Question: Sinking Carnivore Pellets?

A worker at my LFS claimed to be an axolotl "expert" and suggested feeding my new 3" axies these Hikari pellets for fast and healthy growth instead of blood worms. Has anyone tried these? Hikari info : Hikari Tropical SINKING CARNIVORE PELLETS Opinions? Thank you!

I don't see why they won't work.

My axolotl flat out refuses pellet foods though, but will gorge itself endlessly on live earthworms if I kept feeding it.

but in saying that, it looks like that pellet food is better suited for large cichlids and catfish, and may not provide a complete diet for axolotls.

Those should be a good diet for an axolotl, but the question is whether the axies will accept them. Also, are the pellets small enough for the size of your axies?

Yes, they sure do. I gave them a few along with some bloodworms yesterday and they ate everything. They are way too large for their mouths but are easily broken up with your fingernail into quarters. I just want to make sure the worker wasn't blowing smoke and the food would actually be beneficial to the axies. Thanks!

i thought most axies had no problem with sinking pellet food?

everything i've read suggests feeding them that.

Jennewt said:

Those should be a good diet for an axolotl, but the question is whether the axies will accept them. Also, are the pellets small enough for the size of your axies?

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im feeding mine with these exact same pellets but i read in another post that it contains copper which not good for the axie . . . is it true that copper is harmful ??? does it have a big impact ??? because im planning on making these pellets a staple for my axie

the ingredients for the pellets include:

Ingredients:
White fish meal, shrimp meal, alfalfa meal, wheat flour, alpha starch, brewer's dried yeast, l-lysin, dl-methionine, fish oil, vitamin A supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), d-activated animal sterol (source of vitamin D3), vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, choline chloride, inositol, calcium iodate, manganese sulfate, magnesium carbonate.

Nothing there has copper in it so you don't have to worry about that. Some Hikari foods do have trace copper in them, but I don't see trace as a real problem. Many ornamental shrimp foods contain trace copper and shrimp are as sensitive as axolotls.

Most animals need some trace minerals and metals that are toxic in larger than recommended doses. Afterall, trace copper is needed for red blood cell formation, connective tissue, and to help store and release iron to help with hemoglobin... and it helps with brain function. So while toxic in larger doses for axies, it isn't bad in trace amounts. Note I am saying trace here.

I've fed carnivore pellets to a number of larger fish over the years and they are a nice pellet. Good quality and it doesn't usually take an animal long to get onto them. I can't see why they wouldn't be good for axolotls.

I was wondering, for anyone who uses these, how many does an axolotl eat ?

I'm feeding mine a TON of tiny Salamander + Newt pellets right now, and about to move to the bigger Carnivore pellets.

Kribby said:

the ingredients for the pellets include:

Ingredients:
White fish meal, shrimp meal, alfalfa meal, wheat flour, alpha starch, brewer's dried yeast, l-lysin, dl-methionine, fish oil, vitamin A supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), d-activated animal sterol (source of vitamin D3), vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, choline chloride, inositol, calcium iodate, manganese sulfate, magnesium carbonate.

Nothing there has copper in it so you don't have to worry about that. Some Hikari foods do have trace copper in them, but I don't see trace as a real problem. Many ornamental shrimp foods contain trace copper and shrimp are as sensitive as axolotls.

Most animals need some trace minerals and metals that are toxic in larger than recommended doses. Afterall, trace copper is needed for red blood cell formation, connective tissue, and to help store and release iron to help with hemoglobin... and it helps with brain function. So while toxic in larger doses for axies, it isn't bad in trace amounts. Note I am saying trace here.

I've fed carnivore pellets to a number of larger fish over the years and they are a nice pellet. Good quality and it doesn't usually take an animal long to get onto them. I can't see why they wouldn't be good for axolotls.

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its the exact same product but why does mine have different ingredients ???


INGREDIENTS: fish meal, krill meal, starch, brewers dried yeast, soybean meal, fish oil, wheat flour, dried seaweed meal, spiraluna, DL-methionine, L-lysine, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (stabilized vitamin C), inositol, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin A oil, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, niacin, menadione sodium bisulfate complex (source of vitamin K), folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, cobalt sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, red3 (artificial color)

these are the ingredients for mine its the same HIKARI TROPICAL SINKING CARNIVORE PELLETS but why the difference in ingredients ??? and why does mine have copper sulfate ???
(P.S. there was no ingredients on the net so i copied mine from my product)

Chirple said:

I was wondering, for anyone who uses these, how many does an axolotl eat ?

I'm feeding mine a TON of tiny Salamander + Newt pellets right now, and about to move to the bigger Carnivore pellets.

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the size is relatively small though, mine eats about 12-15pcs which is fed to an estimated 7.5-7 inch long axie

if your axie eats alot your better off buying the massivore delite

Hmm... I was recommended the Massivore ones, too, but it says they're the same calories as 1.8 feeder goldfish and that seems like so much, but I don't know what that works out to for an axolotl's dietary needs, if it's as much as it seems or not.

Mine eats a ridiculous amount of the little pellets now, though. I think we're up to 8-9 a day and she's just starting to fatten up from being really skinny.

Chirple said:

Hmm... I was recommended the Massivore ones, too, but it says they're the same calories as 1.8 feeder goldfish and that seems like so much, but I don't know what that works out to for an axolotl's dietary needs, if it's as much as it seems or not.

Mine eats a ridiculous amount of the little pellets now, though. I think we're up to 8-9 a day and she's just starting to fatten up from being really skinny.

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id say you can alternate the feeds you give her . . . giving variations is good for the axie . . . like . . . you give her massivore today and give her bloodworms tommorow then give her the sinking pellets the next day . . . its a bit costly but thats how i feed mine to give equilibrium to their dietary needs