I don’t recall anyone in this thread stating that they slack off on regular water changes? Or that water changes aren’t important.
That's a good point.I don’t recall anyone in this thread stating that they slack off on regular water changes? Or that water changes aren’t important.
I lost many fish to many reasons over years, one of them could have been feeding cheap aquaculture pellet Ziegler silver finfish $0.5/lb made of wheat, legumes, etc. So 3-4 years ago we switched to the NLS.Or ask thebiggerthebetter and Viktor can explain how lower quality farm feed worked out for him in the past, and what he feeds now as a staple.
Thanks for posting, Viktor. With the vast amount of fish, water, and assorted species that you have dealt with over the years, I can't even begin to imagine the size of the learning curve that you have dealt with. Losing some fish along the way would be expected. As you are aware, one of my main goals in this hobby has always been to prioritize longevity, with a focus on the diet side of the equation. At this point I expect that some of my fish, such as my loaches, could potentially outlive me. lol The vast majority of my cichlids, past & present, I suspect also make it to at least what would be considered old age by most data available. (wild or captivity) Those that haven't, can be blamed directly on me attempting to play god, or matchmaker, etc. My last cichlid is my big Amph, who is now approaching his teenage years. I doubt that I would have experienced this same outcome, feeding puppy chow.I lost many fish to many reasons over years, one of them could have been feeding cheap aquaculture pellet Ziegler silver finfish $0.5/lb made of wheat, legumes, etc. So 3-4 years ago we switched to the NLS.
That is impressive. I can't say the same thing for my fish keeping, though I admit that I may not have maintained the same sustained level of dedication as some others for reasons I won't get into here. I look forward to continued learning here on the forums....As you are aware, one of my main goals in this hobby has always been to prioritize longevity, with a focus on the diet side of the equation. At this point I expect that some of my fish, such as my loaches, could potentially outlive me. lol The vast majority of my cichlids, past & present, I suspect also make it to at least what would be considered old age by most data available. (wild or captivity) Those that haven't, can be blamed directly on me attempting to play god, or matchmaker, etc. My last cichlid is my big Amph, who is now approaching his teenage years. I doubt that I would have experienced this same outcome, feeding puppy chow.
I want to say that it amazes me how many hobbyists give relatively little thought to the long term health and longevity of their fish (until something goes wrong), but reflecting what can be a lack of knowledge, or a common mentality that prioritizes fast growth and max size without thinking about long term health, it doesn't really.As you are aware, one of my main goals in this hobby has always been to prioritize longevity... I doubt that I would have experienced this same outcome, feeding puppy chow.
A wolf will be healthy eating meat every day, but a rabbit will quickly get heart disease if fed the same.Polyunsaturated fats oxidize and go rancid, it’s carcinogenic and damages DNA. Might have a different affect on fish but I highly doubt it’s beneficial to them.
I always keep that point ^ in mind when considering the feeding or husbandry of my fish or other animals. All mammals belong to the same class of animal life, and all fish belong to their own different class. The degree of similarity between any mammal species is far greater than the similarity between any mammal and any fish. We are always looking for and reading about and discussing the ideal food for our fish, but what if we were to apply the same approach to mammals?A wolf will be healthy eating meat every day, but a rabbit will quickly get heart disease if fed the same.
I can’t speak to the specific nutritional needs of fish, but they are not human, and their requirements will be different.