Fish Nutrition 101

 

By Clayn; Creator of the formula for and Co-Founder of Paradigm Fish Foods, now the newer formula for AAP Custom

The Digestive Biology of Fish 

First you need a basic understanding of the digestive biology of fish. In this regard there are three types of fish: Carnivores, Omnivores and Herbivores. Frugivores are the only legitimate exception. However Frugivores in general aren't very common and are rarely kept in an aquarium.

Tropheus eating Paradigm Fish Food - Herbivore

Protein is used for growth and maintaining muscle and tissue.

Fat is the purest form of energy. Roughly 2.25 times more energy than starch or sugar.

Starch provides energy. Starch energy is used before Fat energy. Fish don't store Starch energy very well so it is used first.

Sugar provides energy. Sugar energy is used before Fat energy. Fish don't store Sugar energy very well so it is used first.

Fiber acts as a laxative. All fiber is passed. However it has no effect on the ecology of your aquarium.

Minerals are used by fish. Excess minerals are passed. Calcium is used to build bones and cartilage. I highly doubt the amount of excess Calcium in our food will effect your water chemistry.Excess Phosphorus does have the potential to grow algae. However nitrates (the end process of the nitrogen cycle) also has the potential to grow algae. Excess Potassium levels are negligible. 

Moisture is slowly turning the fat in your food rancid. Preservatives do slow the process but only for so long.

Vitamins are provided in our ingredients. Our low temperature dehydration process allows us to do this.

The Balancing Act

Protein: Too little Protein and your fish don't grow properly. Too much over time causes damage to the fish's kidneys.

Protein Digestibility of Main Ingredients: Dried Egg Whites 100%, Whole Menhaden Fish Meal 93%, Shrimp Meal 87%, Spirulina 87% and Green Pea Flour 70%

Energy:

Starch, Sugar and Fat: It takes around 15% binder to hold fish food together.  The use of excessive starch can provide nearly if not all of the energy a fish needs. In this case what happens to the fat? It gets stored in the fish's liver leading to fatty liver condition. Many biologist's believe that fatty liver condition leads to a shorter lifespan. This subject has taken a lot of our research and testing time in developing formulas that find balance between fish that don't have enough stored energy to breed and fish with excessive fat stored in its liver. Yes we actually created formulas and tested them with such low energy levels that fish that were breeding stopped. 

Fiber - Acts as a laxative. If the percentage of fiber in our food caused diarrhea we would have noticed it in our food testing. Some would have you believe that 12% Fiber is too much for Carnivorous fish. This is simply not the case and our testing on live subjects proves it. 

Minerals are also known as Ash. As far as our Whole Menhaden Fish Meal (containing 19% Ash) is concerned we run it through a sieve and remove roughly 6% of the scales and large pieces of bone to provide a superior product. Our Shrimp Meal is the freshest that we have found and has a very good attractant value. Our Shrimp Meal contains 48% Protein with a complete amino acid profile. Its Protein digestibility is 87% which is the same as Whole Antarctic Krill.
Shrimp Meal contains 4% fat. Shrimp Meal contains 8% Fiber. Shrimp Meal contains 31% minerals. 31% Minerals is a high number. However the ability to add quality protein and fat to provide balance to our formulas is well worth the trade off. Shrimp Meal contains 9% Moisture. The use of Shrimp Meal also allows us to complete the Green Pea Flour's amino acid profile.

Moisture - The lower the moisture content the longer the food lasts. Water is the cheapest ingredient in fish food.

This is a delicate balancing act to limit Protein, Fat, Starch and Sugar percentages that have a negative impact on the long term health of your fish. This increase in the Fiber and Mineral percentages have very minimal if any negative impact on the ecosystem in your aquarium. This trade off is well worth it.

Common Questions:

Isn't high mineral also known as ash content an indicator of inferior quality ingredients? See The Balancing Act Minerals Section. and Minerals in the Basic Understanding of the Digestive Biology of Fish Section. In short the worst case scenario is the excess phosphorus might contribute to algae growth.

Doesn't high fiber percentages cause diarrhea? See The Balancing Act Fiber Section.

OTHER ARTICLES BY THE AUTHOR

*Whats wrong with making Dough in Fish Food?
*Cyanobacteria (Spirulina) and Algae - Pond Grown vs. Naturally Grown
*Probiotics, Prebiotics, Soluble Fiber and Resistant Starch
*How to Read a Fish Food Label & Energy (Fat, Starch and Sugar)


FURTHER SUGGESTED RESOURCES:


Aquarium Fish Nutrition

Common Aquarium Keeping Myths


AAP Custom Fish Foods by Fish Food Guru Clay Neighbors
• Carnivore, • Omnivore, • Herbivore, • Grow, • Graze (compare to sinking algae wafers)
There is simply NO better prepared fish food; NOT Repashy, NOT New Life Spectrum, NOT NorthFin, etc.
Best energy levels, best fiber content, best protein optimization, no added supplements.


Aquarium or Pond UV Sterilization
A MUST read article for any serious aquarium keeper, especially with the plethora of junk UV Sterilizers that are not really even Sterilizers flooding the market from Amazon, eBay, & others


TMC Premium Fluidized Sand Bed Bio Filters

Algae Eating Fish to Help Keep a Clean Tank

 

There are plenty of treatments and remedies to treat an algae problem in your aquarium, however to have a constant 'man on the ground' or to be more precise, an algae eating fish is a great idea. There a few different types of fish that eat algae and will help to keep your tank clean and healthy. For more information, advice and ideas about fish keeping visit the Swell UK Blog, which is packed with features.
An algae eater may start to eat your precious plants once the algae supply has diminished, so have a separate tank on stand-by for when he is not needed. Supplementing his diet with algae tablets should help stop him from destroying cultivated aquatic plants.

Farlowella/Twig Catfish
Well known bottom dwellers, most catfish will much away quite happily on algae. Twig catfish are so called because they live on driftwood or plants and camouflage easily into their surroundings. Brown in colour, they can grow to around 10-20cm in size. Supplement the diet with spirulina tablets regularly to make sure that he has enough to eat and protect your plants.
This type of catfish does not live happily with aggressive fish such as Cichlids or Barbs, as it has a delicate nature.



Pleco Catfish
These South-American Catfish are wonderful algae eaters. With a sucker type mouth and rough lips, they aren't the prettiest of creatures, however they will eat large quantities of algae. They have a brown mottled skin, and large head, they can grow to 10-15cm, with larger species such as the Hypostomus Plecostomus reaching maybe 60cm in a big tank.
Often novice fish keepers do not realise that they have bought a juvenile, and soon have an enormous Pleco dominating their tank. Chat to your local dealer for the right species for you.
Provide these fish with a rock shelter, as they sleep during the day. They can be eager feeders, and have been known to eat smaller, live fish if they cross their path.

Siamese Algae Eater
A common choice, the Siamese Algae Eater is the choice most fish keepers opt for. Striking, slim fish, they can grow to almost 14cm in length. Identify the fish by a black stripe running from nose to tail, if the stripe is a pale gold, it is likely to be the Flying Fox.
They are very quick swimmers and can jump easily, so a tank with a hood is a good idea. They feed on brush and thread algae, and will quickly feed off ornaments, glass and plants too. They are territorial fish, so limit the number to no more than 5, depending on the size of your tank.

Snails are also a great addition to your tank. They love to eat algae and will slowly but surely work their way around the aquarium eating the algae from glass, plants and more.

Malaysian Trumpet Snail
Growing to just 2cm in size, these hardy little snails will dig under the gravel or substrate to eat algae remnants. They will eat algae from plants during the night, but prefer to keep themselves tucked away in the substrate during the day.
These snails do not like a dirty habitat, and will retreat up the sides of the glass if they are unhappy with their living conditions.

Nerite Snails
These black and yellow shelled snails are a pretty and useful addition to any tank. They love to eat green spot and beard algae. They grow to around 3cm in size, so take up little room, however they can produce hundreds of little eggs, which can be a nuisance to remove. Watch the pH level of the aquarium, as Nerites like a pH level above 7 to stay healthy.
Also, it's best not to add these helpful scavengers to a tank with Loaches or Cichlids, as they make ideal prey!

To keep algae at bay in the first place, keep on top of regular water changes and treat the water accordingly. A little algae is fine, especially if you have a dedicated fish or snail to help clear the problem. However it can quickly become a real problem, so keep an eye on phosphates and nitrate levels and treat accordingly.

Further References:

Aquarium Answers; Algae Control


Premium ATI/AAP Sponge Filters
For Aquarium Sponge Filters which are excellent for use in to improve filtration in high bio load and planted aquarium, which in turn lowers nutrients available to algae.


Freshwater Aquarium Care


Aquarium or Pond UV Sterilization
True Level One Sterilization can be effective for control or part of a control plan of many types of aquarium algae.


Aquarium Lighting, Information
Aquarium Lighting is a major factor in control of many different algaes including BBA and brown diatom algae


Sponge Filtration; Complete Sponge Filter Use Information