Post by Carl on Nov 15, 2018 14:54:05 GMT -5
I have updated this article:
Spirulina Algae; Health Benefits for Tropical, Marine & Goldfish
Here is an excerpt:
""SPIRULINA AS A FISH FOOD;
It is possible to have a staple fish food that has spirulina algae as a major ingredient and be an effective diet for most fish.
Even carnivores can benefit by feeding spirulina based flakes to feeder fish before feeding as most carnivores in the wild obtain many nutrients from the intestinal tract of the fish they consume.
The key aspect is that too much Spirulina in the diet/fish food will cause the fish' immune system to go on over drive and add stress, while too little will not provide the benefits that Spirulina algae can provide.
This is why 20% works as the "magic number" in a fish food, which most if not all fish foods containing spirulina seem to miss, unlike AAP Spirulina 20.
What is important to note is that most commercial fish foods that call themselves Spirulina Flakes (Spirulina 20 the exception) have spirulina quite far down on their lists of ingredients (Tetra in particular). You need a food that is 10-20% spirulina to obtain these benefits, but not more than 20% either as noted earlier.
Even some of the so-called quality brands of fish food that are often recommended (such as Omega) do NOT have Spirulina at an optimum level, so beware!
Product Resource: Spirulina 20 from AAP
Along with adequate calcium and magnesium in the water (especially for marine organisms), Spirulina helps insure proper electrolyte function, calcium levels over calcium and other minerals that are added to fish food as an after thought to make up for poor quality ingredients.
Further Reference: Aquarium Chemistry; Including Calcium & Magnesium
The one negative with Spirulina is often many fish do not like the "taste". However in an optimum formula of between 10- 20% along with otherwise highly palatable ingredients such as Whole Menhaden Fish Meal, acceptance is 99% of the time quite good. I have even had carnivores such as Oscars eat foods with optimum Spirulina levels.""
Carl
Spirulina Algae; Health Benefits for Tropical, Marine & Goldfish
Here is an excerpt:
""SPIRULINA AS A FISH FOOD;
It is possible to have a staple fish food that has spirulina algae as a major ingredient and be an effective diet for most fish.
Even carnivores can benefit by feeding spirulina based flakes to feeder fish before feeding as most carnivores in the wild obtain many nutrients from the intestinal tract of the fish they consume.
The key aspect is that too much Spirulina in the diet/fish food will cause the fish' immune system to go on over drive and add stress, while too little will not provide the benefits that Spirulina algae can provide.
This is why 20% works as the "magic number" in a fish food, which most if not all fish foods containing spirulina seem to miss, unlike AAP Spirulina 20.
What is important to note is that most commercial fish foods that call themselves Spirulina Flakes (Spirulina 20 the exception) have spirulina quite far down on their lists of ingredients (Tetra in particular). You need a food that is 10-20% spirulina to obtain these benefits, but not more than 20% either as noted earlier.
Even some of the so-called quality brands of fish food that are often recommended (such as Omega) do NOT have Spirulina at an optimum level, so beware!
Product Resource: Spirulina 20 from AAP
Along with adequate calcium and magnesium in the water (especially for marine organisms), Spirulina helps insure proper electrolyte function, calcium levels over calcium and other minerals that are added to fish food as an after thought to make up for poor quality ingredients.
Further Reference: Aquarium Chemistry; Including Calcium & Magnesium
The one negative with Spirulina is often many fish do not like the "taste". However in an optimum formula of between 10- 20% along with otherwise highly palatable ingredients such as Whole Menhaden Fish Meal, acceptance is 99% of the time quite good. I have even had carnivores such as Oscars eat foods with optimum Spirulina levels.""
Carl
