# Fluval Vegetarian fish food flakes



## VaranusPanoptes (Sep 19, 2019)

I read that a vegetable flake is best for my Mbuna, article https://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ ... _mbuna.php, so has anyone been successful with fluval's veggie flakes? They got good ratings on Amazon and I chose flakes cause I didn't want the pellets collecting on the bottom of my tank (I know there is floating type).


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Pellets should never hit the bottom if you are feeding the right amount. The fish grab them from the surface or as they fall.

It is true a relatively low protein food is a good idea for mbuna. At 35% protein Fluval meets the criteria.

Here are the ingredients. It has some high quality ingredients like spirulina, but #3 is dried potato and #5 is wheat flour. Check out some other options. 
Ingredients
Dried spirulina algae, herring meal, dried potato, krill, wheat flour, wheat bran, dehydrated alfalfa meal, dried broccoli, dried cabbage, dried carrot, dried garlic, dried kelp, shrimp meal, dried spinach, fish oil (preserved with BHA), dried yeast, flaxseed oil, wheat germ meal, choline chloride, DL-methionine, lecithin, vitamin E supplement, inositol, citric acid (preservative), BHT (preservative), calcium L-ascorbyl-2-monophosphate, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, propyl gallate (preservative), thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, vitamin A supplement, ethoxyquin (preservative), vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement.

New Life Spectrum ingredients. #3 is wheat flour, but there are many more aquatic protein and vegetation ingredients. Look for something more like this.
Ingredients
Whole Antarctic Krill, Whole Fish, Whole Wheat Flour, Ulva Seaweed, Chlorella Algae, Beta Carotene, Spirulina, Kelp, Garlic, Alfalfa, Scallops, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Wakame Seaweed, Spinosum Seaweed, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, L-Ascorby-2-Polyphosphate (Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate and Manganese Sulfate


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

I feed my mbuna Northfin Veggie pellets. Wheat flour is at #4:

Organic Kelp, Whole Antarctic Krill Meal, High DHA Omega-3 Whole Herring Meal, Whole Sardine Meal, Wheat Flour, Spirulina, Garlic, Astaxanthin, Montmorillonite Clay, Vitamin A Acetate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Cholecalciferol, Alpha-tocopherol Acetate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Selenium, Zinc, Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus Officinalis)


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You need some grain to bind the mix, but the key is to have lots of other high quality aquatic ingredients. Northfin is good too.


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## Mudkicker1 (Aug 6, 2013)

DJRansome said:


> You need some grain to bind the mix, but the key is to have lots of other high quality aquatic ingredients. Northfin is good too.


I recently made the switch to Northfin and I can say that after 20 years in the hobby and used pretty much every food on the market that iv never seen results like with Northfin. The difference is pretty remarkable.

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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I switch between Northfin and NLS (year to year because I buy the gallon buckets). I don't see much difference. NLS has been improving it's ingredients over the years.


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## Mudkicker1 (Aug 6, 2013)

DJRansome said:


> I switch between Northfin and NLS (year to year because I buy the gallon buckets). I don't see much difference. NLS has been improving it's ingredients over the years.


I switched from NLS to Northfin because here in Canada the price of NLS has gotten ridiculous! I'm glad that I switched because I do notice a significant difference in color and they just seem stronger and in better shape. Hard to explain.

DJ do you use the Cichlid Formula or Veggie Formula?

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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Cichlid formula.

Maybe that is why you use 2mm pellets...I find the Northfin 1mm smaller than the NLS 1mm.


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## Mudkicker1 (Aug 6, 2013)

DJRansome said:


> Cichlid formula.
> 
> Maybe that is why you use 2mm pellets...I find the Northfin 1mm smaller than the NLS 1mm.


I never tried Northfin 1mm. However I find the NLS 1mm way too small I only use it for 1" - 2" fish in my grow out tanks. When I run out ill also switch to Northfin 1mm.

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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Different preferences but all good. I use the NLS 1mm exclusively for everything unless it is over 8" and blind. NLS Grow for fry under 1.5 inch. Since I don't have any 8" blind fish at the moment, I am good with the NLS 1mm.


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## Mudkicker1 (Aug 6, 2013)

DJRansome said:


> Different preferences but all good. I use the NLS 1mm exclusively for everything unless it is over 8" and blind. NLS Grow for fry under 1.5 inch. Since I don't have any 8" blind fish at the moment, I am good with the NLS 1mm.


It's funny you mention that, I know another cichlid keeper who uses only 1mm for all his fish irregardless of size. I have trouble with that, they are basically the size of poppy seeds.

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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Fishkeeper preference versus fish preference?

All the NLS users I know use the 1mm unless they keep the big haps.


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