AlgaeMAX Wafers 12 mm — Algae Wafers for Bottom-Feeding Fish 150 g and 300 g - New Life Spectrum

New Life Spectrum AlgaeMAX Wafers are 12 to 12.5 mm sinking wafers built on nine aquatic veggies, made for bottom-feeding fish.

A sinking pellet is often intercepted on the way down: the fast swimmers help themselves in mid-water and the bottom grazer finishes its round with nothing. A wafer solves that by size. An AlgaeMAX Wafer is 12 to 12.5 mm, too large to be snapped up in passing, and it stays on the substrate long enough for the fish to graze it. According to the page published by New Life Spectrum, AlgaeMAX rests on a basket of nine aquatic veggies rounded out with marine proteins.

The nine aquatic veggies in AlgaeMAX

New Life Spectrum names the species used in AlgaeMAX Wafers: Ulva lactuca, Undaria pinnatifida, Eucheuma cottonii, Eucheuma spinosum, Chondrus crispus, Porphyra umbilicalis, kelp, spirulina and green algae. Krill, squid and fish bring the marine protein, where a single-ingredient wafer brings just one seaweed.

Guaranteed analysis

Wafer size and formats

• Wafers: 12 to 12.5 mm (0.47 to 0.49 in)
• Sizes offered here: 150 g (5.3 oz) and 300 g (10.5 oz) jars
• New Life Spectrum also makes mini-wafers at 7.25 to 7.75 mm, and AlgaeMAX in pellets from 1 to 3.5 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

How big are AlgaeMAX wafers?

12 to 12.5 mm according to New Life Spectrum. It is the largest form in the AlgaeMAX line; mini-wafers at 7.25 to 7.75 mm also exist.

Which fish are AlgaeMAX wafers for?

Fish that feed on the bottom and graze. Their size keeps them from being snapped up in mid-water by surface swimmers.

Is it the same formula as AlgaeMAX pellets?

Yes. The nine aquatic veggies and the guaranteed analysis are those of the AlgaeMAX line; the shape changes, not the recipe.

Why buy from ReefSolution

ReefSolution is a marine aquarium store in Laval, Quebec, and New Life Spectrum AlgaeMAX Wafers ship across Canada. To go with them: AlgaeMAX 1 mm for mid-water fish, AlgaeMAX 2 mm for medium-sized herbivores, Vita-Chem Marine for the soak described in the tip, and the Easy Feed pipette to place a wafer exactly where you want it.