sirdarksol

We've discussed periodically the cons of using food that contains fishmeal, but, other than the options of frozen food (relatively expensive and a bit more time-consuming. Not a problem for everyone, but maybe for some) or home-made food, it seems like almost all of the fish food out there is based on fishmeal (a quick check of half a dozen different brands of flakes at the pet store shows it as #1 in all of the brands except one). Of course, there's the possibility of buying freeze-dried foods, but without buying a bunch of different freeze-dried things, you won't be providing your fish with the variety that they need.

I have, I believe, found another option, finally.
There is a brand of fish food called Omega One. This may not be news to everyone, but it was news to me when a local Petsmart started carrying it. There is no fish meal on its ingredient list. It lists whole fish as the primary sources of nutrients in most of the foods, with the exception of the kelp-based one for herbivores.
I'm not sure how much of a difference there is between the "whole salmon" and "fishmeal", since the salmon has to get ground up to turn it into flake food (you, too, could make your own flake fish food using the Bassmaster 500! brownie points to the person who gets that reference), but I presume that using the whole fish makes a pretty big difference.
Still not as good as frozen or fresh food, but probably better than the Tetra flakes.

Wolfgang8810

I personally use the Omega one super color flakes in all of my tanks. I have been using it for about 2 months now and have seen a major color improvement and size increase in my red cherry shrimp tank, my cherry barb fry tank, my 56 gallon amazon tank, and even my green reef chromis and sixline wrasse come out of hiding to snag a bite. Its pretty expensive about 10 bucks for the larger container, however, from what i have seen and experienced it is truly worth the extra money.


MArk

Dino

I have been using and promoting Omega One for years.

But Gunnie is the queen of promoting Omega One.

Butterfly is also another Omega One user.

Wolfgang8810

ooh ooh ooh add me to the list

andy65

ME TOO!

That is the ONLY kind of fish food that I would recommend to ANYONE.

Drea

Ditto from me too, my fish won't eat anything else (well except the veggies I give them and frz dried bloodworms) Plus this food is the only one I've used that hasn't gunked up the filter.

Butterfly

The difference between fish meal and whole fish is this. Fish meal is the left overs(fins, bones, heads etc). Whole fish is all that plus the rest of the fish. another thing I like is Omega One uses the skins of fish to enhance the color of fish instead of chemicals.
I also like their frozen foods, nothing but food in there, no preservatives or fillers.
Have you seen their website?
http://www.omegasea.net/
Carol

finmama

Thanks! I will have to get some...and I just bought some Tetramin a couple days ago

COBettaCouple

We've been buying Omega One products now and replacing dried foods with it. We buy their veggie flakes, veggie rounds and cichlid pellets. It's great stuff.

sirdarksol

That's what I figured (that's what it is in human products, at least). I just wasn't sure, since there's less regulation in products for animals than there is for humans.

Thank you for the confirmation and the website.

Phishies Inn

I love Omega One. Well I should say, my fish do! Thankfully all the stores around here carry it so it's at a pretty decent price.

mirciulie

That's all that I've been feeding my fish since I've got the tank: Omega One tropical flakes!

The fish love it, and they have beautifull colors.

I had 4 serpae tetras and bought 5 more (to help 'em with nipping habbit). The ones that I've got home were so "bleached out" I was wondering if they were the same species. After ONE day, they turn the same colors like the ones they were already in the tank. I'm no expert, but I blame it partly on the food: Omega One, and the rest on the water conditions.

I didn't even know how good this food was, I just picked it up from the shelf at Petsmart. But seems too be a quality one, according to folks here.

And yeah, I've been overfeeding them, so I'll have to learn exactly how much they really need. The gouramis were so rounded, it was funny.

I'll try the homemade veggie wafers this week. Wonder if my BN pleco's gonna like it.