# Omega One tadpole food??



## Timbow (Aug 17, 2016)

While at the pet store this morning getting the dog food, I was browsing the fish food section and found this- Frog & Tadpole Pellets | OmegaSea®. Anyone have any thoughts/experience using them?


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## erikm (Oct 1, 2015)

I always look at ingredients. It's easy to make a decision that way.

Salmon, Halibut, *Wheat Flour*, *Rice Bran*, Shrimp, *Wheat Gluten*, *Soy Flour*

The bolded ingredients are pretty high up on the list, so I think you can definitely find a higher quality fish flake food than this. Just because it says tadpole pellets, don't fall for that!

Some other options I can recommend based on my experience are spirulina algae powder, stinging nettle powder, sera micron and Repashy soilent green.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

I echo what Erik already has stated. The higher up the list of ingredients, the larger percentage that material is of the total volume. While its good seeing salmon and shrimp up there, its not good seeing all the cheap garbage filler material so high up the list.


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## Justin Vining (Dec 30, 2016)

Sustainable Aquatics has a hatchery diet with different sizes. 
The smallest, I think, is 0.8mm. This is what they have as the ingredients list.
SUSTAINABLE AQUATICS FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS

Feed twice daily as much as your fish will consume within 1-2 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

Krill Meal
Fish Meal
Squid Meal
Wheat Gluten
Potato Starch
Fish Oil
Spirulina
Astaxanthin
Garlic Oil

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Crude Protein: 52% Min
Crude Fat: 16% Min
Crude Fiber: 2% Max
Ash: 13% Max
Moisture: 6% Max


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## MELLOWROO421 (Feb 21, 2007)

I use Omega One Freshwater Flakes as part of my tad food mix. It lists Whole Salmon, Halibut, Black Cod, Whole Herring, Whole Shrimp, Whole Krill, Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Fresh Kelp as its top ingredients. I mix this with 1 or 2 other fish foods, spirulina and tad bites and grind them all up. It has worked well for me for many years.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I used to farm live coral, so I know a bit about the fish hobby, too. 
Omega One is one of the finest quality fish FLAKES, that you can buy. I used to include Omega One flakes in my tadpole food.
Unfortunately, their PELLETS are nowhere near the same quality. In fact, I have yet to see any fish food manufacturer that offers a pellet that is anywhere near the quality of a good flake.


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## goncalo (Jun 28, 2010)

Pumilo said:


> I used to farm live coral, so I know a bit about the fish hobby, too.
> Omega One is one of the finest quality fish FLAKES, that you can buy.  I used to include Omega One flakes in my tadpole food.
> Unfortunately, their PELLETS are nowhere near the same quality. In fact, I have yet to see any fish food manufacturer that offers a pellet that is anywhere near the quality of a good flake.


so what should be a good quality food for tadpoles ?


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## neddy191 (Sep 29, 2009)

Northfin makes some great quality pellet food. I used it exclusively when I had African Cichlids. There are several places to order it online.


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

At the recommendation of a couple people I trust (fish and frog hobby)... I started using New Life Spectrum- Marine Fish Formula (1mm Sinking) back in 2015

I've had no problems with my dart frog tads on this as their primary diet since then and my glass frog tadpoles eat it too (though it's more of an occasional meal for them in rotation with their algae wafers)


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## goncalo (Jun 28, 2010)

carola1155 said:


> At the recommendation of a couple people I trust (fish and frog hobby)... I started using New Life Spectrum- Marine Fish Formula (1mm Sinking) back in 2015
> 
> I've had no problems with my dart frog tads on this as their primary diet since then and my glass frog tadpoles eat it too (though it's more of an occasional meal for them in rotation with their algae wafers)


I have been trying to get hands in new life spectrum products but no retailer here, will need to get them outside.
I have tried repashy gel mixes but its a pain to get right amounts to feed tadpoles and not the best results with ranitomeya ones as they wouldnt eat the thing quick and the water quality drops fast, i had success with big azureus, terribilis tads that consume it quick.

I stopped using powder foods too because it seemed to drop water quality fast too, right now i am using discus pellets but want to improve the quality of this pellets.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

goncalo said:


> so what should be a good quality food for tadpoles ?


I use Omega One flakes. Look back to what EricM said about finding quality foods. You want high quality, and varied, sources of protein. A fish fillet is a better ingredient than fish meal.
My personal choice is to avoid all pellet foods. Every pellet food I have checked, and I've checked more than a few, lists one to three protein ingredients, followed by wheat flour, etc.

Here are the first ingredients listed on Omega One Freshwater Flake. Whole Salmon, Halibut, Black Cod, Whole Herring , Whole Shrimp, Whole Krill.
I stop listing ingredients when I see the first filler. That's 6, different, high quality proteins.

New Life Spectrum marine pellets has a different proteins list. Whole Antarctic Krill, Whole Fish.
That's only 2 sources of protein listed before wheat flour filler comes up.

I choose my fish food/tadpole food strictly according to the quality of their ingredients.


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## goncalo (Jun 28, 2010)

Pumilo said:


> I use Omega One flakes. Look back to what EricM said about finding quality foods. You want high quality, and varied, sources of protein. A fish fillet is a better ingredient than fish meal.
> My personal choice is to avoid all pellet foods. Every pellet food I have checked, and I've checked more than a few, lists one to three protein ingredients, followed by wheat flour, etc.
> 
> Here are the first ingredients listed on Omega One Freshwater Flake. Whole Salmon, Halibut, Black Cod, Whole Herring , Whole Shrimp, Whole Krill.
> ...



I see, thanks for info. The flakes you use just like you buy or turn into powder ? I have stopped using powder foods as it seemed to decrease water quality faster.


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## goncalo (Jun 28, 2010)

Pumilo said:


> I use Omega One flakes. Look back to what EricM said about finding quality foods. You want high quality, and varied, sources of protein. A fish fillet is a better ingredient than fish meal.
> My personal choice is to avoid all pellet foods. Every pellet food I have checked, and I've checked more than a few, lists one to three protein ingredients, followed by wheat flour, etc.
> 
> Here are the first ingredients listed on Omega One Freshwater Flake. Whole Salmon, Halibut, Black Cod, Whole Herring , Whole Shrimp, Whole Krill.
> ...


Hi,

I found the omega one freshwater and used to feed my tadpoles but it turns water quality bad fast, doesnt that happen to you ?

As i questioned early do you use it as flakes or turn it into dust ?


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## Ravage (Feb 5, 2016)

I don't know if I'm completely convinced that wheat and wheat gluten are the boogeymen we make them out to be. I'm pretty sure they add them to act as a binder to make pellets that sink. This is not the same as using it as filler. Other than that, the wheaty substances are probably pretty inert. Unless the tadpoles are from Colorado and demand to be gluten free.
I think variety is good. From what I've seen, the tads will eat some of the Almond leaf and the java moss that I and many others put in their water. This is probably the most "natural" part of their diet.
I personally use the New Life Spectrum marine pellets, Flakes, spirulina from time to time (powdered, human grade), and even the dreaded Zoo Med tadpole pellets. I rotate and try to let that variety lead towards balance; I think variety is important. Most tads seem pretty omnivorous, although I know there are some that are strict vegetarians, and some are obligate egg eaters: so they are out of the tadpole food discussion altogether. None, that I've seen so far have a gluten intolerance.
While it is quite correct that the order ingredients are listed on the label are in the order of concentration. The actual ratio is not decipherable from that order. It could be: 50% Salmon, 22% krill, 5% Wheat flour, 1% wheat gluten and so on. That's definitely an exaggeration, but we don't really know without the formula. So I don't currently reject wheat out of hand, but I don't want it to be in every meal.


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## goncalo (Jun 28, 2010)

Ravage said:


> I don't know if I'm completely convinced that wheat and wheat gluten are the boogeymen we make them out to be. I'm pretty sure they add them to act as a binder to make pellets that sink. This is not the same as using it as filler. Other than that, the wheaty substances are probably pretty inert. Unless the tadpoles are from Colorado and demand to be gluten free.
> I think variety is good. From what I've seen, the tads will eat some of the Almond leaf and the java moss that I and many others put in their water. This is probably the most "natural" part of their diet.
> I personally use the New Life Spectrum marine pellets, Flakes, spirulina from time to time (powdered, human grade), and even the dreaded Zoo Med tadpole pellets. I rotate and try to let that variety lead towards balance; I think variety is important. Most tads seem pretty omnivorous, although I know there are some that are strict vegetarians, and some are obligate egg eaters: so they are out of the tadpole food discussion altogether. None, that I've seen so far have a gluten intolerance.
> While it is quite correct that the order ingredients are listed on the label are in the order of concentration. The actual ratio is not decipherable from that order. It could be: 50% Salmon, 22% krill, 5% Wheat flour, 1% wheat gluten and so on. That's definitely an exaggeration, but we don't really know without the formula. So I don't currently reject wheat out of hand, but I don't want it to be in every meal.


Dont you have problems feeding flakes ? I tried it and turns the water bad quickly specially for ranitomeya that are hard to feed the small portions they need.


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## Ravage (Feb 5, 2016)

It's true, you need to feed a very small amount. And you need to gring it to powder. But it's possible, and I haven't had any issues with it fouling the water. It and the spirulina are the least frequent feedings. Dust your finger and flick it in- a very small amount. Too much, or unground flakes just don't sink.
In my experience water that seems foul to us is often enjoyed by tadpoles. Some- like Amazon Milks, seem to thrive only in really crappy looking conditions. I'm not advocating poor treatment as "good husbandry", but brown water with a good drift of detritus seems to be a happy place for many tadpoles.


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## goncalo (Jun 28, 2010)

Ravage said:


> It's true, you need to feed a very small amount. And you need to gring it to powder. But it's possible, and I haven't had any issues with it fouling the water. It and the spirulina are the least frequent feedings. Dust your finger and flick it in- a very small amount. Too much, or unground flakes just don't sink.
> In my experience water that seems foul to us is often enjoyed by tadpoles. Some- like Amazon Milks, seem to thrive only in really crappy looking conditions. I'm not advocating poor treatment as "good husbandry", but brown water with a good drift of detritus seems to be a happy place for many tadpoles.


I see, i have been getting this problem and cant say the source of it so far. Some tadpole water turns whitish and seems to have like a cloud inside while others same treatment, same specie is just translucent. This cloudy water normally delays tadpole development.
I use 200ml containers change water twice per week aprox. 30%, use RO water remineralized with aquarium solution and still get this problem. I already changed food, tried using cattapa leaves and not use them, so far get the same problem.


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