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thijs wrote:And it depends on what you feed aside from the wafers as well. In the end the total intake is what matters.

A very good point!

--
Mats

But another point is of course that not ALL fish eat the same thing. So what is the RIGHT food for one fish, may well be completely WRONG for another one. Some would prefer more protein, others need more fibre, etc.

True enough. But, if I buy something labeled "algae wafers" it is probably for an herbivore and fish meal should not be the primary ingredient.
-Shane

Shane wrote: True enough. But, if I buy something labeled "algae wafers" it is probably for an herbivore and fish meal should not be the primary ingredient.
-Shane

I rarely feed wafers for that reason. I much prefer to feed veggies from my garden or frozen peas and veggies. At least I know they are getting the plant matter they need that way. The pellets and wafers are just supplements more than staple food.

Hey that's a good point Shane.

The OSI Spirulina wafers have first listed ingrediant of fish meal, then spirulina.

Ok I feed this also

Omega One Veggie Rounds

min crude protein 34%
min crude fat 8%
min crude fibre 6%
min moisture 8.5%
min ash 15%
min phosphorus %.5%
min omega 3 2%
min omega 6 1%

ingrediants, whole kelp, spirulina, whole salmon,halibut,seafood mix, (krill herring and shrimp) wheat flour wheat gulten,lecithin,astaxanthin,ascorbyl2 phosphate (source of vitamin C)natural and artificial colours, vitamin A, D3,E,B12,riboflavin, niacin,pantothenic acid,folic acid,biotin,inositol,tocopherol,ethoxyquin


wow, what is all that? not alot of veggies listed cept kelp and spirulina,

Mine eat fresh fruit and veg tho every day. The ones that like that.

Something in my syno lucipinnis tank is eating the skin of the zuchinni, which fish do you think? L270, syno angelicus, syno lucipinnis, sterbai cory, panda cory.

Just curious , i put some in there every night to see who wants some since my other tanks get some and was surprised one of them like the skin in that tank.

andywoolloo wrote: Something in my syno lucipinnis tank is eating the skin of the zuchinni, which fish do you think? L270, syno angelicus, syno lucipinnis, sterbai cory, panda cory.

My money is on the L270. I have not owned a pleco which doesn't nibble at zucchini. Even my Pseudas will come out after dark and gnaw at the zucchini a bit. My L333, L129, L201 and L340 all eat zucchini and yam.

really? cool. I thought he was mainly a carnivore? well I feed a variety of things so thats cool.
thanks

Okay, here's the lowdown on the Wardley's "Spirulina Discs". I bought these because they contained no fishmeal at all.

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Protein (min): 32%
Fat (min): 3%
Fibre (max): 6%
Moisture (max): 6%
Vit. C (min): 1400 mg/kg

Ingredients: spirulina, corn gluten feed, corn gluten meal, corn distillers dried grains, wheat flour, wheat germ, wheat gluten, wheat middlings, linseed meal, canola meal, soybean meal, soy protein, pea protein, yeast, corn flour, rice flour, alfalfa meal, barley, calcium carbonate, soybean oil, spinach powder, .... and many more vitamins, minerals and additives etc.

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This is pretty much what I expect from an "algae" wafer, i.e. mostly algae and vegetables, not fishmeal.

I always imagine the different genera of plecos scrape everything off the surfaces and are omnivores but some are more interested in algae and diatoms and others eat some algae in the process of seeking out the aquatic insect larvae and their eggs.
Then their are the Panaque/Panglous which have specialized in the softer wood and anything that happens to be in or on it.
I have had some expensive losses of H. zebra and similar species which ate a lot of my frozen beef heart blend I fed to Discus. I decided their digestive systems were poorly equipped to digest that much raw meat. I think all the plecos need to eat a lot of bulk which is relatively nutrient poor because the plants and aquatic insects are mostly water and they probably ingest a lot of silt and nutrient poor detritus for the few small organisms which are in it. Aufwuchs if I remember what the Germans call them. I believe that even the more carnivorous species need a lot of relatively indigestible material, be it fiber or mineral grains for the normal functioning of their digestive systems. I think they all normally graze nearly constantly in their natural habitat so even for those which show definite carnivorous leanings, they probably should not be fed the very highest protein content foods as their staple diet, whatever you use. I have seen my L333 juveniles in grow out tanks eat deeply into the undersides of the pedestal sponge filters I use. Doesn't seem to harm them but it surprised me. Even for the more carnivorous species they probably find fresh soft garden vegetables better to gnaw on than dirt.
But in order for there to be such a diversity of forms as is found in the streams like the Rio Xingu, each genera and even down to the species level must have a niches for which they particularly well evolved to exploit. Most of the species come from such mineral deficient waters the productivity of aquatic organisms, both plant and animal are fairly poor. Nearly all biotope aquariums I have seen reflect what the fishes environments are like during the dry season when water levels are low enough to permit easier observations and opportunities for the fishes capture. The food pyramid must be largely based on the occurrence of decaying terrestrial leaves and wood and whatever algae and diatoms can live in nutrient poor water. But then during the wet season when the flood plain forests are flooded there would be a bonanza of richer sources of all types of food for all species. Nearly all the fishes of Amazonia are ultimately very dependent on the abundance the flooded forests provide. I expect we have barely scratched the surface of knowing what many of our favorite fishes life cycles are truly like.

Excellent last post Larry, some really important points.