Premium ingredients formulated to simulate the wild diet are the basis of all Immunition Bottom Bites fish food. There are some species of Pleco's, Farlowellas, and a few decapod species that require (or at least prefer) wood and leaves in their diet. Other species may ingest wood and leaves inadvertently due to their feeding practices, resulting in a digestive system that has evolved to process and utilize it. Non-detritivorous species may process detritus in one respect or another (sifting, rooting, etc.), often resulting in the ingestion of leaves and wood at varying degrees of decomposition, which is utilized as a fiber source. Depending on the location, they may also ingest seeds, coconut husks, fruit, and lichens that fall into the water.

Fish in studies have demonstrated the ability to sift through detritus for the most nutritious organic material contained therein, with a preference for fine particles high in protein and amino acids. There is, however, constant debate over which species need, or can digest, wood. Some scientists believe the majority of aquatic creatures that feed from wood and detritus, benefit more from the organisms on the material than the material itself.

We found the expert arguments on both sides to be sound. Therefore, we have sourced wood and related fiber that also offers other benefits, thereby making it's inclusion therapeutically functional even if the species doesn't necessarily require wood in their diet. Wood as a therapeutic/medicinal addition should not be used in high quantities and for that reason, you will notice that neither the birch nor white oak are main ingredients. Higher quantities would not be effectively utilized, thus reducing it to filler. Lichens, leaves and coconut husk, on the other hand, are more digestible and offer many benefits, so more of these ingredients are included.

Noted therapeutic and medicinal benefits of specialized ingredients:

• Some types of wood and husk have proven to be an excellent vermifuge, even in humans. It helps to expel worms alone and when used with a dewormer, it helps to expel the worms before they begin to decay and release toxins inside the fish.
• The two main compounds in White Oak are tannin and quercin. It is a proven digestive aid, strengthens blood vessels and is an effective anti-inflammatory. It's also haemostatic, which may help stop internal bleeding associated with the death and removal of internal parasites.
• Birch wood also boasts anti-inflammatory and antiparasite properties. It contains flavonoid glycosides, hyperoside and quercitrin as it's main compounds. The high content of proanthocyans gives it an exceptionally high therapeutic rating. Birch is used as a supplement, as well as to improve joint health and digestion.
• Coconut husk is often used to make a tea that treats several inflammatory disorders. Interestingly, one study notes that P. nigrolineatus were found exclusively on coconut tree wood, even though other types of wood were abundant in their habitat.
• Various lichen species offer renowned antimicrobial properties, and have been studied as a replacement for antibiotics to kill resistant bacteria. They are (very basically) fungi and algae combined, providing many of the benefits of both. Some of the organisms that attract creatures to wood and provide nutrients are the fungi that forms on it, so the inclusion of lichens allows us to better simulate the wild diet in that respect as well. The lichen species in Bottom Bites Woody Waters fish food are evaluated and balanced for maximum benefit and palatability.

One thing is certain, many of these species are attracted to wood and leaves as food sources. It's inclusion offers a great opportunity to encourage feeding, which in turn ensures that the other beneficial ingredients are eaten in sufficient quantity.

To address possible injury that may be associated with wood fragments and to ensure the safety of tankmates, we grind organic wood and husk to a powder. In this form it can serve as fiber for any species that is equipped to process fiber from a variety of sources. Detritus feeders will also be able to uptake the therapeutic components more easily from small particles and as mentioned above, there is a demonstrated preference for fine particles.

We did not, of course, rely on innovative utilization of wood and related ingredients alone to formulate a healthy diet. The ability to grow, reproduce and thrive on wood or detritus alone is rare.

This formula includes freshwater algae and seaweed species, which contain more bioavailable nutrients than any other class of food. The bioavailable nutritional content, colour-enhancing properties, and antimicrobial properties in algae and seaweed put terrestrial vegetables to shame. It also encourages a healthy population of gut flora, an absolute necessity for the digestive system of species feeding primarily on vegetation and wood.

Seaweed may seem to be a contradiction when feeding freshwater fish, but this is where in-depth knowledge comes in. For example, brown seaweed stores soluble carbohydrates that are very similar to that of many freshwater diatoms. Diatoms are a favorite of many Pleco's & detritivores, but as an ingredient it isn't easily obtained. The inclusion of brown seaweeds allow us to better simulate the natural diet in this regard. However, the fatty acids in seaweed alone aren't properly balanced for freshwater fish, so the other ingredients must provide that balance. By the same token, if you feed seaweed directly to a freshwater fish, you must also balance it's dietary inclusion with the other food you feed. There is no single food item that will meet all of the dietary requirements of fish - bioavailability and balance are the keys to optimum health.

Terrestrial vegetables have varying degrees of digestibility amongst fish species, and fish have difficulty digesting them at all without the aid of proper preprocessing and a healthy population of gut microflora. The primary issue with terrestrial plants is cellulose binding, making them a less functional nutrient source than seaweed from a bioavailability standpoint. The fact that a vegetable contains a vitamin, mineral, antioxidant, etc. does not necessarily mean it will be bioavailable to fish, or the source may require special treatment to make it bioavailable.

We have included terrestrial vegetables that are reputed to be the most suitable for the herbivore/omnivore/detrivore digestive system, in portions that compliment and balance the other ingredients. To further specialize this formula, our terrestrial vegetable ingredients include more root/tuber vegetables than our other versions. Many species that enjoy wood and algae, also gnaw away at tender plant roots. However, tuberous/root vegetables are often high in carbohydrates, starch and sugar, so they are still used selectively and sparingly.

The leaf litter environment has not been ignored, as is often the case with other fish food formulations. We have included the exceptionally nutritious Banana plant leaves, a rich, tasty source of polyphenols (natural antioxidants) from the Amazon. Dandelion leaves are a source of calcium, potassium, beta carotene, vitamins B, C, and D, and the antioxidant luteolin. They remove toxins and support both the liver and digestive system. We further customize this fish food with Amazonian palm & açai leaf extract.

T. catappa leaf extract has a broad range of medicinal and therapeutic properties, many of which have been scientifically proven to benefit fish. It also offers antiparasite properties. T. catappa rounds out the wild flare of Bottom Bites Woody Waters through its humic acids, an important component in wood and leaf litter environments.

Omnivores, including those that feed primarily on vegetation, still require animal protein and lipids (some species more than others), but they too must be in a form that is suitable for their digestive system. The term 'lipid' doesn't refer to a specific dietary requirement, but is rather a class of water-insoluble organic compounds. To truly formulate the optimum diet, one must understand the types of lipids that are ingested by our aquatic creatures in the wild to fully meet their nutritional requirements, as well as facilitate optimum growth and reproduction.

In nature, protein and lipid requirements are often met (all or in part) through the inadvertent ingestion of tiny organisms living in algae. The combination of these organisms and algae is sometimes called 'aufwuchs'. The primary protein sources in Bottom Bites Woody Waters have been chosen to simulate this natural diet. The other protein sources are included for their nutritional content, bioavailability, and to balance the diet as a whole.

All of this would be practically useless if processed at the high temperatures involved in commercial fish food production (such as pellets, flakes and wafers). That's why Bottom Bites will always be dehydrated at the lowest temperatures possible without compromising safety.

With all of these things considered, we are confident that this food offers premium nutrition suitable for most omnivorous Pleco's and other wood-loving and/or detritivorous creatures. However, we always encourage you to familiarize yourself with the nutrient requirements of your particular species and supplement accordingly. There is really no such thing as a 'staple food', even in species group formulations - optimum balance for the specific species should always be the goal.

All Immunition Bottom Bites are thin, sinking and stable in water. We suggest feeding bottom dwellers at night because from Loaches to Livebearers, tankmates dig into this food too!

"You've outdone yourself again. The farlowellas, shrimp and virtually all of my pleco species found your new wood bottombites irresistable. I don't see any indication of digestion problems. They're healthy active and breeding. I will continue to feed this top notch food." ~ Charles Yida, master breeder.

Ingredients (70% premium vegetation & fruit): 5 seaweed species blend (brown, red & green), 12 super-vegetable blend, 6 super-fruit blend, Canadian krill, 4 species of shrimp, spirulina, baby clams, salmon, earthworms, crab, organic lichen species mix, white fish, banana plant leaves, daphnia, phytoplankton, organic dandelion leaves, organic coconut husk, rotifiers, red algae (Dunaliella), Naturose (H. pluvialis), cultured tubifex, organic birch wood & leaves, decapsulated brine shrimp eggs, squid, cod, organic white oak (Q. alba), chlorella, Cyclopeeze, therapeutic herbal blend, garlic, green calcium montmorillonite clay, rose hip, açai fruit extract, T. catappa extract, Myrciaria dubia (Camu Camu) extract, palm leaf & fruit extract (Tocomin), marigold extract, sea mussel extract, chlorophyll, açai palm (Euterpe oleracea) extract, sea cucumber extract, wild fish oils, mixed natural preservatives. Vegetable-based binders (no fillers). We do not add synthetic chemicals of any type.

Immunition Woody Waters Bottom Bites
Dehydrated Foods = Approximately 5 times their weight

Package Size: 115g / 4 oz $11.25 227g / 8 oz $18.00 454g / 1 Pound $29.75

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