Nourish vs Vitachem

[Kvandy]

Its about that time to make a batch of fish food and I'm wondering what product people think is better Seachem nourish or Boyd Enterprises Vitachem.

The fish food is tilapia, shrimp and scallops cut then frozen. I have been feeding this food for a while but have never added vitamins to it.

 

[LBDave]

I swear by vita-chem. I put it in the water and add to food. Silver dollars always breeding when I use this. I especially use it for my peacock bass because I can't get them off freeze dried krill. All the fish have great color and it helps fins heal. If you are freezing the food I suggest you dry the food with a paper towel and soak in a strong vita chem solution for an hour then freeze. You could also inject if you really want to get into this.

 

[RD.]

It depends on what you are attempting to use it for.

Seachem Nourish is promoted as an iodine supplement, to remove any potential for thyroid issues.

Amounts per 1 g
Crude Protein (minimum) 1.7%
Crude Fat (minimum) 0.2%
Crude Fiber (maximum) 0.2%
Moisture (maximum) 94.2%
Ash (maximum) 2.0%
Iodide(minimum) 0.008 mg/g

Ingredients: water, spirulina (Spirulina platensis), chlorella (Chlorella pyrenoidosa), phosphoric acid, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, zinc sulfate heptahydrate, copper sulfate pentahydrate, potassium iodide, manganese sulfate.

Complementary feed for ornamental fishComposition: Water, Algae, Fats and oils, Minerals. Nutritional Additives per liter: Vit. C 520 mg, E1 iron 30mg, E6 zinc 15mg, E2 iodide 9mg, E4 copper 3mg, E5 manganese 2mg, E8 selenium 368ug. With antioxidants



Boyd Vitachem is promoted as a multi-vitamin/amino acid supplement, for overall increased vitality and health.

Guaranteed analysis (All per ounce): Crude protein (min) 21.8%, crude fat (min) 0.09%, crude fiber (max) 2%, moisture (max) 90.1%.

Ingredients: Vitamin A-5000 IU, vitamin B12-40 mg, vitamin E-32 mg, thiamine hydrochloride 25 mg, vitamin K-20 mg, vitamin C-18 mg, vitamin B1-15 mg, vitamin B2-15 mg, vitamin B6-12 mg, biotin 4 mg, L-leucine 4 mg, lysine monohydrochloride 3 mg, D-l phenylalanine 3 mg, L-arginine hydrochloride 2.5 mg, D-l isoleucine 2 mg, threonine 2 mg, l-methionine 1 mg, L-histidine hydrochl .


Note that Boyd Vitachem contains B1 (15 mg per ounce), which when feeding frozen food can become very important, as B1 supplementation can neutralize the negative health issues resulting from exposure to thiaminase enzymes.

 

[PYRU]

I don't have any experience with nourish but I use vitachem all the time with good results. I mainly use it for puffers and soak basically the same foods you listed.

 

[cjdesmit]

I've always used Boyd Vita-Chem. I typically try and soak pellets in it once a week, however some of my fish will only eat flake. Does adding it directly into the water actually benefit anything? I can't imagine dosing my 220gal tank with the stuff. I'd go through it like... water.

 

[LBDave]

 

[Kvandy]

Sounds like Vitachem is the way to go . All my fish ocasionally get this frozen food but my jags get this exclusively because they are not on pellets yet which is why I want to add some vitamins to it

 

[cjdesmit]

Interesting means of delivery, I've not seen this done before. I'd be interested to read more on the topic as I still am not sure how beneficial dosing vitamins to water really is? For instance how much to dose, as I am sure the water volume makes a difference in how many tablets one would use. There also has to be a point where concentrations could become potentially harmful.

 

[RD.]

Dosing vitamins via what appears to be a human grade vitamin pill in the tank itself is fairly useless. While some vitamins and trace minerals can be absorbed via the water column, most are best delivered via a fishes food. This is how public aquariums dose their aquatic animals when feeding fresh/frozen. If your fish is eating a quality pellet a few times a week, no real need for additional supplementation. Kyle has the right idea, in his case Vitachem is the best option.

 

[LBDave]

Interesting means of delivery, I've not seen this done before. I'd be interested to read more on the topic as I still am not sure how beneficial dosing vitamins to water really is? For instance how much to dose, as I am sure the water volume makes a difference in how many tablets one would use. There also has to be a point where concentrations could become potentially harmful.

I thought the video was interesting. I know that dosing vita-chem in the water does something. My silver dollars never bred before I started dosing. Now when I does they do the breeding process almost every time. The peacock bass sort of keep an eye on them and snatch their eggs.
Vita-chem needs to absorb into the water column. Isn't a vitamin pill doing the same thing?
I guess the key is what vitamins and how much. I guess you could sort match the Vita-Chem listed ingredients with any pill that you buy. But it wouldn't be apples to apples as Vita-Chem is tailored for aquarium fish.