Tetra Fin Plus food?

[cmclien 655]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, will have to introduce myself on the new members area.

My fish seems to get constipated from regular flakes. I have ordered tetra fin plus flakes (with 40% more fiber in the way of algae), anyone have luck with this product?

I am new to the hobby and not ready to learn how to make my own food at this point. Just trying to keep him alive! long story

[dnalex 13,633]

Here are some foods that are all fantastic, although I will list them in order of my preference

1. Pro-Gold from goldfishconnection.com

2. Saki Hikari (can order from goldfishutopia.com)

3. Omega (Petsmart, Petco, etc)

4. New Life Spectrum

All these foods are pellets, which are better than flakes.

[koko 14,364]

Well I never used the other stuff Alex suggested but I can say. I been using Progold for almost 10 years, I admit I had a few fish get floaty with it. But now if I see my fish start to bob in a since. I just fast for 2 days and give them a green bean.... Cleans them right out.

But I notice this will happen if you feed them to much at one sitting.

[cmclien 655]

Thanks, I ordered the pro-gold. When you say a bean, do you mean cooked, canned, peeled ? I have no idea how to feed a fish a bean LOL

[koko 14,364]

Thanks, I ordered the pro-gold. When you say a bean, do you mean cooked, canned, peeled ? I have no idea how to feed a fish a bean LOL

Really easy. I just get a can of cooked green beans (No salt) then (my fish are very spoiled) I pop the bean open and get the seed its self. Then feed the bean seed to the fish. But you can just chop the green bean in to bite size pieces.

[Golden fishy 10]

I also like the Hikari Lionhead pellets.

[Calluna 4]

I don't think switching your foods is going to help your fish's constipation that much. The ingredients of fish food don't vary too widely, here's the first few ingredients of the tetra one you're getting:

fish meal, dried yeast, ground brown rice, shrimp meal, feeding oat meal, wheat gluten, fish oil, algae meal

and here's the first few ingredients of saki hikari (much more expensive)

Fish Meal, Wheat Germ Meal, Wheat Flour, Brewer's Dried Yeast, Starch, Dried Bakery Product, Soy Bean Meal, Gluten Meal

So, it's basically fish meal + starch. Omega one and NLS may have a bit less starch, and pro gold ingredients (as far as I know) are pretty vague, but it wouldn't be hugely different.

The best thing to do in this situation is to feed your goldfish some more vegetables. As Koko suggested, green beans are an option. Peas and leafy vegetables are also popular. Hope this helps!

Edited June 14, 2012 by Calluna

[cmclien 655]

The best thing to do in this situation is to feed your goldfish some more vegetables. As Koko suggested, green beans are an option. Peas and leafy vegetables are also popular. Hope this helps!

Thanks. I actually tried to feed him a few small pieces of romaine, about the size of a flake and he wouldn't eat it! I'm not sure why...

[dnalex 13,633]

I don't think switching your foods is going to help your fish's constipation that much. The ingredients of fish food don't vary too widely, here's the first few ingredients of the tetra one you're getting:

fish meal, dried yeast, ground brown rice, shrimp meal, feeding oat meal, wheat gluten, fish oil, algae meal

and here's the first few ingredients of saki hikari (much more expensive)

Fish Meal, Wheat Germ Meal, Wheat Flour, Brewer's Dried Yeast, Starch, Dried Bakery Product, Soy Bean Meal, Gluten Meal

So, it's basically fish meal + starch. Omega one and NLS may have a bit less starch, and pro gold ingredients (as far as I know) are pretty vague, but it wouldn't be hugely different.

The best thing to do in this situation is to feed your goldfish some more vegetables. As Koko suggested, green beans are an option. Peas and leafy vegetables are also popular. Hope this helps!

I agree that the ingredients are pretty similar, but I also have found that at least in my experience, Pro-Gold does make a huge difference. I've tested every brand I could get my hands on, and while Pro-Gold does make some fish a little floaty, it's not really an issue compared to the other pellets.

[Evening 102]

While the listed ingredients might not vary much, the quality of those ingredients can be miles apart. "Fish Meal" can be anything; scales, fins, guts, eyes, gills; anything.

What you want to see is WHOLE fish meal, especially if they say what kind of fish. Spirulina and Chlorella algae are also very good.

[koko 14,364]

I do want to say not all fish foods are made the same. That would be saying all Lets say "mayo's" are the same. Not at all.

[Calluna 4]

I do want to say not all fish foods are made the same. That would be saying all Lets say "mayo's" are the same. Not at all.

I hope I did not imply that. I meant that the ingredients of goldfish food are similar enough that brand name would be unlikely to affect/fix the fish's condition so I suggested vegetables as an alternative.

[Pearlscaleperfect 3,561]

Even with vegetables goldfish are omnivores and benefit from protein in their diet, it's more likely that the fish is becoming constipated due to the air it's ingesting at the surface while eating flakes, along with the fact that regardless of what the flakes are made of, they are so thin that upon contact with water lose much of their nutritional value instantly because it is leached out into the water column. So a fish that is ingesting a solid pellet with more concentrated nutrients is less likely to be constipated because their GI tract processes the food better than a flake which is wheat/filler and water. That's why using a high quality pellet combined with leafy greans and frozen foods are important, because they offer a more concentrated means of nutrients which will give the maximum output of growth for the fish. I used to feed Hikari pellets until my LFS decided to discontinue carrying them and I've been using Omega One which are good but in my experience give the water a odd oily look even when fed in small amounts and eaten quickly. I'm also feeding sinking spirulina pellets which my goldies love. I've just ordered progold which should arrive in a few days and I'm eager to try it out!

[cmclien 655]

I have been feeding pro gold and tetra fin plus flakes and he was a little floaty yesterday and slightly off kilter. He looks better today but I don't know which product caused it so I will only feed one at a time to figure it out. Its probably the flakes but I had not seen him like that before so it makes me wonder as I have only added in the pro gold this last week....I hope its not the pro gold though I thought I read from others it can make them a little floaty....

[dnalex 13,633]

As with any pellet foods, you can't rely on just it alone. I would balance it out with things like frozen blood worms, veggies (lots of). This makes for a good omnivore diet

[koko 14,364]

I do want to say not all fish foods are made the same. That would be saying all Lets say "mayo's" are the same. Not at all.

I hope I did not imply that. I meant that the ingredients of goldfish food are similar enough that brand name would be unlikely to affect/fix the fish's condition so I suggested vegetables as an alternative.

No hun. i just want people to make sure they check the ingredients hun.