Newbie! Compare fish foods.

[Doak6021]

I have recently joined another aquarium forum and asked around as what the best brand of fish food was. The site seemed very biased towards Omega One. I did a lot of research and seen that Omega One, Hikari and NLS are among the best. Could someone please help me by doing a comparison between Omega One, Hikari and NLS. They seem to be the best no matter where I look and I can't seem to find enough difference so I can pick one. It seems this forum is not too biased so I am hoping I will get some good feedback.

[Kaga's Kritters]

All three are very good foods as you already know. If I was you I would pick whichever one is most available to you, that way you never have to worry about not being able to buy some when you need some. Where I live I have to order NLS, or drive over a hour to get it, so I don't use that one as a staple food. I have gotten some to try, but I am going to go back to using Omega One. I am also going to see what i can find around me in the Hikari line and try that out too. I have used Hikari cichlid pellets when I had an oscar, but now I just have community fish (tetras, gouramis, livebearers, etc), so I have to look and see what I can find. I have never really heard anything bad about any of the three, so you will be just fine no matter which one you pick.

[kaoticice]

I never own an omega one product in my life. But I do own Hikari and NLS. When comparing to the general Hikari products to NLS, Hikari tend to have more vegetable matters (good for herbivores), on the other hand NLS leading towards a more meaty based product (appropriate for both carnivore and omnivores).
Another thing, generally Hikari seem to have a higher ash in their product than NLS. This could indicate a lower quality ingredient or high amount of vegetable matter. I can compare the Hikari algae wafers ingredient and guarantee analysis to NLS algae wafer, but too bad, its too cold down stair, and my legs can barely move.. maybe tomorow. :c2:
Personally I rather own NLS, but since their product have pretty much the same ingredient, I combine it with Hikari, especially for herbivore fish (eg: pleco's).
I use to do a little research on omega one's product, if i could remember properly their product consisted alot of fat?? maybe someone here who have to product could post the ingredient listed with the guarantee analysis.

Some advices for good fish food IMO:
(guarantee analysis)
1) protein levels must be adequate (herbivore 25-38%, carnivore 38%-50%)
2) ash content have to be low (herbivore: 4-12%, carnivore:4-9%)
3) fat content must be low (herbivore: 8% below, carnivore 11% below)
(ingredient)
1)for herbivores the first 4 ingredient must contain some high quality vegetable matters eg; algae-meal, spiriluna, etc. Low quality includes: gluten meal, etc.
2)for carnivores the first 3 ingredient must contain high quality meat product Eg; fish meal, krill meal, etc. low quality includes; blood meal, some fish meal, etc.
Omnivores are in between, it require both vegetable and meat matters depending on the type of fish.
This just comes on top of my head, so if im wrong correct me. :14:
Hope thats comprehensive enough.
Ed

[Fishguy2727]

I won't post it all here, put take a look at the article in my blog on NLS. It does a very good comparison between NLS and what I use the most before, Hikari. NLS's website (nlsfishfood.com) has a TON of information on it. Definitely read the nutrition article and testimonials. Also watch the video.

In summary, they seem very similar at first, but I as well as many others have found a significant difference between NLS and other brands, even very high quality brands like Hikari and Omega One.

Omega One has added artificial colors as well as two preservatives.

The only preservative in NLS is ethoyxyquin which has to be added to the meals by law, they do not add any other additional preservatives.

Read about the fat in the nutrition article on NLS's site and compare the numbers.

Companies talk themselves up a lot, but NLS seems to let the results speak for themselves. After two years of using it exclusively it is the only food I am willing to feed any of my fish.

Give it a trial, even if you have to buy it online it is worth it. Try it for at least four months exclusively and see the difference it makes.

[Incredulous_Ed]

I buy mots of my fish supplies online now. I can get a thing of NLS for around 9-10$ shipped, which is pretty good.

Ive used both Hikari and NLS for a while and Ive seen better health with NLS.

[Halelorf]

I haven't tried Omega One but I have tried Hikari and NLS. I prefer NLS over hikari for all my fish because I haven't had a fish that wouldn't take to it after awhile and all of those that ate it colored up better than those that ate hikari. For me the hikari only caused one of my late goldfish friends to get swim bladder problems and cause him to float. NLS never did that so I stopped feeding hikari. Good luck with your choice!

[Doak6021]

I did my own research and found out that yes Omega One does have more fat, but the other analysis puts Omega One ahead of NLS for me. It has more protein, cheaper, and easier to get ahold of. Who would want more veggies over more protein? Doesn't make any sense. That is like saying if you eat celery all day and I eat chicken that you are going to come out healthier. I know NLS has protein in it, but Omega One has more. Also, Omega One's main ingredient is Whole Salmon, NLS is not anything comparable.

NLS has same Ash if not more.
NLS has same moisture if not more.
The only product NLS has that seems appealing is the growth formula and it is stacked with protein.

I would probably say both are more than enough for fish and neither stands significantly above the other.

[MandyL]

I did my own research and found out that yes Omega One does have more fat, but the other analysis puts Omega One ahead of NLS for me. It has more protein, cheaper, and easier to get ahold of. Who would want more veggies over more protein? Doesn't make any sense. That is like saying if you eat celery all day and I eat chicken that you are going to come out healthier. I know NLS has protein in it, but Omega One has more. Also, Omega One's main ingredient is Whole Salmon, NLS is not anything comparable.



The problem with your theory is humans are omnivores... Some fish are herbivores and too much protein is bad. It would be like saying a cow would be healthier eating chicken than grass. It all depends on what your fish needs.

As well, it is not healthier to eat only chicken than only veggies. It's well known that we need a balance of both, and the ratio should be higher on the veggies than on the meat.

[MeganL3985]

I use NLS flake for my tanks, my fish love it. Hikari isn't bad either, I use the hikari small sinking wafers for bottom feeders, even the regular fish go after those :)

[Fishguy2727]

Their nutrition article helps to explain some of that type of stuff, I suggest you read it.

As far as protein goes, that has more to do with the quality of the protein than simpyl how much. That number is determined with lab tests that can pick up more than the fish can. A lot of sources of protein are biologically unavailable to the fish.

Even fish like mbunas do very well on NLS. I know of none that have gotten malawi bloat when on NLS exclusively, that is very significant.

NLS has whole herring, krill, and squid, great sources of protein and great options for main ingredients.

Exact protein levels are not necessarily reflective of quality. High quality ingredients are more important and NLS has them.

The higher levels of fat in other foods is very significant. Those higher levels can cause fat deposits thoughout the body which can lead to problems like fatty liver disease and premature death.

I think you need to not look so much at those types of things and simply read all the information I specified and do the trial. With NLS it really is the results that speak for themselves.

[kaoticice]

I did my own research and found out that yes Omega One does have more fat, but the other analysis puts Omega One ahead of NLS for me. It has more protein, cheaper, and easier to get ahold of. Who would want more veggies over more protein? Doesn't make any sense. That is like saying if you eat celery all day and I eat chicken that you are going to come out healthier. I know NLS has protein in it, but Omega One has more. Also, Omega One's main ingredient is Whole Salmon, NLS is not anything comparable.

NLS has same Ash if not more.
NLS has same moisture if not more.
The only product NLS has that seems appealing is the growth formula and it is stacked with protein.

I would probably say both are more than enough for fish and neither stands significantly above the other.

All NLS products have ash at 9%, I'm not sure about omega-one, i think its lower. The thing is NLS products have pretty much the same ingredient all over their product, and their main emphasis is on omnivorous diet. As stated, NLS people did their research and found that if not all the carnivores and herbivores in their wild habitat do consist of the combination between meat and vegetable matters. E.G: predator fish consuming herbivore fish will digest some vegetable matters from the herbivore fish.

ingredient wise, NLS is probably on the top of the market, however as you know omega one do include their ingredient exclusively. Ingredient such as; black cod, whole salmon, etc are obvious higher quality product. But in my knowledge even us a human, do we really need to eat salmon or lobster everyday?? We have to balance our diet with some vegetable matter as well, and this is where I believe NLS excelled in.

Have any of you guys notice Ocean Nutrition foods?? They got brilliant guarantee analysis and amazing ingredients.
Check out their website: http://oceannutrition.com
I have atison betta pro, from ocean nutrition and the ingredient is simple and great. My betta loves them!! I also have the cichlid omni flake, I won't comment anymore about it, but check out the ingredient:
Salmon fillets, Euphasia superba, adult brine shrimp, wheat germ, Euphasia pacifica plankton, tuna eggs, marine algae, squid, brine shrimp nauplii, wheat flour, soya-lecithin, Spirulina, salmon egg oil, kelp, sea clams, MPAXTM (Marine Protein Amino eXtract: fish meals, select amino acids (DL-Arginine, L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, Beta?ne, TL-Tryptophan)), vitamins (ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), biotin (Vitamin H), Vitamin B12, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), panthotenic acid (Vitamin B5), menadione (Vitamin K3), folacin (Vitamin B9), cholicalciferol (Vitamin D3), niacin (Vitamin B3), retinol (Vitamin A1), pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)), minerals (potassium iodide, iron oxide, manganese sulfate, magnesium oxide, zinc sulfate), ethoxyquin, carotenoid pigments.

Guaranteed Analysis
Protein (min) 52.4%
Fiber (max) 0.5%
Fat (min) 12.7%
Ash (max) 6.0%
Moisture (max) 8.3%

BEAT THAT!!! xD kekekke (dang why does it have to be flake?? :( )
Ed

[wezel815]

man some of ya'll need to go cash in for all the product advertising i feel like i just watched a da@# info-mercial

[Doak6021]

If the nutrition article wasn't located on a NLS website I would read it.

Omega One's main ingredient is whole salmon. Seems like a great source of protein.
None of my fish are herbivores. Very few are strictly herbivores. I'll stick with Omega One but i am DEFF looking to find some cheap NLS to do a trial. Who knows, maybe I'll get converted immediately. Omega One is doing great so getting better than that would be awesome. If anything maybe I could just change it up between NLS and Omega One.

Thanks everyone for the input. Looking forward to trying NLS.

[Fishguy2727]

I have heard a lot of good things about Ocean Nutrition. That seems like a lot of protein though. Does that vary from food to food?

The nutrition article is on their site, and there are some claims in it that are not or are poorly supported. And I do think he does take some liberty in some of his claims. But as someone who has read the whole thing I can say that overall that article is VERY informative for anyone who is trying to learn about fish nutrition. It is a valuable piece of information. You can't really take a lot of what a company presents at face value, but they can still be useful. If the long nutrition article is not on the top of your priority list, I would still at least look at the other informative resources on the site.

It is not just herbivore, omnivore, or carnivore. It is about a complete and balanced diet with easily digested ingredients that all of them can break down. When companies name one for herbivores and add artificial colors to make it the green people expect of that food, the company obviously does not believe in their own food enough to believe its results will speak for themselves. When they add more types of animals to provide the main ingredients and boost up the protein %, they are feeding on what people expect, not necessarily what is best for the fish. Powerfeeding (tons of protein) can be a problem with fish, just like in other animals.

[sandy_n]

[quote=Fishguy2727].
The only preservative in NLS is ethoyxyquin which has to be added to the meals by law, they do not add any other additional preservatives.

Unless this is pertaining only to fish food, ethoyxyquin is NOT required by law to be added to food. It is a proven cancer causing agent and there are tons of dog and cat foods on the market that chose not to use it. They use natural ingredients as a preservative instead.

[Kaga's Kritters]

[quote=Fishguy2727].
The only preservative in NLS is ethoyxyquin which has to be added to the meals by law, they do not add any other additional preservatives.

Unless this is pertaining only to fish food, ethoyxyquin is NOT required by law to be added to food. It is a proven cancer causing agent and there are tons of dog and cat foods on the market that chose not to use it. They use natural ingredients as a preservative instead.

You are correct. I remember being told years ago that ethoyxyquin was dangerous for dogs and cats and that you shouldn't feed them any food that has it. Since then most foods now use a natural perservative. I do not know anything about whether this is required in fish food or not, but I don't see why a certain preservative would be required, I think it would be fine to use other preservatives instead.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Dont they require it for seafood or something?

[Fishguy2727]

Exactly. Anyone who has read the nutrition article on their site knows that by law the meals they use have to have ethoxyquin in them or else they spoil.

Any links showing the proof that ethoxyquin causes cancer?

Anything about the minute levels causing any problems?

The point is that NLS does not simply add it to their food. It is already (by law) in the meal(s) they use and simply admit it. When questioned about this Omega One did not reply to my email. That makes me think the answer was not as positive.

[sandy_n]

Exactly. Anyone who has read the nutrition article on their site knows that by law the meals they use have to have ethoxyquin in them or else they spoil.

Any links showing the proof that ethoxyquin causes cancer?

Anything about the minute levels causing any problems?

The point is that NLS does not simply add it to their food. It is already (by law) in the meal(s) they use and simply admit it. When questioned about this Omega One did not reply to my email. That makes me think the answer was not as positive.

Yep, there is tons of info out there linking the two.
Now if you read my post my first words were "Unless this is pertaining only to fish food"...

[Fishguy2727]

I read it and replied to that part.

I was wondering if anyone had any links to or information about ANY scientific study that supports this. I hear it a lot but don't ever see any support for it.

[kaoticice]

If i'm not mistaken, doesn't most fish food brand out there have ethoxyquin? The only ones i can think of is Hikaris' product. :11:

[TowBoater]

As much is debated in here, Omega one, Hakari, and NLS have no significant difference really and you will basically get the same result. Try to get what is cheaper and easier for you to obtain. When I did feed pellets and such I fed Hakari with great results. I personally feed frozen.

[Fishguy2727]

Wihtout starting anything, I have used Hikari extensively and NLS extensively and feel there is a significant difference. For more details PM me. But you will still get great results with either.

The point here is that the only ethoxyquin in NLS is what has to be added by law. When I emailed Omega One about the preservatives in their food and the artificial colors, they never replied. That makes me very suspicious. So it is not just what is and is not there, but how much of it.