Hikari Bad Ingredients?

FESHMAN

Polypterus
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Sep 14, 2015
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I just recently tried some of the Bug Bites from fluval
I picked some of their pleco formula for my plecos and Uaru. It seems to have good ingredients and I've heard good reviews. I knew about it from Bob Steenfott on Youtube.
 

FESHMAN

Polypterus
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Sep 14, 2015
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I use both Hikari and NLS. I think NLS line has better overall ingresients, but I won't know for sure. Simply listing the present of wonderful ingredients without listing the % weight is meaningless and can be misleading. For small fish, I prefer NLS because it comes with 1 mm and 0.5 mm pellets perfect size for fry and juvies. For big fish, I prefer mini Hikari floating and sinking pellets because they have better physical properties. The sinking Hikari pellets sink straight down, and the floating float straight up. The NLS are semi sinking, more messy as the pellets get sucked into the filter more easily.
I have tried nls once and I don't know how to feel about it. Few of my fish accept it, and the pellets just come out from the rear. They don't seem to get digested property. At least unlike other foods.
 

BIG-G

Goliath Tigerfish
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Dec 12, 2005
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I picked some of their pleco formula for my plecos and Uaru. It seems to have good ingredients and I've heard good reviews. I knew about it from Bob Steenfott on Youtube.
I think the main ingredient is soldier fly larvae.
I have heard good things but my fish just take it in a spit it out. They just won't eat it.
 

FESHMAN

Polypterus
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Sep 14, 2015
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I think the main ingredient is soldier fly larvae.
I have heard good things but my fish just take it in a spit it out. They just won't eat it.
I'll give it a try because of the quality, plus I can't return it since I bought it online. My Uaru would eat cardboard if I offered some, no not worrying about that, even the plecos would eat most of what I offer. Same goes for my Argentea, don't think she would refuse.
 

shookONES

Casper... the not so friendly ghost
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Jul 12, 2005
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I've actually been moving away from Hikari in favor of NLS. I always thought the whole "old donuts" bit was a joke, but now I can't help but think its true.
 

RD.

Gold Tier VIP
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My fish are all trained to eat anything that I offer, most of the cichlids would probably eat dried rabbit turds if offered.

Simply listing the present of wonderful ingredients without listing the % weight is meaningless
Not exactly. While listing the actual percentage would be most ideal, ALL ingredients in dry pet food is listed on a dry basis, so unless one is splitting ingredients (such as using 3 forms of wheat in the formula) the main ingredient will make up the largest percentage of the formula. So for fish, best to see krill/fish/squid, something aquatic based up front, rather than wheat. The info even without percentages is far from meaningless, you just have to know how to read a label.

I have never been fond of Hikari products, too much terrestrial based ingredients. Good for Hikari's bottom line, not always so good for fish.
 

Dieselhybrid

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I remember the days when MonoSodiumGlutamate was an ingredient in most Hikari products ;)

Sure fish love Hikari, it's salty.

Only pellets I will feed my stock these days are NLS. Best ingredients hands down, no comparison. It's also cheaper than Hikari Massivore/Carnivore in bulk, making the decision very easy for me.
 

FESHMAN

Polypterus
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So where did all the Hikari hype come from?
 

justarn

Arapaima
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May 24, 2011
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I'm a hikari fan, the ingredients may not be the best but my fish love it, it's not hurting people's fish thats for sure. As others I mix it up with frozen.
One thing I have noticed is hikari gold is a very clean food, I find nls mashes up and clouds the water much more. It also floats plenty long enough to remove any in eaten food. Good if your well stocked with cichlids that make a mess, indirectly at least in my experience the lack of clouds of fine mush means more is going in the fish and less is polluting your tank, one more thing worth considering other than just the nutritional value.
Each to their own, hikari imo is far from being a bad option, much worse cheap food out there...
 

Drstrangelove

Potamotrygon
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Oct 21, 2012
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So where did all the Hikari hype come from?
To what hype are you referring?

Everyone is free to advertise while everyone else is free to read or ask. Hikari does post it's ingredients, as everyone else does, and people are able to make a choice.

If there is hype, I assume it's because people like it. Why do people like it? Ask? I'm sure we all like things that some other people don't. Oh well....
 
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