Fluval Bug Bites

[Skye_marilyn]

Today I’m going to give an honest review on the newly popular Fluval bug bites. I’m going to cover price to quality ratio as well as nutrition, how fish react and which fish benefit from this food.
Fluval bug bites popular amongst many YouTube personalities and advertised in many aquarium magazines, they come in many “medleys” which I’d assume are favored by several different species. I have only tried the “tropical medley” and I can advocate for it as the quality of the food is good. This food can be a bit on the expensive side costing about $5-$7 but this is countered by the larger container size. I do like that the ingredients include many vitamins and proteins which are good for carnivorous fish species. The food is nutritious and the fish also do find it delicious. The food has a pungent smell which may bother some but is more enticing for fish. I can recommend this food specifically for bettas, tetras, and other small tropical, carnivorous fish, this is because the Fluval bug bite are so small that they can be fed more often and accurately allowing you to give your fish less and a time, in turn helping prevent swim bladder diseases and over feeding. These pellets do sink which you may or may not like. These pellets also don’t expand in water so they are good for smaller fish. One issue I do have with this food is that is limited to smaller fish because of its very tiny size, in the future I think the formula should be created with slightly different ingredients in order to suit more medium sized fish and community tanks. My overall rating is a 8/10 being good but I don’t think bug bites could be a fishes only source of food.

 

[BHK3]

They do actually make different sizes and formulas (though the formulas are by and large very very similar):

 

[goldface]

Honestly, I’m not particularly impressed. They’re using only one bug ingredient, black soldier fly larvae, and the rest is pretty standard.

I prefer Dennerle. I feed it exclusively to my betta. They also have other fish specific foods made. Check them out.

But it’s not like I’m a fish nutritionist or anything.

 

[Skye_marilyn]

They do actually make different sizes and formulas (though the formulas are by and large very very similar):

Hmmm...I’ll have to look into that..but I still don’t think any of those are suitable for a community tank. Not to mention there are many tropical fish that would enjoy the medley that are bigger than 3”. The question is also, do other fish like Cichlids and Goldies actually enjoy this type of food. This is why more people should post reviews here!

 

[Skye_marilyn]

Honestly, I’m not particularly impressed. They’re using only one bug ingredient, black soldier fly larvae, and the rest is pretty standard.

I prefer Dennerle. I feed it exclusively to my betta. They also have other fish specific foods made. Check them out.

But it’s not like I’m a fish nutritionist or anything.

Every fish is different, but thanks for the recommendation! I love trying new products and my fish love getting new food too. I mostly enjoy the small size for small fish and like I said that pungent smell really makes fish excited for feeding time.

 

[junebug]

I don't see why cichlids wouldn't like a carnivore food, assuming they're carnivorous cichlids. I can tell you I have the cichlid formula bug bites for my wild bettas and they gobble them up.

 

[Skye_marilyn]

I don't see why cichlids wouldn't like a carnivore food, assuming they're carnivorous cichlids. I can tell you I have the cichlid formula bug bites for my wild bettas and they gobble them up.

Good to know. Just thought a couple new questions and a fresh review would clear the cobwebs in this part of the forums because I think hearing people’s opinions on products will not only help avoid clutter in other part but be beneficial to those of us who like to experiment with new stuff.

 

[KO_]

My keyholes love the Cichlid formula. I also mistakenly bought the small size for my tropical tank and I was so confused on how my 4 inch Swordtails were going to eat that dust! But I then realize I bought the small formula. I now feed this to my neons in the Keyhole tank and they love it. Tropical fish like the normal Tropical Medley. While it is higher price, the containers do last me quite a while.

 

[KO_]

They do actually make different sizes and formulas (though the formulas are by and large very very similar):

Why did they even make that page!?!? They are all the same anyways!

 

[cla001]

Interestingly, I just got it in one of the fish stores in NJ this weekend for my Rafael as he was quite picky lately after the illness (Sinking Granules, A6362, for Bottom Feeders). I paid $8 for the container, but the other store nearby had the same one for $6, so look around if you want it. The guy at the store told me it was what he's giving to his picky eaters and promised me it would make a difference, if not separately - with garlic juice for sure.

Well, I dropped some and nothing really happened Mr Raphael didn't even bother getting out of his house.
Anyways, not saying anything bad about it, good to have a container handy for a variety, but at this point I feel like the guy was a little overenthusiastic about it

 

[GoldFiska]

The food doesn't seem bad, and I wanted to try the goldfish food.
But at almost $9 for just 1.6 oz of food?! That costs more than Azayaka! My goldfish would eat all of it up in a couple weeks.

I guess it's fine for small fish, but for someone with a minI fish farm in the back of their house, Bug Bites is simply too expensive to be practical.

 

[GoldFiska]

Honestly, I’m not particularly impressed. They’re using only one bug ingredient, black soldier fly larvae, and the rest is pretty standard.

I prefer Dennerle. I feed it exclusively to my betta. They also have other fish specific foods made. Check them out.

But it’s not like I’m a fish nutritionist or anything.

Just checked out Dennerle, it probably has the best array of ingredients I've seen so far. Way better than Bug Bites.

 

[Skye_marilyn]

Like I said it is a little expensive, and isn’t practical for everyone. Every fish is different and like I said, I’m not sure this would work or be worth it for larger fish. That’s one drawback the company should consider...

 

[RachelNoel]

Is fluval bug bites tropical formula good for bettas?

 

[Briggs]

Is fluval bug bites tropical formula good for bettas?

They actually make a bug bites for bettas now. Betta fish are pretty much straight carnivores, so I'd avoid most community foods because they tend to be more of an omnivore diet.

 

[RachelNoel]

Well, that makes things easier. Would you say that their betta pellets are good? I intend on mainly feeling NLS betta pellets as a staple. And at least one other pellet. I will also be feeding daphnia, mysis, and bloodworms.

 

[Briggs]

Well, that makes things easier. Would you say that their betta pellets are good? I intend on mainly feeling NLS betta pellets as a staple. And at least one other pellet. I will also be feeding daphnia, mysis, and bloodworms.

I'm afraid I haven't had a chance to try it, but the ingredients look good. NLS and Omega One are my go-to for betta pellets, but next time I spot the bug bites I plan on trying them out. It looks like you have a nice varied diet mapped out!

 

[RachelNoel]

Thanks, I hope so. I noticed whenever people post about their bettas mysteriously falling ill despite 'perfect water parameters' they never really list what they are feeding the betta. So I believe that poor nutrition may play a strong hand in the sudden poor health.

 

[bitseriously]

I recently got my first betta, and since I love the community and bottom feeder bug bites for my other fish/tanks, I got their betta food. It's the only think I've fed him, but I can't say I love it. I though that most betta pellets float, and these sink, albeit slowly. Also most sources I heard from when buying said to feed 1-2 pellets per day, but these pellets are so small, I can't imagine that would come close to being enough, like orders of magnitude too little. The bottle has a snap lid with a tiny dropper style opening, and I give 2 shakes at feeding time. There are also a couple of shrimps in the tanks, so a) they also need food and b) they will clean up any (moderate) extra.
I have a fairly tall tank for a betta, so maybe it's a good thing that he has to chase the sinking pellets up and down, and forage for them after. Ie maybe the exercise is good for him.
But I'm going to get a more traditional betta pellet and see how that works.

 

[RachelNoel]

I see. I was leaning more towards Northfin betta bits more. It's just a bit expensive.

 

[GrayGray4231]

My favorite food to feed a betta is Tetra Betta Flakes with Krill

 

[RachelNoel]

My favorite food to feed a betta is Tetra Betta Flakes with Krill

I'm honestly not a huge fan of Tetra's ingredients.

 

[SwissCheeseHead]

HI all,

Haven't been on the forums in quite some time. Tank was running great until...well...disaster struck. Which was 100% my fault and I feel super stupid and sad about it all. Anyways, was at the LFS the other day and noticed that Fluval has something called Bug Bites. Was wondering if anyone has used it and what they thought of it? Was thinking of getting the small-med Tropical granules. I've been feeding Ken's Flakes Color flakes as a staple with occasional frozen brine shrimp and Omega Frozen cubes. Plecs have been getting romaine and cukes, but with the romaine ban, has just been cukes lately.

 

[Cheesecake]

Looks like a great supplement to me. Welcome back BTW.

 

[Ohio Mark]

I have several different varieties of Fluval Bug Bites. Great product, a "must-have-on-hand" in my opinion.

 

[WTFish?]

I have the small fish tropical kind, my tetras, rasboras and cories and shrimp all go nuts for them!

 

[Platylover]

I love the bug bites, so do my fish. All my fish have instantly gobbled up the stuff, even the more delicate fish that may not be as prone to eating dry food. Great product IME. I highly suggest them. I will say though, the stuff is tiny, so get the large and not the small. I don't know how they define large fish but its apparently very different than my definition lol.

 

[WTFish?]

I love the bug bites, so do my fish. All my fish have instantly gobbled up the stuff, even the more delicate fish that may not be as prone to eating dry food. Great product IME. I highly suggest them. I will say though, the stuff is tiny, so get the large and not the small. I don't know how they define large fish but its apparently very different than my definition lol.

I feel like the tiny ones are still too big, lol. I have to crush between my fingers for the embers.

 

[Platylover]

I feel like the tiny ones are still too big, lol. I have to crush between my fingers for the embers.

oh you have nano fish, yeah they might be a little big for nano, but for the typical fish they are small. I have some cpd's and they still seem to be able to eat the large alright though( I also grind it up a little as well).

 

[SwissCheeseHead]

Sounds like it's good stuff. I may have to get a container of each then, since I've got a tank with white cloud minnows that I would like to offer to them as well. Do they sink quickly enough for loaches to get to?

Unless I can crush them to feed the WCM?

 

[Platylover]

they sink pretty quickly, even more so if you drop them near the outtake. I think the large would work for WCM, if it doesn't then you should be able to crush them a little.

 

[WTFish?]

oh you have nano fish, yeah they might be a little big for nano, but for the typical fish they are small. I have some cpd's and they still seem to be able to eat the large alright though( I also grind it up a little as well).

Yeah my cpd’s do a bit better than the embers, but I still crush. Spoiled brats! Ha.

 

[Platylover]

Yeah my cpd’s do a bit better than the embers, but I still crush. Spoiled brats! Ha.

fish are so spoiled around here lol

 

[Guanchy]

I use their Bug Bite Tropical Fromula my fish love it, the only thing and its my fault I got the one labelled for small animals and I didnt think they would be so tiny.

 

[SwissCheeseHead]

Great! I'll get a container then and try them out.

 

[Authmal]

I use small fish and the bottom feeder varieties. Never any left overs after a feeding.

 

[SwissCheeseHead]

Looks like a great supplement to me. Welcome back BTW.

Just to add, and totally off-topic, but it's nice to be back. It's just that when your tanks are doing well, and they are just doing their thing, it kind of puts the hobby at a lull, but now I feel a bit more energized with it again. Maybe I'll start another thread about it.