Are NLS foods really that good?

[RD.]

Hey Sandy, just for you.

Again, the photos of my fish shown below were taken with a rather low budget camera (Canon SureShot A520) so I apologize for the quality. The photos with copyrights on them were taken by hobbyists that obviously have much better cameras, than I.

Here's a pic of my Taiwan Reef's father, who was also raised on an exclsuive diet of NLS from approx 3 months up. (when he was originally purchased) Personally I think that my male is nicer.

Some Tropheus sp. "black" pemba that eat NLS exclusively.

Have you ever seen any P. marginatus in OZ?

Beautiful fish, and again, raised on an exclsuive diet of NLS.

One of my female yellow labs that as you can see is currently holding.

Also raised on 100% NLS.

My Protomelas taeniolatus that was raised on 100% NLS.

My male C. azureus that's now pushing 2 years of age, and also raised on an exclusive diet of NLS.

An N. venustus male that was raised on NLS.

My juvie male S. fryeri that was approx 8 cm from tip to tip when this photo was taken, and again raised on an exclusive diet of NLS.

A wild caught Petrochromis sp. Blue Giant that eats NLS exclusively.

And last but not least, a young bonded pair of Severum that were also raised on an exclusive diet of NLS.

Approx 15-16 cm when this pic was taken, and they eat the 3mm Large Fish formula.

So when some people state things such as

NLS is definately not the ideal diet for ANY fish, nor should be exclusively fed... I disagree with it being a matter of seeing it to believe it.

..... my only response to that is, now that you've seen it, do you believe it?

Personally I've never been happier with the overall health & color of my fish since going with NLS exclusively.

[sandy001]

[CThompson]

NLS is definately not the ideal diet for ANY fish, nor should be exclusively fed... I disagree with it being a matter of seeing it to believe it. But rather, if you believe in, you will see it!!

NLS is agressively advertised and many consumers are lead to believe in its promotions.

taybelz – if you start running now, you might catch up….quick quick, faster than that.

If anything NLS is not advertised.

You will see RD posting, and users giving positive comments. How many other aquarium products are there that SO MANY people will spend there own time promoting ?

If you had a mate who spoke well of a product directly to you, it's called "word of mouth". What you hear mostly on these internet sites, which you obviously "cover your ears" too, is word of mouth advertising.

RD is giving factual information; just because he sells it doesn’t mean he is not honest in his comments.

I know for a fact that the wholesaler for NLS in Australia, has problems getting any sort of advertising material out of Pablo. And had to encourage him to allow some posters to be made up depicting that big marine tank, so he could give them to shops – who I’m informed had been asking for some sort of advertising material (feel free to correct me Waruna if I’ve got this wrong).

Craig

[Nigel]

I don't know how relevant putting photos up is. I can put up 100s of photos of fish never feed on NLS and they look just as good if not better than the ones Neil has posted. Also all you have to do is look in the photography forum I am sure some of the excellent photos in there are of fish that are NOT feed on NLS.

[CThompson]

They were not orange before, they are now. And they are all the same tone.

I would be asking questions about this quote me thinks.

For many years I have been dissatisfied with the standard aquarium dry food. I have always questioned how some of the leading brands of vegetarian flakes could have meat (“derivatives”) as their first ingredient. For example, I have kept all my big buckets of Sera Flora (they’re handy), and not only have they consistently shown meat as their first ingredient, for the last year or so of my use, they kept on changing their posted ingredients list. They are selling a vegetarian food, marketed and advertised as food for vegetarian food, and they have meat as its first ingredient? The last container or so if I remember correctly, had moved meat off the first ingredient, it was 2nd or 3rd.

Sera Vipan used to turn my water brown from its colorants.

I have previously stated, a number of times, that I have never seen a colour improvement in my fish. I have always thought that this was because I had my fish showing their best colours anyway (home made and live foods).

I don't buy many new fish, ask people who know me and I'm sure they'll agree, I tend to have my fish species for years without change. So for me the colour issue was a non-event, but I have always spoken positively about NLS because I have confidence in what is said about it (from people such as RD) and from what I learned about Pablo from TFH articles. From a dietary point of view, the internal health of my fish has priority over their colour anyway.

However, I recently sold my multifasciatus colony (as a lot of people may know), which allowed me to move fish around and made space to purchase a new species, which was the Msobo. I actually made a comment (off-line) to a fish friend how nice it was to have a new species, and that it had really re-sparked my interest in fish (not that it ever really flags).

So I bought new fish, and even though they were very pretty (females), they were not the colour I understood them to be. I had conversation with a person with the same fish, and enquired about the colour of his fish, so knew that mine weren’t showing their best colour. As about a month went by, I noticed a colour change. Before they were a light peachy sort of colour - now they are a dark peach/orange colour.

There are no questions to be asked Nigel, do you doubt my honesty?

If you hate all this internet chat about NLS, why do you keep reading? Do you have another agenda?

Craig

[RD.]

I don't know how relevant putting photos up is.

It goes to prove that fish classified as omnivores, herbivores, and carnivores can all thrive on an exclusive diet of NLS, and NLS alone, which is something yourself (and a few others) have stated that no fish keeper should be doing.

HTH

[Nigel]

There are no questions to be asked Nigel, do you doubt my honesty?

If you hate all this internet chat about NLS, why do you keep reading? Do you have another agenda?

Craig

Thats a bit harsh Craig am I not allowed to have an opinion or is this thread just for people that want praise NLS.

[Pacco]

As I've said before, this industry is very opinion based and what works for some may not work for you. However, I think it is very safe to say if 90-95%+ of people who use NLS exclusively or near exclusively are happy with the results in terms of health and colour, then there is an extremely strong chance that people who decide to change to it are going to be just as happy.

[JLL]

Now I have never met Nigel (that I know of) but it seems he likes to get the odd bite

I see him dangling a line all baited up with lovely NLS and some people love it so much that they just cant resist it (like their fish apparently) and have to take the bait every time.

Do you like to fish Nigel??????

[Nigel]

Now I have never met Nigel (that I know of) but it seems he likes to get the odd bite

I see him dangling a line all baited up with lovely NLS and some people love it so much that they just cant resist it (like their fish apparently) and have to take the bait every time.

Do you like to fish Nigel??????

I am not a fisher man mate but its not hard to bait these buggers so I am thinking of taking it up.

[CThompson]

There are no questions to be asked Nigel, do you doubt my honesty?

If you hate all this internet chat about NLS, why do you keep reading? Do you have another agenda?

Craig

Thats a bit harsh Craig am I not allowed to have an opinion or is this thread just for people that want praise NLS.

Sorry if that sounded a bit harsh Nigel, but what gets me with the overwhelming number of positive comments that people make such as myself, and others who are much better versed in fish nutrition than me or you such as RD, that your stance has not changed a bit.

You are very welcome to have a differing view point, but if one of the things that gets you is all the internet chatter (words to that effect you have stated in the past) about NLS, why do you keep reading it?

Why?

Do you have another agenda?

I don’t know…are you trying to sell another type of food? You've been in the industry a long time mate, and on the commercial side too, so it is not too far a stretch to think that you have another agenda that I can't image.

As I said Nigel, you are truly welcome to have another view point, but most people would take in further information, and assimilate to a more accurate view point. For example you still insist you wouldn't/can't feed pellets to Tropheus, when clearly that is wrong. A different view point is one thing being obstinate is another (said with as nice an intonation as I can). Perhaps you should say "you can't feed pellets to Tropheus unless it is NLS"?

And I don’t’ think you are doing this because you are looking to get a rise out of people, I don’t take, nor never have, you as the sort of person to waste your time with such antics. You are much more “life” experienced, and mature to take such an attitude.

I’ll but out (again) now.

Craig

[Nigel]

There are no questions to be asked Nigel, do you doubt my honesty?

If you hate all this internet chat about NLS, why do you keep reading? Do you have another agenda?

Craig

Thats a bit harsh Craig am I not allowed to have an opinion or is this thread just for people that want praise NLS.

Sorry if that sounded a bit harsh Nigel, but what gets me with the overwhelming number of positive comments that people make such as myself, and others who are much better versed in fish nutrition than me or you such as RD, that your stance has not changed a bit.

You are very welcome to have a differing view point, but if one of the things that gets you is all the internet chatter (words to that effect you have stated in the past) about NLS, why do you keep reading it?

Why?

Do you have another agenda?

I don’t know…are you trying to sell another type of food? You’ve been in the industry a long time mate, and on the commercial side too, so it is not too far a stretch to think that you have another agenda that I can’t image.

As I said Nigel, you are truly welcome to have another view point, but most people would take in further information, and assimilate to a more accurate view point. For example you still insist you wouldn’t/can’t feed pellets to Tropheus, when clearly that is wrong. A different view point is one thing being obstinate is anther (said with as nice an intonation as I can).

And I don’t’ think you are doing this because you are looking to get a rise out of people, I don’t take, nor never have, you as the sort of person to waste your time with such antics. You are much more “life” experienced, and mature to take such an attitude.

I’ll but out (again) now.

Craig

Craig the only agenda I have is to have my say and that is this food is no better or worse than any other food on the market.

As for feeding pellets to Tropheus I for one would never do it and I dont care how much you or anyone else thinks its safe.

[MoliroMan]

come on Nigel....u r having a lot of fun with this thread aren't u....i know u like a good debate and nothing can change your opinion on anything so we should stop trying!!! I am glad u haven't given up entirely on anything that is fish-related.

taybelz...what do u base your strong comments about NLS about....u must clarify your comments with some real evidence before u make such posts...i know in some circles your comments are grounds for defamation !!!! I think the mods should consider removing your post!

I think we can readily agree that it is possible to keep your fish healthy and colourful with an exclusive NLS diet...no one can contest that. That doesn't mean other foods can not do the same thing! To be fair, Nigel..your fish are nearly always wildcaught and therefore already have really nice colouration......someone must be feeding them NLS in the wild !!!! - RD have u been in Africa lately?

[Nigel]

Dave I can guarantee 100% that not one fish imported or sold by me either wild caught or tank breed was ever feed on NLS.

[MoliroMan]

Nigel...u can't guarantee that they didn't get it why they were in the Lake!!!!! U know how RD has a way of being everywhere!!!

Also...those wildcaught tropheus golden kazumba are breeding nicely on an exclusive NLS diet!!!

[Nigel]

Nigel...u can't guarantee that they didn't get it why they were in the Lake!!!!! U know how RD has a way of being everywhere!!!

I think if Pablo was to send a container of NLS for free to the catchers in Africa they would be more than happy to feed it to the fish while they had them in the holding tanks. It may be a way of you people that advocate this product to get the fish acclimatised to it direct from the lake.

[MoliroMan]

i don't know about NLS in Africa but i know some fish importer like Russ Ustler and ofcourse Pablo himself uses NLS to condition newly imported fish!!!

Maybe Pablo is already doing that?

[RD.]

Nigel said:

Dave I can guarantee 100% that not one fish imported or sold by me either wild caught or tank breed was ever feed on NLS.

Yet previously in this thread Nigel stated:

I had 30 albino Aulonocara eureka reds imported from Germany. I feed half NLS and the other half OSI cichlid flake. In the same conditions as far as water chemistry temperature and environment and after about three months I could see no difference. Those people that ended up buying them did not know I had done this and could tell no difference when they took them.

Hmmmm, interesting ........

[Nigel]

Nigel said:

Dave I can guarantee 100% that not one fish imported or sold by me either wild caught or tank breed was ever feed on NLS.

Yet previously in this thread Nigel stated:

I had 30 albino Aulonocara eureka reds imported from Germany. I feed half NLS and the other half OSI cichlid flake. In the same conditions as far as water chemistry temperature and environment and after about three months I could see no difference. Those people that ended up buying them did not know I had done this and could tell no difference when they took them.

Hmmmm, interesting ........

I cant see how feeding 15 fish in 10 years one paticular type of food would be interesting as I can asure you it was not to me. Also I was prepered to give it a try that was my point it would be interesting to know what yours is.

[Caesar]

Well It has taken me 3 days to read the 170 posts (I am at work. It isn't that I am a slow reader.)

I currently run 20 tanks breeding predominantly africans. I currently feed OSI spirulina and cichlid flake which I buy in 2kg lots. This costs me about $180 every three months from AOA.

After reading through everyones comments I was particularly impressed by RD and Vicent's comments. I know RD is a supplier but I believe anyone who is that passionate about fish food is either the best salesperson in the entire universe or knows what they are talking about.

I have had a look and can get 2.2 kg of 1mm pellets for about $125. From all accounts I don't have to feed more and so will actually save money by using this product.

Therefore, I see it as a no brainer. I quite possibly will get a better all round product for a cheaper price!! So next order will definatlely be NLS.

Thanks for the detail on both sides but commonsense dictates that I give this a try. If it doesn't work for me I am sure OSI will still be around for me to purchase!! No harm no foul

Ave

Jason

[malrift]

Actually taybelz it is one of the most complete diets that can be exclusively fed on the market today it has more natural ingredients in it than most other brands(and I did say most). As far as believing in it and you will see it maybe for some. I was 100 % hooked on sera foods and decided to try NLS half and half for a month and noticed the difference even though I thought it was a load of crap everything that I had read about it. I then tried it exclusively and have not looked back since doing so. I am about to go over 40 species of fish and have over 200 tanks in both a controllled environment and hothouse environment and am not planning on using any other food except NLS. I have bred fish since I was 5 years old which has turned into a 30 year hobby which I have never lost the love for. I have tried every type of food except for the pale bird brand and have never had the results I am getting now. I have only been using NLS since about may this year. So seeing was believing for me.

[taybelZ]

Malrift i'm not sure what your defination of exclusively is... google defines it as "entirely: without any others being included or involved" since when did fish enjoy a single prepared diet? (Actually when did any species... certainly not I).

If you guys are happy feeding them soley NLS then continue doing so, i'll stick to my traditional varied diet like the rest of my Asian buddies

[RD.]

since when did fish enjoy a single prepared diet?

The fish shown below have been eating an exclusive diet of New Life Spectrum for 2 years, yet as you can see these fish are anything but, bored of their diet! This is how they react when they see NLS, even after 2 years of eating this food on a daily basis.

Hey, I'm no fish whisperer, but I bet if those fish could speak, they'd say that they are about to thoroughly enjoy their next meal.

[Nigel]

Malrift i'm not sure what your defination of exclusively is... google defines it as "entirely: without any others being included or involved" since when did fish enjoy a single prepared diet? (Actually when did any species... certainly not I).

If you guys are happy feeding them soley NLS then continue doing so, i'll stick to my traditional varied diet like the rest of my Asian buddies

I agree its not a good idea to feed one type of food.

[taybelZ]

Nice photo RD they are going nuts for the stuff!!!

Out of interest, any images of discus (a huge discus fan)