AQUARIS Fish Foods
All AQUARIS Fish Foods are made using only the finest quality ingredients, such as hydrolysed fish protein (as opposed to traditional fishmeal). Hydrolysed fish protein is very different to fishmeal, because it has undergone enzymatic hydrolysis to increase the protein solubility, which creates a much higher quality food, allowing more of the protein content to be absorbed by the digestive tract of fish. In doing so, the amount of waste produced is reduced, helping to keep the water quality of the aquarium in better condition. Hydrolysed fish protein also contains much less phosphate than traditional fishmeal, so it contributes much less to algae growth whilst still providing the trace amounts of phosphate needed by fish.
Hydrolysed fish protein is the way forward in many animal foodstuffs, favoured because of its exceptionally high protein content and the conversion of insoluble protein into polypeptides and amino acids by enzymatic hydrolysis. Digestibility of protein is 94 to 97%.
The exceptionally high protein content means that the amount of fat and crude fibre is negligible. However, the small amount of fat that is present in hydrolysed fish protein has a high level of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids including omega 3 and omega 6. Unsaturated fatty acids are needed by fish in order to keep their cell biomembranes in a fluid state, in order to function properly at various temperatures. Essential fatty acids and lipids also have an important role in immune responses in that some fatty acids are precursors of leukotrienes, compounds produced by macrophages and neutrophils and which have immunostimulatory functions. Hydrolysed fish protein also has chemo-attractant properties, meaning that AQUARIS Fish Foods have high palatability.
The resulting high quality food means that fish keepers using AQUARIS Fish Foods do not need to feed their fish 'a little extra' to know that their fish are getting all the protein, vitamins and trace elements that they require. AQUARIS Fish Foods provide exceptional nutrition, and does therefore not need to be bulk-fed. Quality is the key, not quantity. And because our foods need only be fed in relatively small amounts (one small pinch two to three times per day and only enough to last for two minutes per feed), there is less risk of overfeeding, less uneaten food to pollute the water, and less fish waste produced. This all adds up to healthy fish and water quality that is not compromised by waste or poor quality food.
Species commonly used to make hydrolysed fish proteins include parus aurata (gilt-head (sea) bream), scyliorhinus (Scylorhinus is a genus of catsharks in the family Scyliorhinidae), anarhichas lupus (Atlantic wolffish, also known as the Seawolf, Atlantic catfish, wolf eel or sea cat).
The fish are processed in perfect conditions of freshness. After the enzymatic hydrolysis, the food is concentrated and all the remaining insolubles are removed before drying. The fatty acids are protected against auto-oxidation by means of an anti-oxidant.
Hydrolysed fish protein and other high quality ingredients that go into AQUARIS Fish Foods provide fish with the required essential amino acids. 'Essential' in this context means that the fish cannot synthesise the acids themselves, and therefore rely on their diet to provide them. All ten essential amino acids required by fish are provided by AQUARIS Fish Foods:
Arginine · Methionine · Histidine · Phenylalanine · Isoleucine · Threonine · Lysine · Tryptophan · Leucine · Valine
AQUARIS Fish Foods also provide macro- and micro- (trace) elements required by fish, including:
- Vitamin A
Vitamin D3
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Inositol
Selenium - Calcium
Phosphorous
Potassium
Chlorine
Magnesium
Sodium
Iron
Manganese
Zinc
Choline
Some of the above are very important in the healthy growth and development of fishes, for example, trace amounts of phosphorous and calcium are required in order for fish to grow and maintain healthy skeletons and scales. Other elements are important for maintaining the correct balance of water between body fluids in the fish and the water around the fish (osmoregulation).