Keeping fish may seem like an inexpensive hobby to people who aren’t familiar with it, but there are a lot of costs involved in maintaining a tank and keeping its inhabitants healthy. Of course, one thing that you are going to have to buy repeatedly is food for your fish. However, as a lot of aquarists will be aware, buying bulk is usually the most cost-effective way to obtain fish food, but does doing this run the risk of the fish food expiring?
Fish food is a semi-perishable item and so it will expire over the course of time. However, the type of food and how it is packaged will determine its shelf life. The manufacturer will print an expiry date on the packaging as well as a batch number, for your peace of mind. That said, this doesn’t need to be a strict ‘use-by date’.
Provided that the fish food is kept free from moisture, it should last a little longer, potentially up to three months after the expiry date. Of course, you must be careful as the food will begin to lose some of its nutritional value and this is not beneficial for your fish. Moreover, it is important to learn how to store the food correctly.
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How Long Does Fish Food Last?
There has been a lot of discussions online recently surrounding whether fish food lasts beyond its expiration date. However, for the most part, this is down to personal preference. Some aquarists are happy to use their food well beyond the given date whereas others are incredibly strict with this and will toss the food out as soon as the date comes around.
One of the biggest problems in using fish food after it has been opened is that it begins to lose a lot of its nutritional value. These prepackaged foods are designed to give fish everything they need to thrive and while expired food may fill their bellies, it’ll do little else. That said, it does take some time to get to this point.
Most people would agree that you should use fish food within six months of having opened it, but there are others who would keep the food for up to a year. Storing the foot correctly is one of the best ways to prolong its life as it will prevent it from being exposed to fluctuations in temperature, excessive light, and moisture. But we will look at storage in a little more detail later on.
For most people, the expiry date on a packet of fish food is generally seen as more of a guide than the gospel truth. If the packet has been open, we wouldn’t suggest using it past this date but for sealed packets, opening them and using them after the expiry date shouldn’t be an issue. Of course, there does come a point where you should admit defeat so if the date you open the food is more than three months past the expiry date, we would say it is time to throw it out and buy some more.
You can have all the will in the world and do all the research possible but the absolute best way to check whether fish food is still in good condition is to inspect it. Visual clues such as mold and deterioration will tell you whether it is suitable for putting into your tank. Moreover, if the food has any obvious signs of moisture, it probably is best to discard it.
Another problem faced by hobby aquarists when it comes to fish food is that open packets can be tempting for insects and mites. If there is any sign of their presence, then get rid of the packet immediately and begin a new one.
How Can You Keep Fish Food Fresher For Longer?
As we have learned, fish food is a pretty resilient product and will stand the test of time, being able to be used even after the use-by date if it has remained unopened. However, once you open the packet, you are on something of a countdown before the food starts losing its quality and will become unfit for your aquarium life.
But if the fish food is properly stored, it will last much longer and this will mean that you aren’t flushing money down the toilet having to buy new batches of food when you still have lots left at home.
Since fish food will diminish in quality when it is exposed to air, light, and moisture, storing it in airtight containers will help to preserve it. Things like zip-loc bags are ideal and are widely available both online and in stores around the world. But even when keeping your fish food in these types of containers, you must also ensure that it is kept in a cool, dark place such as a larder or kitchen cabinet. The less moisture in the air, the better.
You will find that a lot of fish food manufacturers include a silica gel packet in their products. Provided that this is not broken or damaged in any way, you can continue to use this over the course of storage to prevent excess moisture building up.
Some aquarists opt to feed their creatures frozen cubes of bloodworms and shrimp, for example. Those zip-loc bags will come in very handy again in this instance. You might also add a little garlic to the bag as this will improve the shelf life of frozen foods.
Of course, fresh food is the biggest exception to all of these rules and should be fed soon after purchase otherwise it will go bad. Although, it can be frozen to prolong its life.
How Can I Use Leftover Fish Food?
If you find yourself with a lot of leftover fish food, there are a couple of things you can do. Primarily, it might be worth considering buying less food next time to avoid finding yourself in a similar situation. Either that or set up more tanks and add more fish who will quickly get through that food.
Of course, that isn’t an option for many people owing to space and financial issues. However, it is possible to make some homemade fish food pellets using leftover fish food combined with things like shrimp, vegetables, and vitamin C supplements. While it can be tempting to use other leftover foods of your own such as beef heart, this is not part of the diet of marine life and should be avoided.
Conclusion
If you buy fish food in bulk then you may be concerned that the shelf life will come and go before you have had a chance to feed your marine life. However, there is some good news. Fish food typically has a decent expiration date and can even be used for three months after this, provided that the packet remains unopened.
Moreover, fish food will typically keep when opened for between six and twelve months. However, before feeding it to your fish, you should check its quality and make sure that there are no signs of deterioration or infestation of insects. Storing your fish food in airtight containers in a cool, dark environment will give it the longest shelf life.
