When do you throw out your fish food?

I find that I'm unable to finish a small bottle of fish food before the expiry date. I keep the bottle in the fridge and have been feeding my fishes food that has been expired for more than a year. They don't smell rancid or look bad, but I've read that the nutrients would have been lost in expired food.

Wondering how other fellow fish keepers deal with expired fish food?

 

What I have so many fish I have to buy in bulk 23 angelfish 14 pairs of breeder GBRS and I can't count all the dither fish

 

What I have so many fish I have to buy in bulk 23 angelfish 14 pairs of breeder GBRS and I can't count all the dither fish

Looks like I've got to add another option.

 

I have 6 tanks. I usually buy the smaller food containers. I find I use it a lot faster than if I buy a bigger container of the same food. In doing this, I usually am able to use it up long before the expiration date. An example is like Omega one flakes of whatever type; they do come in bigger sizes but I always just get the small ones. I really try to give my fish the best food I can.

 

Dry food (especially flakes) supposedly begins to lose its nutrient value very quickly, well before the expiry date. To avoid this when I get a new tin I freeze it in portions in small freezer bags.

 

I have 6 tanks. I usually buy the smaller food containers. I find I use it a lot faster than if I buy a bigger container of the same food. In doing this, I usually am able to use it up long before the expiration date. An example is like Omega one flakes of whatever type; they do come in bigger sizes but I always just get the small ones. I really try to give my fish the best food I can.

I have 3 tanks with small fishes. And I love to give them a variety of different frozen food with nls pellets as staple. With small fishes and varieties of food, I haven't been able to fully finish a small container of fish food before expiry. End up throwing them out after more than a year past expiry.

Dry food (especially flakes) supposedly begins to lose its nutrient value very quickly, well before the expiry date. To avoid this when I get a new tin I freeze it in portions in small freezer bags.

Currently I take out small portions of food and leave the remaining in the fridge. I think I should start storing it in the freezer instead of the fridge.

 

Dry food (especially flakes) supposedly begins to lose its nutrient value very quickly, well before the expiry date. To avoid this when I get a new tin I freeze it in portions in small freezer bags.

How does that exactly work Glenn? Where do the proteins, minerals and vitamins exactly go to as.long as it doesn't start fungussing or rotting. Seriously anxious to know.

 

How does that exactly work Glenn? Where do the proteins, minerals and vitamins exactly go to as.long as it doesn't start fungussing or rotting. Seriously anxious to know.

They degrade I guess but I don't know mate, tbh I was just parroting what I've read any times mainly on forums, comments such this:

"Fish foods often don't carry an expiration date, but they have a relatively short shelf life. Flake foods lose much of their nutritional value in as little as a month, so purchase only what you can use in a few weeks. Vitamin and nutritional deficiency is a big contributor in making fish susceptible to disease".

I would think that commercial aquaculture industry would have data on this. Some interesting comments here:

http://www.ecofilms.com.au/how-long...in that condition,freeze them in smaller bags.

 

They degrade I guess but I don't know mate, tbh I was just parroting what I've read any times mainly on forums, comments such this:

"Fish foods often don't carry an expiration date, but they have a relatively short shelf life. Flake foods lose much of their nutritional value in as little as a month, so purchase only what you can use in a few weeks. Vitamin and nutritional deficiency is a big contributor in making fish susceptible to disease".

I would think that commercial aquaculture industry would have data on this. Some interesting comments here:

http://www.ecofilms.com.au/how-long-will-fish-pellets-last/#:~:text=Feed kept in that condition,freeze them in smaller bags.

Thanks Glenn.

I think it is a bit the same of the aquabrands tell us to renew fiktermedia after a month or so. Storing it cool, dry or freeze it all will prevent rot / fungussing to me, the way normally minerals vitamins protein etc.. will get lossed (decaying)

 

I have multiple tanks but still find I have more food than I can use. Often raffle prizes are almost out of date food donated by club sponsors. I try and buy something each time I visit a mum and dad store anywhere I go.
I add cheap dry food to a pepper grinder of a mix of foods that goes into all tanks.
I toss DRY food away at 6 months out of date . If it’s a bit less than that I might use it?

I have found I can feel the difference with my fingers between new life spectrum that is two years and more younger than out of date stuff.

I think all fish food sold in Australia has a use by date on it somewhere?

 

I think all fish food sold in Australia has a use by date on it somewhere?

Yes I think most have expiry dates. I wouldn't be too concerned if it had passed the date prior to opening. I am more interested in how long it retains its full nutritional value once opened.

 

A good practice is to never put wet fingers in the dry food container.
Having a saucer of food that’s been through a pepper grinder works for me . Most of the time a saucer last two days . The grinder lasts a week ish before needing a refill. So I am only letting air into a container once a week.
I use a mortar and pestle to grind up even the smallest DRY food for pencil fish ,fry and other small mouths.
The mortar and pestle is used for human grade seafood as well.
Check out the price per kilo for mussels and calamari from Woolworths and you may never buy frozen fish food from PetSmart again.
Asking for 100 grams of seafood at the supermarket gets a few looks but lasts a long time in the freezer.

To answer your question.
Dry food is just convenient for humans. It does not have “full nutrition value“ when made and is a poor substitute for live food with fresh next and frozen being better than dry.
How long dry food lasts is totally dependent on how it is used and treated. I think the refrigerator idea that was mentioned is a good one but don’t want to push my luck with the wife as I already have brine shrimp eggs and repashy gel sitting in the fridge with zucchini.

Of course I fed some dry food today myself.