AlgaeMAX Pellets 1 mm — Algae Food for Herbivore Fish 150 g and 300 g - New Life Spectrum

New Life Spectrum AlgaeMAX Regular is a 1 to 1.5 mm sinking pellet built on nine aquatic veggies, made for herbivorous fish.

The classic problem with herbivores is single-ingredient food: one seaweed does not reproduce what a tang or a foxface grazes on all day over a reef. According to the page published by New Life Spectrum, AlgaeMAX answers that with a basket of nine aquatic veggies, rounded out with marine proteins. The manufacturer aims it at herbivores, and it suits omnivores too.

The nine aquatic veggies in AlgaeMAX

New Life Spectrum names the species used in AlgaeMAX: Ulva lactuca, Undaria pinnatifida, Eucheuma cottonii, Eucheuma spinosum, Chondrus crispus, Porphyra umbilicalis, kelp, spirulina and green algae. On the protein side, AlgaeMAX uses krill, squid and fish, which stand in for the zooplankton and invertebrates these fish pick up in the wild.

Guaranteed analysis

Pellet size and formats

• Regular: 1 to 1.5 mm (0.04 to 0.06 in)
• Sizes offered here: 150 g (5.3 oz) and 300 g (10.5 oz) jars
• Other AlgaeMAX forms at the manufacturer: Medium 2 to 2.5 mm, Large 3 to 3.5 mm, Jumbo 7.25 to 7.75 mm, wafers 12 to 12.5 mm and mini-wafers 7.25 to 7.75 mm

How much should you feed? New Life Spectrum does not publish it

New Life Spectrum publishes no feeding directions — no frequency, no amount — on its product pages or on its Learn page. If you find a precise number elsewhere, it does not come from the manufacturer. Write to us with your tank volume and your species: we answer from what we see in the store.

The ReefSolution tip

My little trick with NLS pellets

To pick the right pellet size, I simply look at the fish's mouth. The pellet should be small enough that it can swallow it easily, without chewing on it or constantly spitting it back out. If a fish takes the pellet and spits it out several times, before assuming it doesn't like the food, simply try a smaller pellet size.

For meals, I also like to alternate between pellets and flakes. Pellets can be the main food, then you give flakes at some meals. It varies the way the fish feed a little, and the food stays available at different spots in the water column.

And yes, my little trick with Vita-Chem also works with sinking pellets. I simply put the portion of pellets in a small container, add a few drops of Vita-Chem, mix, and let it sit for about 1 to 3 minutes before feeding. If I want to prepare several meals in advance, I can also make small portions, put them in a container or a small bag, and freeze them. That way, my portions are ready and I only take out what I need for the meal. No need to let them soak for 20 minutes. The goal is simply to moisten them and let the Vita-Chem penetrate the pellet a little.

And above all, I only prepare small portions. Once a portion is thawed, it goes to the fish — I never refreeze it.

It's a simple little trick, but with marine fish, it's often exactly these little details that make the difference.

Frequently asked questions

What algae are in AlgaeMAX?

Nine aquatic veggies named by New Life Spectrum: Ulva lactuca, Undaria pinnatifida, Eucheuma cottonii, Eucheuma spinosum, Chondrus crispus, Porphyra umbilicalis, kelp, spirulina and green algae.

Is AlgaeMAX suitable for omnivorous fish?

Yes. New Life Spectrum builds it for herbivores but states it suits omnivores as well — it contains krill, squid and fish alongside the algae.

Does AlgaeMAX replace a sheet of nori?

New Life Spectrum takes no position on that. What it does publish is that AlgaeMAX aims at a complete herbivore profile on its own, where a single seaweed brings just one ingredient.

Why buy from ReefSolution

ReefSolution is a marine aquarium store in Laval, Quebec, and New Life Spectrum AlgaeMAX Regular ships across Canada. To go with it: AlgaeMAX 2 mm for bigger mouths, AlgaeMAX wafers 12 mm for bottom grazers, Vita-Chem Marine for the soak described in the tip, and the Easy Feed pipette to place food exactly where you want it.