SW food for FW fish?
- Thread starter svreef
- Start date
Coral reefer
Past President
I doubt it. I think you’ll be fine
Kensington Reefer
Supporting Member
Feed them
Chromis
Supporting Member
FW and SW DO have different nutritional needs
“Marine fish typically require omega-3 fatty acids for optimal growth and health, usually in quantities ranging from 0.5-2.0 percent of the dry diet. The two major essential fatty acids of this group are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA: 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA: 22:6n-3).
Freshwater fish do not require the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids but often require an 18-carbon n-3 fatty acid, linolenic acid (18:3-n-3), in quantities ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 percent of dry diet. This fatty acid cannot be produced by freshwater fish and must be supplied in the diet. Many freshwater fish can elongate and desaturate linolenic acid using enzyme systems resulting in longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA
and DHA, which are necessary for other metabolic functions and as cellular membrane components. Marine fish typically do not possess these elongation and desaturation enzyme systems and require long- chain omega-3 fatty acids in their diets.”
However, I don’t know if fresh and saltwater fish flakes are actually different - manufacturers could meet the nutritional needs of both with one product - I checked out nutriton info for Cobalt flakes on their website since they seem to have a formulation for everything. When I compared Cichlid vs marine Omni formula I was surprised the ingredients are identical (they list them in different order though - suss!) but one has a higher guaranteed protein, although that doesn’t necessarily mean there is any difference.
So my advice is - at least check that SW flake brand also makes freshwater flakes.
“Marine fish typically require omega-3 fatty acids for optimal growth and health, usually in quantities ranging from 0.5-2.0 percent of the dry diet. The two major essential fatty acids of this group are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA: 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA: 22:6n-3).
Freshwater fish do not require the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids but often require an 18-carbon n-3 fatty acid, linolenic acid (18:3-n-3), in quantities ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 percent of dry diet. This fatty acid cannot be produced by freshwater fish and must be supplied in the diet. Many freshwater fish can elongate and desaturate linolenic acid using enzyme systems resulting in longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA
and DHA, which are necessary for other metabolic functions and as cellular membrane components. Marine fish typically do not possess these elongation and desaturation enzyme systems and require long- chain omega-3 fatty acids in their diets.”
However, I don’t know if fresh and saltwater fish flakes are actually different - manufacturers could meet the nutritional needs of both with one product - I checked out nutriton info for Cobalt flakes on their website since they seem to have a formulation for everything. When I compared Cichlid vs marine Omni formula I was surprised the ingredients are identical (they list them in different order though - suss!) but one has a higher guaranteed protein, although that doesn’t necessarily mean there is any difference.
So my advice is - at least check that SW flake brand also makes freshwater flakes.
Can you repeat the middle part...
Just kidding - thanks!
Coral reefer
Past President
Your teachers must have loved and hated you
Chromis
Supporting Member
The reason I put the whole quote in there is because I didn’t want to read it and attempt to paraphrase it lol.
Chromis
Supporting Member
But seriously I feel like I understand what Selcon is really for now, to convert FW fish food or frozen foods to be suitable for marine fish because unlike FW fish, marine fish can’t make EPA or DHA.
How to use Selcon is another question. How many drops are you all putting in your fishes food? No instructions for how much to use on the bottle at all…
How to use Selcon is another question. How many drops are you all putting in your fishes food? No instructions for how much to use on the bottle at all…
"Fatty acids are a type of molecule. Some molecules get lazy and just CTRL+C the same structure (e.g., CH2; carbon with two hydrogens) to pad their length like a high schooler trying to reach the page limit on an assignment. Some molecules that do this are in a straight line and stack well (think sheets of paper on top of each other); we call these saturated. Some are folded (think that paper folded into a V shape) and don't stack well; these are unsaturated. Freshwater fish don't need long unsaturated fatty acids, but DO need a shorter one, linolenic acid (insert fancy science about chemical structure here)."
"Unlike marine fish, which need to be spoon-fed long-chain fatty acids, freshwater fish believe in pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. Give 'em a dollar (or linoleic acid) and they'll build themselves the long-chain unsaturated fatty acids with gumption, grit, and molecular biology. This process makes some other types of fatty acids, which they need to keep living and to build cell walls (membranes)."
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
I use it with freeze dried mysis and add a little of each until I feel like the selcon is all absorbed into the fdm.