Storing Dry Fish Food

Who among us would snack from a bag of potato chips after it's been
sitting open in the cabinet for a couple of weeks? Probably, and
hopefully, nobody. And yet, how many of of would give a second thought
to feeding our prized fishes from a can of flakes we opened weeks,
months. or even a year ago?

Just like human food, fish food changes over time as it is exposed to
air, heat and light. At worst, the food can grow bacteria. mold and
fungus that may result in food poisoning. At best, it becomes stale
and loses flavor, and fish that once ate with gusto now pick around
looking for the "best" flakes. And even if the fish continue to eat
well, many of the nutrients - especially vitamins - may have been lost
long ago. Here are some basic suggestions:

Buy foods that are well packaged to begin with. Thin, poorly sealed
plastic bags may already be nearing the end of their shelf life when
purchased, and should be used very promptly. Foods packed in
well-sealed cans or jars, and especially those that are vacuum or
nitrogen packed have a much longer shelf life.

Don't buy more than you will use in a month or two. Some hobbyists
like to "stock up" with a big can of fish flakes to take advantage of
the savings over the price of multiple smaller cans. But how much are
we really saving if we lose the nutritional value of our foods by
storing them improperly or for too long a period?

If you buy a fairly large can of food, re-fill a smaller container,
then seal the large container and keep it in the freezer until the
next re-filling is needed. Vitamin loss is much slower at lower
temperatures.

Store opened cans properly. The worst possible method would be to
leave an open can of food sitting on top of the fish tank - possibly
the warmest, dampest place in the house! Fish food containers should
be sealed after each use; cans should have their cover screwed back on
tightly, and bags should be closed with a rubber band or twist-tie.
The sealed container should then be stored in as cool and dry a place
as practical.

Refortify older foods. A few drops of liquid fish vitamins may be
added to a portion of dry food immediately before feeding, and will
greatly improve the nutritional value of foods that have ben stored
but are not yet spoiled.

Discard any suspect food. No one likes waste, of either food or the
money paid for it. But the alternatives - either poor quality fish due
to inadequate nourishment, or even loss of fish to food poisoning or
malnutrition - are even more costly in the long run.



Submitted by: Jim Kostich
"Tip of the week" appeared regularly in 1999 and 2000.

Copyright © 1998 Aquatics Unlimited
All rights reserved.






































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