The importance of "Vitamin C" in Fish Food

All Aqua Meds^TM KoiRx^TM diets are high in stabilized vitamin C, which promotes resistance to stress and immunity to infectious disease. Stabilized vitamin C is more expensive, however, it is very effective in protecting the vitamin C and increases the amount available in the fish diet.

Vitamin C is a vital part of any good diet. It is required for life! A study in The Journal of Epidemiology stated that people who have high levels of Vitamin C lived an average of six years longer than people with low levels of Vitamin C. It stands to reason that Vitamin C would also increase the life span our fish.

It is known that Vitamin C boosts the immune system. It helps to rid the body of foreign invaders by increasing the production of antibodies. This is important in helping to prevent illness.

Vitamin C also helps form collagen. Good, healthy collagen helps build strong bones and skin. Healthy skin recovers from injury quicker and with fewer complications.

Vitamin C is a water soluble antioxidant. As such, it can bind with *aqueous free radicals so that they can not damage other healthy cells. This helps to prevent illness as well

How does all this relate to our fish? Fish, like humans, do NOT produce their own Vitamin C. They need to obtain Vitamin C from dietary sources. By providing high quality food with the appropriate amount of Vitamin C, we can help ensure that our fish remain healthy and strong.

*Aqueous free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction. The main problem comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may not function properly or can die if this occurs. To prevent free radical damage the body has a defense system of antioxidants.

(Vitamin C is such an antioxidant).

All living creatures, including fish can have parasites. Parasites are a natural occurrence, not really an illness. They become a concern in our fish when the health of the fish begins to suffer. Parasites can be eliminated or at least controlled by following a few simple steps.

There are some obvious symptoms of parasite infestations in our fish. Fish that are overloaded with parasites will often appear listless. They may exhibit loss of weight even if they are eating a normal amount of food.

The most common internal parasite in koi and goldfish is the tape worm. Tape worms are long, fine, white, ribbon-like worms that can be found tangled in the intestines of the fish. If a fish becomes heavily infected, it will lose condition and could very likely suffer intestinal blockage.

As with many goldfish/koi ailments, prevention is often the best defense. Quarantining new arrivals and observing them closely before releasing them into your established tank is one of the most valuable steps. One should avoid overstocking and crowding in the tank or pond. Keep the water parameters perfect by providing clean water with no rotting food or plants. Avoid extreme temperature swings. Limit feeding live foods as they can introduce internal parasites into your system. And know your fish’s behavior.

Even with all these preventative measures, there will be times when one will need to treat the fish for internal parasites. Our product Prazi^TM is a very effective treatment for tape worms.

The important use of Chelated Minerals in Fish Foods

What are Chelated minerals and why are they so important in our fish food? The word chelate by definition means to combine with a metal (mineral). It is the bonding between a mineral and an organic molecule. The organic molecule aids in the absorption of the mineral while it also protects the mineral from being prematurely broken down, therefore making Chelated minerals more stable.

How does this apply to fish food? When Chelated minerals are used as opposed to non-chelated minerals in fish food, our fish are more readily able to digest these life supporting minerals. Because the minerals are chelated (bonded), they are kept in tact. They are not digested prematurely. This allows the fish to use these life supporting minerals more efficiently.

The benefits of Chelated minerals are twofold. Your fish will utilize these life supporting minerals more efficiently, plus, there will also be less mineral in the fish waste and therefore less in the environment.

A probiotic is an organism that contributes to the health and balance of the intestinal tract. Probiotics are also called “friendly, beneficial or good bacteria”. When an animal ingests probiotics, they help to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and to fight illness. Probiotics provide a protective effect when a proper balance of all bacteria in the intestine is maintained. Without the good bacteria "flora" in their intestinal tract, our fish are not be able to digest their food.

This balance can be interrupted by many things. Antibiotics can save lives when needed, but they do kill both the good AND bad bacteria in the intestinal tract. Stress and illness can also throw off the natural balance between good and bad bacteria. Diet plays a role in keeping everything in balance too.

There are many benefits to using probiotics in fish food. Probiotics help our fish digest their food and maintain normal cell growth. They also contribute to the maintenance of healthy, regular stools and healthy ph within the intestine. Probiotics are invaluable in restoring normal intestinal function after a fish is treated with antibiotics.

In summary, probiotics added to the diet of a fish can aid in keeping the fish healthy and strong by maintaining a balance between good and bad bacteria. A fish that has a nice, healthy intestinal tract will be able to benefit from the valuable nutrition in their food, fight off illness and recover faster from stress, than a fish that does not have this vital life saving support!

Here's a great example!!

The Kentucky Derby?
What does the Kentucky Derby have to do with Fish Food and your fish? Well, I'll tell you. I really enjoy watching the "Triple Crown" of horse racing, it's the only time of the year I become interested in horse racing. As you all know the first leg of the "Triple Crown" is the Kentucky Derby. Last year they had a horse running in the Derby by the name Invisible Ink. A year or so before the Derby, Invisible Ink had a medical problem that took high doses of antibiotics to cure him. He never returned to good health after that, no matter how much he ate, he remained very thin and out of condition.

So the owner of Invisible Ink wanted the horse to be put to sleep. After much pleading, the Trainer persuaded the Owner to keep the horse just for a few months to see if the Trainer could find someone that could help. The Trainer turned to an old country Vet friend for help. The Old Vet told the Trainer to buy some "farm made" buttermilk, pour it in a big bowl, set it in the sun for a day, scrape the flies from it and force feed it to the horse.

To make a long story short, Invisible Ink ran the Kentucky Derby one year later placing 2nd.