Fish Feud. Back in the day...

[OPtasia]

So, being in and out and in the hobby so much in the past, there's been huge trends in saltwater fish and coral nutrition and the foods people are feeding their livestock.

Back fifteen years ago when I was breeding and rearing rare cichlids, we used some larval development foods designed for the commercial fisheries market known as "golden pearls." You could get pounds of golden pearls in various grain sizes for feeding of microscopic fish larvae.

Now, i'm staring at my reef roids and thinking.... what the heck is the difference between this product and the golden pearls I used to use? Just curious. Any old timers in here remember golden pearls and do you know of an actual difference between the nutritional makeup of golden pearls and products like reef roids?

 

[andrewkw]

I don't know anything about cichlids other then the fact they don't come from the ocean. I would assume their foods don't come from the ocean either but I could be wrong.
Reef roids is marine plankton. While they don't list all the species it's food for corals not fish fry.

From the reef roids website :
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 60%
Crude Fat 20%
Crude Fiber 8%
Moisture 6%
Ash 6%

We do feed some marine animals freshwater animals but that is more of an exception then a staple. PE Mysis come from a freshwater lake but they are very high in protein a lot of times this is not the case. Also reef roids isn't exactly a new product, it was originally made as food for goniapora I believe at least 10 years ago, maybe closer to 15. There are a lot of new foods available for fish and corals. You're right that nutrition has come a long way, I'd probably stick to those products or the time tested ones in the marine hobby vs something that was made for cichlid fry.

 

[OPtasia]

Actually, golden pearls was made for salmon fry and the commercial marine fisheries industry. Particle sizes are available from 5 to 800 microns. It has been a beneficial coral food for decades. I used it in combination with rotifers and cyclopeeze for raising fry. It's still available for sale if you'd like to try it.

Golden Pearls Ingredients: marine fish, krill (23%), fish roe, soy lecithin, yeast autolysate, micro-algae, fish gelatin, squid meal, hydrogenated vegetable fat, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants.

Proximate analysis: Protein, 55%; Lipids, 15%; Ash, 12%; Moisture, 8%; Vitamin C, 2550 ppm; Vitamin E, 425 ppm; EPA,10mg/g; DHA, 12 mg/g.

Reef roids isn't 100% zooplankton. I feel sure there are other ingredients in it which they do not publish. I'd like to know what they are. If anyone else actually knows what's in it, please enlighten me.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Maybe @Polyplab can join in.

 

[rhdoug]

I actually still have and use golden pearls. I use it to broadcast feed my tank from time to time, and in the past used it successfully to feed clownfish fry when my rotifers were scarce.

 

[Swampriss]

So do you guys think you could feed reef roids for marine fry food ?