UltraRED Pellets 1 mm — Red Color Enhancing Fish Food 150 g - New Life Spectrum

New Life Spectrum UltraRED Regular is a 1 to 1.5 mm sinking pellet loaded with natural sources of red, with no artificial colorants.

A fish does not manufacture its own red: it comes from what it eats. So the real question is where the colour in the food comes from. According to the page published by New Life Spectrum, UltraRED is loaded with natural sources of beta carotene and astaxanthin to encourage vibrant reds and oranges, without artificial colorants. That is the difference from a food that brightens colour with dye.

Where the red in UltraRED comes from

New Life Spectrum names the sources used in UltraRED: astaxanthin, beta carotene, Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), fish (Brevoortia tyrannus, menhaden) and marigold. These are ingredients, not colour additives — the same pellet feeds and pigments.

The jar also carries the wording NO ADDED HORMONES, read on the packaging. That is not our claim: it is what is printed on it.

Guaranteed analysis

New Life Spectrum also adds vitamins A, D, E and C to UltraRED.

Pellet size and formats

• Regular: 1 to 1.5 mm (0.04 to 0.06 in)
• Size offered here: 150 g (5.3 oz) jar
• Other UltraRED sizes at the manufacturer: Small 0.5 to 0.75 mm, Medium 2 to 2.5 mm, Large 3 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. No timeline for colour change is published either. If you find a precise number elsewhere, it does not come from the manufacturer. Write to us with 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

Does UltraRED contain artificial colorants?

No. New Life Spectrum states the colour comes from natural sources — astaxanthin, beta carotene, krill, fish, marigold — and not from added dyes.

How long before the fish's colour changes?

New Life Spectrum publishes no timeline. We are not going to invent one: write to us with your species and we will tell you what we observe in the store.

Is UltraRED suitable for both marine and freshwater fish?

New Life Spectrum presents UltraRED as a colour-enhancing line for aquarium fish, without restricting it to fresh or salt water.

Why buy from ReefSolution

ReefSolution is a marine aquarium store in Laval, Quebec, and New Life Spectrum UltraRED ships across Canada. To go with it: Marine Fish 1 mm as the reef tank's staple food, Thera+A 1 mm for stressed or newly acquired fish, Vita-Chem Marine for the soak described in the tip, and the Easy Feed pipette to place food exactly where you want it.