Color Feeding

[Jeff]

I just thought it would be interesting to see what people do.

[Carol_Roberts]

Many of the good quality flakes and bits have color enhancers. I see nothing wrong with bringing out the natural colors by feeding foods containing extra pigment.

You should see the colors of my outdoor Koi and goldfish from eating pond algea. Color feeding is merely packaging it in dried form.

[wo]

Hi:

I do add some krill shrimp in the hamburger for dialy feeding.

[daninthesand]

I don't colour feed. Mostly because if I decide to sell any fish, I think it would be misleading....JMO.

[Tony]

feeding tetra colour bit is colour feeding right?

[dm]

Thats right Tony. Good stuff too.

[Ryan]

I think if you're honest with potential buyers and tell them that your fish get color-enhancing flakes or pellets as part of your feeding regimen that it's not being misleading. After all, what you feed your fish is up to you, not your customer. If people don't want to buy your fish because of it, that's their choice. I do understand your point, though.

I personally use Tetra ColorBits with my fish as well as Hikari discus red pellets... not because I think they need to color up, but because I like the fish to have dried foods in their diet and these are the ones that I'd heard good reviews about from other hobbyists (and the fish like them, too).

Ryan

[daninthesand]

Ryan.

I guess I've bought fish that were nicely coloured and found that they faded after I had them a while. Then later found out they were colour fed. I figure you should not have to ask the breeder if they use colour enhancing feeds. They should openly tell you that before you purchase. In fact it should say clearly on the home page of their website!

Othewise they should not use them. Natural or not...its still sort of "false advertising".

I don't use them by choice. But perhaps I'll try using them for fun for my own fish. I don't see the point in trying to breed discus and maybe trying to achieve red for example by selective breeding processes only to colour feed later. Seems a big waste of effort to me.

Heck, I'm no breeder by any stretch of the imagination, but in my view there is something inherently dishonest in that practise.

just my 1 cent... ;D

[Jeff]

The truth is almost everything you feed your fish that is prepackaged is color feeding. There are a few exceptions.

So then the question is how much are you color feeding? Something as simple as Tetra ColorBits http://tetra-fish.com/ or to the other extreme of natural color enhancers Naturose http://www.cyanotech.com/html/asta/natu/naturose.html that you can add to your own mix.

The only reason I bring this to your attention is every day I’m asked if I color feed. The answer is yes. I do color feed, but do not use hormones. Actually now that you see what color feeding is you are also probably color feeding and may not have realized it.

I have used Naturose in the past, but seldom use it now. It gives great results, but is very messy and pollutes the water fast. With a good diet of other products I think I can get by without it. Some of the reds do not get as red, but that is fine with me. Anyone can add that to the diet anytime in the future if they desire a brighter red and get the same results.

[daninthesand]

Yes, Jeff I see your point. If you look at it that way I suppose there are different degrees of color feeding. "Color feeding" to me implies specifically feeding certain foods or additives to your fish that are intended to bring out colours. Astaxanthin is more the line I am thinking. Tetra "colour bits" by the mere title implies colour feeding in my mind as well. I guess if you intentionaly feed large amounts of shrimp (I hear it is a red enhancer ???) to achieve redder fish then you could argue either way I guess.

I suppose for clarity you could talk to the breeder you are buying fish from and say to them" I feed this and this" will my fish stay as red as they are in your tanks?" (I am not suggesting here (btw) that only FOODS will affect the color of the fish, but that's a topic for another thread.)

Daniel

[Jeff]

Daniel,

I agree 100%. 1 more question to ask before buying fish. Actually I agree with what you say and that is another reason I don't feed Naturose. I know most people don't and wouldn't be able to maintain that color intensity. But it is easy enough to achieve if someone wants it.

[carman]

hi Jeff

I really want to do color feeding for my dicuss but they simply won't take any. I have to clean the tank every time I try to color feed. what's wrong here.? do you have tips to train them?

I also learn that most breeders feed worm, shirmp... is that true?

carman

[Jeff]

Yes you can grind up shrimp and salmon like a beef heart mix. Freeze and feed.

If they do not accept the food try feeding first thing in the morning. You may have to starve them a day, but they should eat it.