Hi.. this is a sort of a silly question... but here goes.
So we have the typical freshwater aquarium fish, & we have fish flake type fish food. But after opening up a new container of fish food, within a couple of weeks it goes stale and becomes not as "crispy" and then the fish don't seem to like it. By this time the container isn't even 1/4 used up. So then I go and buy new fish food again... then after opening the new container, within a couple of weeks it goes stale again and the texture changes and it gets soggy & doesn't stay "fresh" like when you just open it. And on and on. And it just wastes money! I buy the "small" size fish food containers.... that "Wardley" or "Tetra-Min" type brands.
Do others have this problem? Am I supposed to keep the fish food in the fridge? The pet store said it's not necessary. But the fish flakes don't seem to hold up after opening and it gets soggy and the flakes starts to break down... and then the fish don't like it. I tried different brands, same thing. My Hubby keeps asking why I keep having to buy fish food all the time.
Any suggestions? It's one of those irritating things, that I keep meaning to "fix" and is wasting money, even if it's just fish food. With all the other "pet" creatures we have, and since I'm the "feeder" of the family rabbit, fish, composting earthworms, and cricket pets we have... this is something I would like "solved" so we don't have to keep buying fish food every couple weeks. LOL!
Thanks a bunch!
Thanks all for your suggestions! I didn't think I would get any replies, since my request was rather "silly" in light of other real "Mom" concerns. I appreciate it all very much!
I am going to try putting the fish food in a ziplock and then put that in a Tupperware! Shall see if that makes a difference. I am going to open up a new fish food canister... then right from the get go, try storing it this way.
Our fish tank is in the playroom, on a stand... and the fish food is kept on the shelf below it. So I will also just try and keep the fishfood else where.
Hope it helps, I'm sure it should make a difference! Don't know why I didn't think of that...! Well you all sure helped...
Try storing it in a rubbermaid container or a ziploc bag where you can squeeze out the extra air. We fed our fish the mini pellet food, brine shrimp or frozen blood worms. You can try out those options too.
Hi SH. I'm afraid a zip bag,would become a bit moist. Especially if it gets hot or humid. I'd pour it in a tupperware or rubbermaid container,and keep it in a dry place. When we had our Labrador,and would buy those big bags of dog food, it would begin going bad,about 3/4 of the way down.It would build a mold,so I began using a large tupperware for that. Oh, and diane...I had that same problem with my bread. The heat and moisture turns it moldy before you can make three peanut butter and jelly sands. lol I keep it in the frig now,and it last alot longer. It may get a bit cold,but if I want real soft bread, I just take it out a few minutes before making the sandwiches.
You didn't say where you store your fish food. If you keep it on top of the fish tank, I would move it. We have a 125 gallon tank, and kept the food on top of the lid, but little bits of water splash out from the bio wheel and the bottom of the container (being cardboard) got soggy. Also, 'soggy' food shouldn't disinterest the fish in the food, after all it gets soggy as soon as you put it in the water to feed them. I would make sure you are not feeding too much. Also (I know it sounds silly) but make sure your fingers are dry before picking up the food to feed to the fish. I know I always get a little water on my fingers when I lift the lid of the tank. If all else fails, keep the food stored in a ziploc bag. Good luck! Let us know how it goes. :-)
D.
We use TetroFin gold fish food and it seems to hold up fine. Have you tried the pellets? We use those too. The only suggestion that comes to mind for the flakes is try a zip lock bag.
I never had a problem with my fish food, but I can tell you that my bread turns moldy faster than it should if I leave it in a cabinet. It never happened when I left it on the counter, but I can't do that anymore because one of our beagles figured out how to climb up on the counter.
Anyway, my thought on the fish food is that you might want to try keeping it someplace else in the kitchen. Or completely change the container it's in. Try dumping the food into a ziplock.
