# Freeze dried food- bad?



## Srkdvmmom (Oct 19, 2011)

I have been feeding Freeze Dried bloodworms to my fish for some time. There was never any problem (luckily) since I only recently realized they should be soaked first. I have been soaking them in Nourish a few times per week.
Over this weekend my two angel fish fell ill and died. In trying to chat with my local fish store, one of the managers told me that they won't stock freeze dried foods. She said that those foods are poor quality bits which is why they are freeze dried rather than frozen. Also said they can harbor many pathogens/contaminants.
Just read my bottle of freeze dried bloodworms and found it was a product of China (San Francisco Bay brand). Does this make a difference?

<Never did figure out why my Angels died.>


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## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

From what I understand the frezze dry process removes the nutrients from the food which is why it is bad. I am not sure what the nourish stuff is that you are talking about.


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## Srkdvmmom (Oct 19, 2011)

Nourish is a Seachem product, vitamin and amino acid supplement with iodide.


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## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

Oh ok I honestly belive if you feed a good flake food alternated with a good frozen or live food your fish will be fine with out the nourish. Has any thing else changed other than the soaking of the food in the Nourish?


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

I use freeze-dried food often, without soaking. No problems.

I bet your store doesn't sell freeze dried because it's cheap... Why bother making a couple dollars when you can sell the much more expensive frozen?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Freeze dried foods are meant to be a treat and not a staple food.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Yes, I would use them as "treats" too. I rarely use them, I do have a can of FD bloodworms which the hatchetfish love, but must confess that I rarely feed this, can't remember when I last did.:roll:

It was on this forum that I learned about soaking the FD first; apparently the food expands inside the fish otherwise, and this is not so good. I won't say this killed the angelfish, but...?

There is nothing wrong with a regular diet of good quality flake/pellet foods (and sinking foods for substrate fish). A variety of types from good manufacturers (Omega One, Hikari, New Nutrition [if this is the correct name, another member mentioned it]) will provide the nutritional needs. Jack Wattley even writes that for discus this is all you need.

Byron.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

Freeze dried actually has more of the nutrients retained then frozen foods do. Most my fish won't touch the stuff though lol. All frozen, freeze-dried, and live foods should be fed occasionally, not regularly unless you are conditioning short term. There are a few exceptions like if the fish will eat nothing else. I agree with byron that a dry prepared food is the best as a staple. My fish eat the same food everyday except once a week where they get a single feeding of frozen bloodworms. A number of them spawn very regularly. 

I think New life spectrum was the other food you were thinking about. I also would like to put ken's fish food up there as a good food. Its what a lot of my fish eat.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

New Life Spectrum is supposed to be a good quality food. I feed my bettas NLS betta formula.


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## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

Mikaila31 said:


> Freeze dried actually has more of the nutrients retained then frozen foods do.


Well I didn't know that, I read some were before that the freeze dried was bad but I had never read that about the frozen foods.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Thanks Mikaila, that was the brand. I haven't tried it as no one locally carries it (so far).

And yes, frozen foods have minimal nutrition. Their "plus" is that "live food only" fish can usually be weaned onto frozen if they will not eat anything but live otherwise.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

Hay doesn't have much nutrition, but cows eat a lot of it.
Lettuce doesn't have much nutrition but a lot of folks like salad.
Frozen foods have the nutritional equivalent of their live counterparts. Again, it call comes back to a well balanced diet. Feeding should comprise many different foods to provide the most balanced varied diet.
(Just like the best water is fresh water).
Oh and freeze dried foods are very nutritious and I do not believe they swell when reconstituted so as to cause harm, although I suppose reconstitution before feeding doesn't hurt either - just as thawing frozen foods is better than just tossing the little ice cube in the tank.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

AbbeysDad said:


> Frozen foods have the nutritional equivalent of their live counterparts.


Actually they don't. When ever you take a raw product and freeze, dry, or cook it there is nutritional loss. With frozen it would be more correct to say nutrient escape. Most vitamins are not damaged by freezing, but freezing causes cells to burst. Upon thawing there is a loss of nutrients. With bloodworms for example the water is often red do to escaped fluids from the bloodworms. They are only nutritionally equivalent if everything is consumed and I doubt the fish will be able to consume the fluids. 

A good quality prepared food IS a well balanced diet in itself.....


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## Cynical Fish Guy (Feb 25, 2012)

My fish love freeze dried foods when I give them. I usually feed them FD food about twice a week, more or less. I do this because when fed properly, the colors of the fish become more brilliant. I feel that FD food has approximately the same nutritional value as the live stuff. It is just easier to store.

If you have a basic fish food (Tetra, Marineland, and not a premium food like Omega One or NLS)- FD food will really make a difference in your fish! Feed them the FD food twice a week and after that your fish colors will pop, like they have not before! Make sure you do not over feed your fish on FD, or they can get bloat-- I do caution about that. Sparingly, and mixed with flake is heathier and will yield better results and very healthy fish. FD food is great for conditioning fish too!


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