Multivitamin pill in the filter?

[ericatdallas]

Anyway, I noticed that there are several vitamins marketed to the home aquarium. I also did a search that some people did dose their water. I couldn't find much on people using a multivitamin (made for human consumption) and dropping it in their tank (indirectly, i.e. in the filter or buried in the substrate or crushed then dissolved in water).

I personally don't see why this would matter. Looking at the vitamin content of the Aquarium marketed vitamins, they're similar to what's in a multivitamin. I suppose each person will have to decide how much to use based on the size of their tank, fish, water change frequency, etc.

[brewmaster15]

Most vitamins that are marketed for use as water additive are in a soluble form...most vitamins that are in Human suppliments are formulated to be in forms more suitable to the digestive system...

Personally I'm skeptical of the utility of adding vitamins to the water......since fresh water fish don't drink the water....any vitamins would need to be taken up by the gills... or somehow make it thru the slime coat and skin...(not likely)

hth,
al

[William Palumbo]

I agree Al...All my vitamins are administered thru food. Either mixing in powdered vitamins into BH mixes, or soaking food in a liquid vitamin...Bill

[ericatdallas]

In some of the other threads, people were talking about how they think hard water was good for juvenile discus because of the nutrients. Isn't this really the same theory as dosing it with vitamins? The hard water provides nutrients that eventually get into the fish's system.

[brewmaster15]

Hi Erica,
Its not the same thing..Fish can take up minerals from the water in certain forms....Calcium and magnesium are well known in this regard....
But the form is what matters... some are soluble in water..others not so much.

but Vitamins are not the same as minerals.......though sometimes multivitamins pack the 2 together as a suppliment.. and even when they pack them together...some forms used are not in form that is soluble in water....but needs an acidic environment like a stomach or to be in the presence of oils to be absorbed.

My advice is make a homemade food mix and add some vitamin to it.

hth,
al

[cgronko]

mix it in the food!

[Eddie]

Hi Erica,
Its not the same thing..Fish can take up minerals from the water in certain forms....Calcium and magnesium are well known in this regard....
But the form is what matters... some are soluble in water..others not so much.

but Vitamins are not the same as minerals.......though sometimes multivitamins pack the 2 together as a suppliment.. and even when they pack them together...some forms used are not in form that is soluble in water....but needs an acidic environment like a stomach or to be in the presence of oils to be absorbed.

My advice is make a homemade food mix and add some vitamin to it.

hth,
al

+1

[santababe]

I have been using Childrens multi-vitamins in liquid form in my mix, I was concerned about the sugar but i do not use banana in my mix i use steamed pumpkin which i then sun-dry a bit, the fish seem to respond well to the mix but still is liquid a problem?

[Eddie]

I have been using Childrens multi-vitamins in liquid form in my mix, I was concerned about the sugar but i do not use banana in my mix i use steamed pumpkin which i then sun-dry a bit, the fish seem to respond well to the mix but still is liquid a problem?


Not at all, plenty of members use liquid vitamins, the baby type too. I used to use Centrum Liquid a while back.