How much attention do you pay to the expiration date on dry foods?

[Shabalaba]

This is a great topic that really got me thinking. I never check the expiration dates for my fish food, and as I check them now, it seems like the dry items are pretty fresh. However, even if the items were past the expiration dates I'd probably use them. Here is my personal insight as to why I would.

Expiration dates are a marketing tool used by manufacturers to indicate "peak" freshness of the product. That does not mean the product expires in the sense of becoming inedible. Food items become inedible when they "spoil" via bacteria, mold, and other baddies growing on/in it. Spoiling food items is almost entirely due to with storage conditions, and varies greatly depending on what it is, where it is, and how long its there. Moisture is the key for anything to spoil. That's why smoked meats and dry goods last so long, almost forever if kept dry.

Working around a fish tank, things are highly susceptible to get wet. Keep your tank hands out of the fish food and you shouldn't have any problems.

But I'm not a Doctor,
Shaba

 

[mike werner]

it's fish food not milk guy's.

 

[code4]

If it has been "opened" for more than a few months I toss it. I only do it because I do not like stale food. Maybe my pets won't either. I feed very little dried food. My clowns love it though. I once wanted to make a pie. My filling was a year expired. So I did some research on using expired can goods. If the food looks ok, smells ok, the can looks ok, it is ok. Things go bad after being opened mostly. It is up to you. If it bothers you toss it. Buy smaller containers.

Bon appetite

 

[Hans-Werner]

Dry fish food must not have a rancid smell. If it starts to smell rancid it's about time to discard it. If it still smells fresh you can use it over the expiration date. Rancid fats/oils are a threat to the health of fish and may cause fatty liver.

 

[SFKINNC]

I like to feed my fish dry food, mostly flakes and pellets. I am concerned to provide good nutrition and feed a variety of flakes and pellets and freeze-dried foods to insure my critters get what they need, At the moment, I have 4 small saltwater fish and a handful of soft corals (xenia and mushrooms). Obviously they do not eat a great deal of food each day. Problem: a few containers of food last much longer than their freshness. Big pet stores and most online suppliers don’t carry food for marine fish in SMALL containers. What I need for my fish are the smallest containers on the shelf, so that I don’t have to toss 3/4 of a big container in the trash after a few months. But typically there are only a few types of food available in small containers and the rest, the larger ones, are a waste for me. E.G., Petco had only two types of marine food on their shelf and both were in bigger containers. There was no variety, only one brand.
I e-mailed Tetra to ask why I couldn’t get small containers of their food in the stores near me. Tetra refered me to Bulk Reef Supply! BRS only had large containers for sale!

 

[Reef Nutrition]

I like to feed my fish dry food, mostly flakes and pellets. I am concerned to provide good nutrition and feed a variety of flakes and pellets and freeze-dried foods to insure my critters get what they need, At the moment, I have 4 small saltwater fish and a handful of soft corals (xenia and mushrooms). Obviously they do not eat a great deal of food each day. Problem: a few containers of food last much longer than their freshness. Big pet stores and most online suppliers don’t carry food for marine fish in SMALL containers. What I need for my fish are the smallest containers on the shelf, so that I don’t have to toss 3/4 of a big container in the trash after a few months. But typically there are only a few types of food available in small containers and the rest, the larger ones, are a waste for me. E.G., Petco had only two types of marine food on their shelf and both were in bigger containers. There was no variety, only one brand.
I e-mailed Tetra to ask why I couldn’t get small containers of their food in the stores near me. Tetra refered me to Bulk Reef Supply! BRS only had large containers for sale!

Try this https://apbreed.com/product_tdo_chroma_boost.php. TDO Chroma BOOST is a dry feed being used in aquaculture and the hobby. We sell it in 3oz. packages, and, if kept in the fridge when not feeding, it will last for up to 1 year. Size small is preferable. We go to great lengths to make sure that the lipids and other nutritional components aren't compromised by oxidation and moisture. The moisture and oxygen are excluded by our foil bag and scavenger packets inside. You can order direct from us if you don't have a store nearby that carries Reef Nutrition products https://reefnutrition.com/store-locator/. I hope this helps!

Best,
Chad

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Try this https://apbreed.com/product_tdo_chroma_boost.php. TDO Chroma BOOST is a dry feed being used in aquaculture and the hobby. We sell it in 3oz. packages, and, if kept in the fridge when not feeding, it will last for up to 1 year. Size small is preferable. We go to great lengths to make sure that the lipids and other nutritional components aren't compromised by oxidation and moisture. The moisture and oxygen are excluded by our foil bag and scavenger packets inside. You can order direct from us if you don't have a store nearby that carries Reef Nutrition products https://reefnutrition.com/store-locator/. I hope this helps!

Best,
Chad

Now I will try this. I have a store nearby Mutts&butts they carry your pods and R.o.e but I never seen this there.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Now I will try this. I have a store nearby Mutts&butts they carry your pods and R.o.e but I never seen this there.

They just placed a huge order back on May 2nd. You can speak with Michael or Marc about getting a 3oz. package of TDO Chroma BOOST Small on their next order. People do this all the time with our stores. Good luck and let me know if you get some and what you think.

Chad

 

[Greenstreet.1]

They just placed a huge order back on May 2nd. You can speak with Michael or Marc about getting a 3oz. package of TDO Chroma BOOST Small on their next order. People do this all the time with our stores. Good luck and let me know if you get some and what you think.

Chad

Thank you Chad but I rather order it they are not the best people to deal with. I got my last set of roe and pods from that order. [emoji1531]

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Thank you Chad but I rather order it they are not the best people to deal with. I got my last set of roe and pods from that order. [emoji1531]

We are currently experiencing issues with our online shipping options for TDO, so please phone in the order for the best rates.

Chad

 

[Hal3134]

The Doritos were still bad for you before the expiration date and they are still delicious after. What's the problem

Without getting graphic, the last time I was sick was because of old Doritos. Yes, it can happen.

 

[fish farmer]

I work at a trout broodstock hatchery. We are fairly picky about our food. We may not get the top shelf commercial trout and salmon diets, but we don't get the bottom scrapings either. We used to get shipments quarterly and try to feed out our food within six months due to rancidity(keeping it unrefrigerated). We have a new contract with a better feed company (BioOregon), they recommend using the food within 180 days. We currently keep it cool (62 degrees) in our air conditioned 1950's meat locker.

The old food usually goes to the pond fish that are retired...or the garden.

 

[CAMAKAZY]

Won a lot of dry food in 2013, omega one photo contest. Anyway just set up a new tank, still got 2 un opened marine flake. Exp date 7/17/15, use or trash?

 

[vetteguy53081]

If its' sealed, I keep it in freezer for freshness. If opened, as long as fish eat it, will use it. If they spit it out- , going to trash