49 replies to this topic

[mattrox]

Hi Mattrox, are you a sales person or have a vested interest in New Era? Since you seem to know quite a bit about this food, i have a few questions if i may..?1. Why does New Era have such a high Ash content? On almost every single formula the Ash content is at 20%, this is the highest i have ever seen. A reason for this would be the low starch/carb inclusion rate, the rest i assume comes from left over fish/shrimp ingredients. When one uses ingredients such as fish meal that comes from processing plant waste which is a common practice in fish feeds the end product usually has a very high Ash content, mainly due to the heads, bones and scales. If this is not the case with New Era can you please explain to me the reason what it could be?2. With a water/moisture percentage of 19% in particularly the red formula what synthetic preservatives does New Era use? New Era does not list any preservatives on their labeling, maybe you could explain how this is possible?New Era also claims to process their food with this " Revolutionary Cold pressed process". Aus government (AQIS) has specific processing/manufacturing temperature requirements for all imported dry fish foods in to our country. Either that or the food will be Gamma radiated (yes fish feeds are allowed to be gamma radiated in AUS, but not Dog and Cat foods), there are no exceptions. I have been importing for 7 years now and the regulation requirements are getting more strict by the year!! Don't be fooled folks, ask questions, specially if they would put their money where their mouth is... If you buy something (anything for that matter) for your aquarium almost everything comes with a warranty or a guarantee, so why shouldn't a fish food be any different?

I'm not a salesman, I breed fish.

New Era has a high ash content because it doesn't stuff its foods full of starch or high starch ingerdients..... infact there are no high starch ingredients of terrestrial origin. Starch can be detrimental to fish. I have had a huge debate about this with RD and do not want to get into it again.

I am not privvy to New Era's manufacturing processes because I only had the opportunity to trial the food.... A good trial too, I must say. I was generously given 3 tubs for free to evaluate, the tubs were equivalent to the NLS 300g size tub. I have given my honest evaluation on 3 forums.

I am actually excited about this food, because it represents a new way to feed fish. Honestly after feeding the Rift Lake Red, Rift Lake Green and Ageis exclusively for well over 6 weeks I am truely impressed with the results. The only financial gain was that I got the food for free to try, if it were crap food I would have just thrown it out.

But if many of the most prestigious Aquariums in the world use it, ones that employ marine scientists..... I am happy with what they do in the factory, to prepare the food to be suitale for use with Aquarium fish.
http://www.new-era-a...-new-era/europe
http://www.new-era-a...a/north-america
http://www.new-era-a...a/rest-of-world

I never said NLS was a bad food, and in fact I use it in my fish room. I have a keen interest in fish nutrition and have swallowed myths propogated by Fish Food companies, no longer do I do that. I am not a "fan boy" or anyone's lap dog. I have my own opinion and am allowed that. Pop back on over to ACE and look up past debates about feeding varied diets and I have been on the side of the fence that one food can deliver a varied diet (NLS) so there is no bias in what I am saying.New Era is a professional quality fish food.

If you want to question quality have a go at Sera Granured and Granugreen instead which have starch as the 2nd ingredient, wheat gluten as the 3rd and wheat flour as the 4th and with a rough calculation are pushing close to 40% starch. This "dilution" of ash is one of the biggest scams in the fish food industry!!!

I feel that the only reason for these questions to be asked is that New Era is a new revolution like NLS was when it came out. Therefore represents a threat to the same niche of the market that NLS occupies.

[Westie]

Waruna, you make a really good point. I certainly will always feed my fish NLS. I'm also pretty excited to read this about the new era food on Auscichlids:

Rivereef will be stocking this food hopefully early next month. Currently trialing it for store use and we have had some really impressive results. Got videos of rare butterflyfish (rated as non eaters) completely savaging the grazer disks! Most of the time we have to surrender bland pieces of coral for them to eat as they never take pellets or brineshrimp.

I hope the cichlid foods are as good. A bit of variety should be good for the fish. I swear they eat better than me..........

[waruna]

I'm not a salesman, I breed fish.

This means now or in the future you will not be buying direct from the importer?

Starch can be detrimental to fish

Then ALL fish should be DEAD, since ALL brands of fish foods contain starch!!

New Era has a high ash content because it doesn't stuff its foods full of starch or high starch ingerdients..... infact there are no high starch ingredients of terrestrial origin

Yes partly true, the rest i assume comes from left over fish meal..?!

I have had a huge debate about this with RD and do not want to get into it again.

I'll put the link to this thread so everyone can read and understand the importance of starch in fish feeds.
http://www.aceforums...w...=52806&st=0

I have no problem with brands claiming to be the best, or even finding new revolutionary ways to manufacture fish feeds. But in New Era's case this is simply not true. I'll repeat what i said in my previous reply, This so called " revolutionised cold pressed" manufacturing method is SIMPLY marketing propaganda!! It's misleading, I am very familiar with AQIS importing laws, unless you can show me an AQIS document saying they have given specific exceptions for New Era i don't believe this story, nor should members on AUS forums. I asked the managing director of New Era this myself, but he repeatedly refused to answer any of my questions, he was more concerned about how i managed to get a copy of their tech sheet! As if they intended on keeping all the technical data very secret lol.

Which reminds me you still have not answered my questions..?

I feel that the only reason for these questions to be asked is that New Era is a new revolution like NLS was when it came out. Therefore represents a threat to the same niche of the market that NLS occupies.

If this food is so good why doesn't it come with guarantees?

Pop back on over to ACE and look up past debates about feeding varied diets and I have been on the side of the fence that one food can deliver a varied diet (NLS) so there is no bias in what I am saying

I am actually excited about this food, because it represents a new way to feed fish

Again it shows how much you really understand about this food, you say you have been an advocate of feeding one food, New Era says exactly the opposite:

http://www.new-era-a.../feeding-guides

Not only they want you to buy their food, they want you to buy 3 to four 4 jars so you can feed your fish a Balanced diet!! This is no revolution, this is exactly what folks have been doing the past fifty to hundred years! But I can see how this process may seem like a new way to feed fish, buying one NLS jar to now several of New Era jars!

This is what they called a "Feeding revolution", not by me or a fellow hobbyist, TFH magazine has been in print for more than 50 years and this is the only fish food they've ever discussed at this lenght to this date:

http://nlsfishfood.c...o...2&Itemid=70

It's only fair you tell the whole story about this food, or at least warn fellow members and say "by the way even though my fish loves this new food, there are lots of unanswered questions about this food, so do your own research".

[mattrox]

Now 2 things are happening. You are twisting my words and reading from the same NLS script RD does. Just to clarify detrimental doesn't mean deadly, just means not good. Like eating too much butter is detrimental to humans. I'm not getting into an NLS vs every other brand argument here. The OP asked about something different to feed cichlids. I answered, I stand by the fact that I like this new food. It performs well. End of debate.

Most of your post is smoke screen to scare people not to use anything other than your product. People will do their own research, and jump on some UK forums to ask about the food before they try I just like I did.

Edited by mattrox, 26 February 2012 - 01:53 PM.

[mattrox]

ps
I have never criticized NLS nor said don't feed it. Nor did I say that feeding a complete diet out of one tub was the best way, just possible with NLS. I understand you and RD are salesmen and have a way with words, but do not take me out of context or bend the meaning.

[Neakit]

Im sorry i fail to see how waruna has made a smoke screen?
Questions have been asked and i see very little in answers.

[mattrox]

So what you are saying is that when a company develops something new.... they are not allowed to keep processes under wraps. The fact is I said the scientists at the major aquariums are happy with it, and they are more qualified than me and they are not concerned. Please excuse me If questions from the competition's distributor sound like a marketing exercise rather than a concern about fish health. If the major aquariums were reporting problems then I'd be concerned.

[Neakit]

I highly doubt there is anything new in the food. It will just be another brand out there that will feed your fish. Why should the content be secret unless there is less than satisfactory ingredients.

[mattrox]

I highly doubt there is anything new in the food. It will just be another brand out there that will feed your fish. Why should the content be secret unless there is less than satisfactory ingredients.

The ingerdients are listed. It is made in the UK with stringent labelling like us. I can hardly fathom that there is some conspiacy. The food has a completely different texture, feel and smell than anything I have fed fish before. All I said previously was when you get a chance try it. Its different.

[waruna]

Just to clarify detrimental doesn't mean deadly, just means not good. Like eating too much butter is detrimental to humans.

I don't need to twist your words, you make assumptions on one ingredient without fully understanding the whole process of manufacturing, or without knowing the exact inclusion rate and how this ingredient was processed etc etc. This is simply blowing up smoke! I never once said to not to use this product, all i said was to ask simple questions, as i have, including with NLS. I sell NLS and i answer every single question when asked. You are promoting this food so you should answer some of these questions, i think this is only fair.

Mattrox, this so called "revolutionised cold pressed processing" is marketing propaganda. All manufacturers try to minimise heat exposure to raw ingredients, this is basic knowledge and common sense. When i saw the New Era presentation i thought it was really funny to hear words like "cool temperature process". My knowledge is minimum on fish food processing method but i have read a fair bit on the processing method of NLS. AQIS forward all their questions to me every two years when we renew the permit to import NLS in to AUS, and Pablo sends all the answers to me so i could forward it to AQIS. They have very specific temp requirements, IF initially the product doesn't meet these requirements the manufacturers are forced to correct these issues or the product will not be allowed in to the country. AUS temp requirements are some of the highest in the world. So if a manufacturer is telling me the food is "cool cooked" all I'm going to do is laugh. Another key point is they DO NOT list any preservatives on their labels with such a high moisture content. When asked about these two simple questions the MD (Peter) refused to answer. He asked me how i got their tech sheet, which i thought was very odd, don't you?

I'm NOT saying there is a conspiracy, why don't you email New Era and ask them yourself? Don't you want to know how this food is preserved, specially if they are claiming these ingredients are cool pressed?

You can throw as many personal attacks as you want, at least i've always put my money where my mouth is.

Again all I'm saying is ask questions and do your own research.

[Chilli Powder]

Firstly, I must apologise to Kylie for the hijacking of her thread. it was a simple question and thanks to Waruna's insecurities it has now deviated into something spectacular. No one is saying that NLS is a bad food OR not to buy it or use it, Mattrox just offered an alternative like the others who suggested Ocean Nutrition. So get over it. Your comments about Mattrox was totally unnecessary and not warranted. You owe him an apology! I also have no intentions nor urge to debate/defend any of your comments or questions.

Secondly, the main reason why the MD of New Era didn't respond to you is perhaps because you used a fake name, address, business name and false intentions of stocking his product at an imaginary establishment to try and coax him into giving you information. He has no intention of dealing with people like you, who you ironically think has no integrity. He would have gladly explained the mindset behind the process of creating their food but obviously your stunt didn't go the way you wanted.. The process is actually low-temperature and not cold. That's why it passes the AQIS requirements.

New-Era is simply a high quality alternative food that is new to the Australian market. They focus heavily on Marines and they recommend two types of food, their staple diet and the immune booster. There are no multiple products. They used to have three foods recommended in the feeding regime but they simply removed the two different immune boosters and created just one.

New Era Aquaculture have professional clients all over the world and their aim is to replace the wet-fish diet used by these aquariums and replace with New-Era pellets. All these professional institutions use full time vets and marine biologists and one would think that they know the level of nutritional value needed to keep fish in a public/display aquariums in good health and ensure the water quality is optimum and not polluted by unabsorbed nutrients from the food intake. The technical team at New-Era work very closely with all of these marine biologists and vets and they are continually looking at ways to evolve and develop new revolutionary things. Sorry about the motherhood statements but details are on their website.

Just so that people are well informed, the high quality ingredients used by New-Era are sourced from Norway, Denmark, Italy, France, Germany and Ireland.

Again, my apologies for the thread going sideways! Great publicity for New-Era though

Edited by Chilli Powder, 26 February 2012 - 08:09 PM.

[waruna]

LOL. Peter was very forthcoming about you, but not so much with my questions.. It did go to plan by the way, i found out about you didn't i?!

Let's stick to the subject, fish food.. Since you are the importer of this food you will be able to clarify these simple questions:

1. After looking over the specs on New Era line of food, could you please inform me as to the reason for having such a high percentage of ash content in most of your formulas? I have never come across a premium fish food which contains 20% Ash. While I understand that lower overall starch levels will push the ash percentage up slightly, the only possible explanation I can think of for such high overall ash content is the use of left over/processing plant waste such as head/scales/bones when one utilizes generic fish meal, generic shrimp meal, etc. Is this the reason? If not please advise.

2. Algae is listed last (below Vitamin, mineral, and fish oil) on your Algae flakes, Algae pellets, and Alage grazing log, does this mean that the actual algae percentage is likely to be less than 1-2%? I was a bit confused as to why these formulas are marketed as "algae" foods, when it appears that very little algae is actually being used?

3. New Era states that the shelf life of their food is 2 years. With water content being as high as 20-24% in some of the formulas could you please advise as to what preservatives are used (such as ethoxyquin etc) that allows what is essentially a soft and moist food to remain stable for up to 2 years?

4. I am quite familiar with Australian quarantine import laws and regulations, we have specific temperature requirements on processed fish feeds. Can you please supply me with the information on your "Cold Pressed" manufacturing method? Perhaps minimum temperature levels at preconditioning, extrusion and drying?

Thanks in advance.

[sandgroper]

All company's talk up there products, all you can do is try a small sample and make ones own mind up. If you like the product then keep using it, if you think it's crap then don't. The marketing spin of a product is short lived if the product your flogging is no good, then it's the peoples buying power that will have the final say.

[RD.]

I'm not sure why my name keeps coming up in this discussion, but seeing as it has, please allow me to offer my Canadian 2 cents worth.

And just for the record, the only script that I read from, mattrox, is my own. I've been in this game a long time, and I don't base my comments on a couple of google searches, or research derived from a few feed trials involving cold water species such as trout.


One of the common misconceptions in this hobby is that raw always trumps cooked, in the case of feeding fish that simply isn't true. Most carbs/starches are more easily assimilated by fish if they are processed (heated) first. Yes some vitamins are lost in the process, but certainly not all, and vitamins & minerals can be made up else where. With regards to carbs derived from terrestrial sources, cooking those raw ingredients (such as running them through an extruder) also reduces most of the anti-nutritional matter found in these types of ingredients.



Kylie brought up green peas earlier in this discussion, and using peas as an example, many people believe that raw peas are a great food source for fish, yet that couldn't be further from the truth. Fresh/canned peas are a very poor source of nutrition for fish.

Peas must be processed/cooked first, as they contain anti-nutritional matter, such as tannins, protease inhibitors, saponins, cyanogens, and phytic acid, which when consumed in excess these substances can have a very negative effect on the growth & overall health of fish.

Also, the anti-nutritional factors found in peas can vary greatly from crop to crop & season to season. Something as simple as dry weather, or a cold spell, can push tannin levels up drastically.

The heat from processing will reduce most of this anti nutritional matter, but even then most fish can only digest & assimilate so much plant matter, carnivores/piscivores much less than herbivores. All of this has been well documented in commercial aquaculture for many years.



With regards to carbs/starch as a whole - anyone that took the time to read the info that I posted in the link that Waruna previously supplied can clearly see that this is not a simplistic subject.


I do not know of a single species of fish (marine or freshwater) that have been studied for dietary requirements that has not demonstrated the ability to produce natural enzymes such as amylase that allows them to break down, assimilate, and utilize carbs/starch in their diet, including those derived from terrestrial grains. While it is true that most species of fish do not use carbohydrates very efficiently, carbs do in fact help synthesize both lipids & protein, and can play a positive role in the growth & overall health of a fish.

There is no question that some manufacturers get carried away with these types of ingredients as carbohydrate can be utilized as a lower cost source of energy, and protein, but this does not equate to these types of ingredients having zero nutritional matter, or necessarily being detrimental to a fishes health. As long as their inclusion rate is limited, there is no major negative. Would I feed a food that is *loaded* with starch/carbs, absolutely not, no matter if their origin was aquatic based, or terrestrial based, fresh/frozen, or cooked.

It all boils down to inclusion rates. Sometimes even too much of a good thing, can become a negative. This even holds true with certain vitamins. Even an essential nutrient such as Vitamin A can become a negative, and cause toxicity to a fish if too high of an inclusion rate is used. It's all about balance.

Obviously not all fish food is created equally with regards to overall inclusion rates OR quality of raw ingredients, nutrient value, digestibility, etc, any more than are dog foods, cat foods, bird foods, etc. .

"This "dilution" of ash is one of the biggest scams in the fish food industry!!!"

As I explained to you in a past discussion, most countries do not even require ash content to be listed on a fish food label, so exactly how does this become a scam? If a company is concerned about their ash content being considered a major negative by consumers, they can simply leave it off of the label. End of problem.

Do you still not get it, mattrox?

Some of the major fish food companies do not even list the ash content of their food, as by law they are not required to do so. They don't need to spend extra money on starch to hide their ash content. lol

Using your logic one could say that New Era is running a scam by using such a high moisture content in their food, 2-3 times the amount that many fish food manufacturers use, thereby reducing the ash content on their label.

Do I think that's what they are attempting to do? No, but that extra water content does in fact push the rest of the numbers down, including ash content. Water adds volume, but has zero nutrient value to a fish. Compare the nutrient analysis of a pack of frozen blood worms, to the same companies freeze dried blood worms, and it will become crystal clear how water content can have a major effect on the nutrient analysis of a food. Ditto to some of the commercial gel fish foods that contain 85% water when reconstituted.

When high inclusion rates of starch are utilized in a food, it's done to save feed costs on commercial aquatic farms (feed is the main cost for most commercial farms), and overall production costs by some manufacturers. End of story.

Outside of someone's vivid imagination there is no "ash scam" taking place.


For myself, personally, I'm just as interested in the type of starch used in a fish feed, as I am the inclusion rate.

From the NE tech sheets I couldn't help but notice that they don't list the actual ingredient/s used that make up their carbs, but simply a list a very generic "starch". Hmmmmm. Carbohydrate inclusion levels are listed as approx. 15-20% across the board in their products, but exactly what their mystery "starch" ingredient is, apparently is anyones guess? I suppose that just like when a generic fish meal is used, this could mean that the actual type of starch, as well as the source for that mystery starch, could change on a regular basis depending on current market prices for these various raw ingredients. I have noticed a recent trend in this type of labeling, where generic names are used for various ingredients. Make of that what you will.

While NE appears on the surface to be a decent product, I'm not sure how it is in any way revolutionary? lol
Because it has enough moisture content to allow one to squeeze it into a ball?

Soft & moist pellet feed has been around for a long time, at least here in North America. They use the exact same raw ingredients found in other commercial fish foods, fish meal, shrimp, squid, algae, "starch", vitamins, etc. They only real difference is they add extra water to their formulas.

While some fish will definitely find moist foods more palatable, increased palatability doesn't necessarily equate to being more nutrient dense, anymore than it is when children choose chocolate cake and ice cream over a freshly tossed seafood salad.

Cheers!

[mattrox]

I guess that I see a food pushing 40% starch (as a whole not a single ingredient) but then claiming to be low ash and therefore a quality food as a scam.

The studies I have read are not just based on cold water species. I know have used them as an example, and it is not false logic that if starch can impact on fish health in one species it certainly can in others. In trails of 'poor' quality aquacultre feeds I repeadly notice that removing an amount starch and adding a small amount of another ingredient, eg yeast, spirulina, even pulped and fermented pineapple peel all improve fish health in one way or another weather it is better immune responses or higher feed conversion ratios. Again, I'm talking about the whole biochemical nutrient profile not a specific ingredient or its inclusion rate. I also must add I have a marine and freshwater biology major and organic chemistry minor so do know how to read a scientific paper, analyse results and draw conclusions. I process the information I read, and think about it considerably. I don't just read one thing and run around in circles like a headless chook.

I also know that different species have different tolerances for blood glucose levels and digestibilities of starch. However, I am wary of high starch because any trail on an aquatultre species is looking at short term outcomes because the fish will be killed in short order for human consumption. The long term effects are unknown, but I'm not willing to find out on my fish. I feel that foods high in overall starch are unneccesary and do provide a reason to be wary. "Don't be fooled starch is bad" would be an alarmist way to write it, but I have only really stated that excessive starch can cause problems and there is cause to carefully look at the overall nutrient profile.

Never have I said NLS was a bad food, but I am wary of overall starch contents in foods in general. My specific reference in this thread was that Waruna way overreacted to my opinion of a food and proceeded to rubbish anything I said. Hence, my reference to another brand.... If Waruna wants to crusade against low quality foods, there are plenty to target. In addition he has taken my words out of context and rephrased them. On top he has asked some misleading questions and added his own implied accusations, thinly veiled. Its akin to asking how a mobile phone is manufactured, works and possible health hazards to a person who has given a good review.

I welcome your input RD because your experience is invaluable and allows a different perspective. Maybe it sounded like a script, because Waruna used words, from memory, that sounded almost identical to yours.

My opinion was just that, I saw my fish in tip top condition after 6 weeks on New Era. Therefore my opinion is that it was a good food and 'something different' to feed fish.

Waruna's comment 'don't be fooled' is unwarranted and a personal attack as I was not attempting to fool anyone. The comment about passing quarantine etc is also irrelevant, clearly the paperwork was all in order, the food passed customs, was sent to me, I used it and have a good opinion of it. I must add I also did not notice any pollution or waste issues as a result of high ash.... Go figure, I was actually expecting to do more frequent water changes.

I only know as much about this food as the brochures, the ingredients and what other users have said. That is about the same amount I know about NLS as a brand, and from the same sources, I'm sure if I just said 'I like Thera A' which I do, then Waruna would not have batted an eyelid. But I want to use New Era again after using it.

The high water content may dilute percentages of different ingredients. But I did my homework and asked other New Era users about how they found the food. And this well before the offer to trial the food in my fish room. After a good 6 weeks, I have seen good results, yes they are anecdotal and subjective, but no more so than any results from taking the 'NLS challenge'.

[RD.]

Certainly we are in agreement that excessive starch content is not desirable in a fish food. I have been crusading that cause since Al Gore invented the internet, just as I have against fish foods that are high in crude fat content. Both can have a very negative effect on the long term health of a fish. And of course, all manufacturers claim their food is high quality, even those that utilize low quality raw ingredients. That certainly isn't just limited to those foods that have a high starch content.


Ash content has been used for decades as one of the benchmarks in the quality of a feed because typically high ash content equates to low quality fish meal, shrimp meal, etc. In the case of fish meal, this equates to excessive calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. (from the bones and scales) You aren't going to notice this type of excess mineral "pollution" with the naked eye, but over time it will encourge algae growth, which is something that most hobbyists do their best to avoid, certainly if one keeps non algae eating fish.

And just like adding excess water to a formula, excess ash content reduces the nutrient density and digestibility of other ingredients in the diet. When one sees a lower quality fish meal being used (the main source of protein in most fish foods) it is often also followed by other lower quality ingredients. Not many manufacturers skimp on their main protein source, but then go out of their way to pay top dollar for the rest of their raw ingredients. Make sense?

This doesn't equate to any food with a low ash content getting a free pass, but at the same time it also doesn't mean that one should simply dismiss the ash content in a food, even IF the starch level is within reasonable limits. It all factors into the big equation.

It's for this same reason that I question ingredients where generic terms are used, such as "fibre" and "starch". While I understand the need to protect certain proprietary information, I also understand how this business works, and in most cases there is no need to hide behind ambiguous terms or names on labels, at least not in the case of the main components of the food. Fibre & Starch are listed by order of weight as the 3rd & 4th ingredients in some of their freshwater formulas. Being the sceptic that you are, and there's nothing wrong with that (I'm probably the biggest sceptic out there), aren't you curious as to exactly what these ingredients are?


While I can't speak about the Australian quarantine import laws and regulations, or specific temperature requirements on processed fish feeds, IMO the other 3 questions posted by Waruna were very fair ones, and questions that any manufacturer or rep should be able to answer in an open and honest manner. Those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.


I couldn't help but notice that Chilli Powder, a rep/supplier of this "new" food was quick to point out the various countries where NE sources all of their "high quality ingredients", but refused to answer what I felt were some pretty straightforward questions regarding some of these ingredients, and the main components of some of these formulas.

Again, NE seems like a decent product, and with 20 kg containers it was certainly marketed for public aquarium use, so there is no surprise that a public aquarium would gladly accept free trials, and most likely a greatly discounted price on any decent commercial food. Free food is always good. The reality is that outside of commercial feed mills, that produce generic commercial food, no other manufacturer of fish food markets all of their products in 20kg containers such as NE does, or anything even remotely close to that. Unlike most hobbyists, public aquariums also do not have the same potential water quality issues, as most of their systems are on a 24/7 constant flush/drip system, not a once a week 25-50% water change via a garden hose.


Almost every time a new food lands here in Canada, the owner sends a massive FREE trial to the Vancouver Aquarium, a large public aquarium that for anyone who has lived here for more than a few minutes will recognize as being a world class facility. Great advertising tool for the manufacturer. If the food is decent quality, and the price is right, they will also consider using it as part of their regular feeding regimen. That doesn't mean that they stop feeding live/frozen, or that other foods aren't being used as well, including other pellet foods.

Many of the more prestigious public aquariums here in North America have been feeding a certain commercial pellet food for many years, including some of the same public aquariums that are currently trialing NE. Imagine that! The ironic part is that this hasn't even been deemed worthy of mentioning in public (or advertising) by this manufacturer as he has never actively seeked out those types of accounts, nor felt the need to brag about any of them.

Edited by RD., 29 February 2012 - 04:22 AM.

[waruna]

On top he has asked some misleading questions and added his own implied accusations, thinly veiled. Its akin to asking how a mobile phone is manufactured, works and possible health hazards to a person who has given a good review.

I welcome your input RD because your experience is invaluable and allows a different perspective. Maybe it sounded like a script, because Waruna used words, from memory, that sounded almost identical to yours.

mattrox, it is a bit hard to stay on topic with you.. I'll clarify two things.. First, what i know and have learnt it is all thanks to Neil and Pablo. Yes it is true when in doubt i contact both for their advice. If you do a simple search on this forum you will find Neil's name mentioned and given credit to on numerous occasions. I don't see how this should stop anyone from answering simple questions on a particular food.

I knew you got the food for free from the importer, and you are trying to be the good friend by giving it a plug, no worries there, but it would have been nice for all of us to know this before hand.. And take the time to try and answer a question or two or at least have the importer answer these.

The process is actually low-temperature and not cold.

Have a look at the video below, NE corporate video, at 49 seconds the exact word NE uses is "cool temperature", this is what i'm talking about, this is what is misleading!! Again when put on the spot the importer of NE refuses to admit what NE is claiming, to me "cool pressed" sounds even worst than "cold pressed".



Bit of background info on NE:
http://www.thebusine...fish-food.html#

I highly doubt these big investors give a flying flip about what actually goes in to the final product, they want to see a return on their investment!, period!

Try the food, DYOR!

[mattrox]

The topic is actually what different things to feed cichlids. I did not start casting aspersions about ones motives or fishing for information about how a lowly fishkeeper got to trail New Era.

I am sure your questions will come out in due course, but you have launched an attack with such ferocity that it is clear your bias as a distributor is on full display. If it were solely a out of concern then every brand would get equal treatment. I was pointing this fact out before, but needed to give some background to it. I never accused NLS of dirty tricks. Unlike you fireing unfounded accusations. If there were hard evidence that New Era was bad for fish and people needed to be warned off it, hobbyists in the UK would already be doing it. So far all I see is the distributor of one brand bad mouthing an opposing brand.

But this doesn't change my opinion of this"New" brand. My fish did well. Asking me technical questions specific to most brands will go unanswered. Do I look like I'm Eddie McGuire with all the answers to your questions? I'm a hobbyist, so me not having your precious answers is to be expected. I understand you are defending your product.... But no one attacked it.

I am not writing anymore on this severly hijacked thread. My apologies to Kylie too, not for my suggestion, but for being baited into a debate.

[Westie]

Hi Kylie,
I'll be feeding my fish NLS & New Era from now on, as they both seem to be good foods.
Thanks to all in this thread for the information provided on foods.
Now who wants a group hug?

[Melvin]

G'day Kylie,

I use New Life Spectrum and Sera Flora. I use more Sera Flora because my fish consume it quicker.

Cheers.