nutritional quality of the product is, but the packaging claims that is is just as good as the frozen item but with the convenience of dry food. If anyone manages to drag up some details on how this brand of flake stacks up with others, I wouldn't mind taking a gander at them.

So anyway, out of 5:

Flakes - 4
Pellets - 3






Edit: This is a first impression. It's going to be hard for me to make any objective comments about growth and color enhancement because of the wide variety of foods that I feed my tanks.

[EmilyB]

Formula Two would be better for tangs. It's still dry flake food which needs to be supplemented with frozen, fresh, pellets, etc. I think you should stock some OSI. :mrgreen:

[IslandReefer]

I agree with Deb, my Tangs, clowns and my pigface, I mean Foxface love formula2 pellets more than frozen mysis...go figure :rolleyes:
I like the pellets more than the flake because they are close to neutral bouyancy and therefore float around the water column for quite a while....this allows even the less aggressive eaters several chances at a BON-BON :smile:
FWIW

[albert_dao]

Meh, I feed about 2342343 different items to my fish. Just one of the perks of getting food at cost + easy access to a fridge stocked by a seafood loving household.

OSI is weak (situationally speaking). He won't even sniff at it. Strange though, the last Purple Tang I had ate EVERYTHING I threw in the tank. This one is just being a stubborn bugger I guess.

Anyway, I should probably explain why I don't consider this food a 5/5 item: Cost. This stuff is retarded expensive compared to OSI and that really limits its appeal when you have cheap items like mysis and nori to consider.

[albert_dao]

I agree with Deb, my Tangs, clowns and my pigface, I mean Foxface love formula2 pellets more than frozen mysis...go figure :rolleyes:
I like the pellets more than the flake because they are close to neutral bouyancy and therefore float around the water column for quite a while....this allows even the less aggressive eaters several chances at a BON-BON :smile:
FWIW

I'll check out Formula 2 as soon as it comes into the store then. That's really odd though, since F1 pellets seem to sink like rocks. :mad:

[Samw]

Formula 2 flake is pretty much all I use for fish food. Deb's Idol was fed almost exclusively with Formula 2 during its first 2 years or so with me. Nowadays, I grind up frozen food and cyclopeeze to feed the corals and the fish get some of that when I feed the corals. I still feed Formula 2 flake primarily for the fish. They don't touch the pellets as much. I give Formula 2 flake 5 out of 5.

[Samw]

Some old video of my fish eating Formula 2 flake.

FEEDING VIDEO (http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/Fish/MoorishIdol/video/124-2413_MVI.AVI)

They don't like Cyclopeeze much. I've been using Cyclopeeze for over a year and the fish don't get as excited about it as they do about Formula 2 flake.

[albert_dao]

Wow, that video makes me want to run out and buy a moorish idol!!! :evil:

[EmilyB]

Whatever Albert....I think a Moorish Idol now 3 years into captivity should be studied, not shunned.

None of my fish eat cyclopeez....btw.

[Samw]

Maybe he was serious? I want another one too if they didn't grow so big and fast and eat all my Zoos. But oh yeah they are hard to keep so no one should go out and get one.

[Bob I]

What a thread :eek: . However, I am looking for some pellets to feed to my cowfish. Right now it only eats Mysis, and freeze dried Cyclop-eeze if it is in a small lump. OSI flakes are not looked at. I am thinking the food needs to be large, or he does not see it. What pellet food should I try :question:

[albert_dao]

Whatever Albert....I think a Moorish Idol now 3 years into captivity should be studied, not shunned.

None of my fish eat cyclopeez....btw.


I was serious...

[Bob I]

I just want this thread to grow and grow. The point about any food is that it provides the elements needed for fish survival. That element is PROTEIN. It does not matter where it comes from. Food in animals and plants is utilised at the molecular level. Therefore any food that the fish eats that supplies all the elements of growth is good. even highly specialised feeders need protein. therefore any food that supplies all the elements of growth is fine. If you feed your fish food that contains those elements it should be fine. Source does not matter. Think about it folks, and if you have a valid argument that counters this concept you are welcome to post your reply. :biggrin:

[StirCrazy]

The point about any food is that it provides the elements needed for fish survival. That element is PROTEIN. It does not matter where it comes from.

what about fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals ect.. along with your protein these are all important and also not only are the individual parts important but there relationship to each other in quantity and quality are just as important and this is where different foods differ.

Steve

[Bob I]

The point about any food is that it provides the elements needed for fish survival. That element is PROTEIN. It does not matter where it comes from.

what about fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals ect.. along with your protein these are all important and also not only are the individual parts important but there relationship to each other in quantity and quality are just as important and this is where different foods differ.

Steve

You have as little to do on Christmas day as I have :question: . The elements you mention are of course important, but they are probably present in the food you provide. There is one thing that is critical I have not mentioned in my treatise. I am hoping someone will spot it, and jump all over me. :biggrin:

[StirCrazy]

You have as little to do on Christmas day as I have :question: .

Christmas was over about 9:00am when the kids were done ripping through presents :mrgreen: just waiting for my ham and turkey to finnish cooking now.

Steve

[albert_dao]

... There's a debate going on in here?

[Skimmerking]

Well i have always like OSI if you look at it it has over 80 % of spirlina in there correct me if i'm wrong..

And nori i have liked alot too.


mike

dont get me wrong not all spiralina flakes are good IMO you have to read up on the food..

[snaggle]

I feed my fish Marine cuisine, brine shrimp, and mysis for frozen and nutrafin max sprirulina alge flakes and nutrafin max marine flakes. I like all but the marine cuisine it is in coube form and looks like it is all ground up and my fish dont like it. I also feed my anemone krill and my engineer goby needs to be fed a pease so he dont try and steal it :eek: . I have a perk, a tamato clown, a darf yellow angle and 3 green chromis. I dont know if I showld feed any thing eles but all is well and eats all the food put in.