Question about food

[sschind]

I have a question regarding what types of wafers to feed algae eating plecos.

Trying to find bulk wafers can be a pain because of all the bulk buying and repackaging that goes on. Not everyone puts an ingredients list with their foods. I realize that most algae wafers contain a relatively small amount of algae and the first ingredient is usually some sort of fish meal. The first few plant based ingredients are usually wheat or wheat by products and then you might get to an algae ingredient. I also know that this is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, people feed a lot of zucchini and that's not algae either.

Mu question is, what do you consider an algae wafer? One product I am looking at is called a meat and spirulina wafer and the first ingredients are krill, shrimp meal, fish oil, Wheat gluten, wheat meal and several other and spirulina is last. Would you consider this an appropriate diet for an algae eating fish. I'm thinking this might be a more appropriate carnivore wafer (which I am also looking for)

I am also considering the new life spectrum wafers but I cant find anything that lists their ingredients (all their website give is typical ingredients for all of their foods and nothing specific) I've also looked at Kens veggie and spirulina discs and Bestflakes discs (I'm guessing a lot of these resellers are one or the other of these) but shipping makes it more expensive. If there is a cheaper alternative I'd rather use it.

Anyway, I was wondering what you guys recommend for an algae wafer. Hikari is too expensive for my needs, even the 2.2 pounders.

Thanks for looking

Steve Schindler
Tropical Oasis

[jvision]

I have been using New Life Spectrum almost exclusively for about 8yrs. I use the wafers for BN plecos and larger - regardless of if they prefer meat or veg. Hypancistrus and other smaller plecos don't seem to like the wafers, but they love community and Thera+A.
I have recently tried Repashy Gel foods, and those are loved by all; however, being largely water-based, I find that they eat way more of it than pellet foods, so it ends up costing more in the long run, IME.
Currently, I am using a mix of NLS and Repashy w the odd veg and frozen treat.

[plecomanpat]

go to Kens fish.com....very good foods, they do list all the ingredients, and very affordable...ENJOY

[Linus_Cello]

Someone in my fish club did an experiment (and writeup) on several wafers. He noted that Xtreme Cat Scrapers did not dissolve as fast as other wafers, such as hikari. Also, it had the highest protein % of the 3 wafers tested.

I noticed that my L7 and L91 seem to love the cat scrapers. My L114s seemed to prefer NLS thera A+ pellets (maybe because of the garlic); problem with pellets is that it's small enough for my dithers to eat.