Pet Product News - March 2016

FEEDING FROZEN

Frozen foods for fish have grown very popular and are about as close as one can get to feeding live foods. All fish respond enthusiastically to frozen foods, and many folks who have bred fish use frozen in place of live foods. I raised angelfish on a small commercial scale, and besides a good dry food, the basic breeders diet was frozen mysis shrimp and frozen bloodworm.

“Frozen food is such a good seller for us, and [it’s] so good for the customers’ fishes that we just bought another freezer,” said Jim Reiman, owner of Tropic Waters Pet Center in Eau Claire, Wis.

Most frozen food manufacturers offer deals in which they provide a new freezer filled with their frozen foods and the retailer only pays for the food or the freezer. They also now offer more than just the standard frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp or bloodworms. Elive LLC in Muskego, Wis., offers frozen Food Blends. Its Shrimp Blend includes brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and spirulina, while its Carnivore Blend includes krill, squid and clam.

“We have seen increased demand for frozen fish foods,” said Michael Nallen, owner
of Oceans of Pets in Woonsocket, R.I. “While there is such a wide variety of frozen foods
for the marine side of the hobby, sales of frozen brine shrimp, mysis and bloodworm are
significant just for freshwater feeding.”
It now is very easy for hobbyists to provide their fish with proper nutrition.

“Offering any fish a wide variety of dry, freeze-dried and frozen food is beneficial to
its health,” said Phillip Bartoszek, the research and development product manager for
Elive. “Healthy, nonoverfed fish means a more successful fishkeeper and someone who
will enjoy the aquarium hobby for years to come.”
Variety also gives you options to increase sales in this category, but nothing replac-
es excellent customer service.

“To gain customer loyalty, excellent service is indispensable,” said Claus Frenken,
sales manager at Sera North America Inc. in Montgomeryville, Pa. “It is important to
advise the customers in the store precisely.”
To attract customers, industry participants recommend keeping the store clean
and providing a nice-looking, decorative showroom. Many manufacturers provide sem-
inars, sales aids and promotional materials such as guides, booklets, displays, banners,
window stickers and decorative items as well as shelving systems and product samples
for customers.

“Special and interesting varying offers also should bring the customers into the stores frequently,” Frenken said. “For example, a special promotion that allows an offer on foods with each purchase of fish.”

EasyPro PoNd Products’ EasyPro water treatments line includes 20 unique products available in a range of sizes for many applications. The treatments are designed for use in small water features to lake-size bodies of water and are made in the USA. easypropondproducts.com

HIkarI salEs usa’s sinking Gold-
fish Excel offers improved growth,
excellent coloration and lots of
natural nutrients goldfish crave. The
sinking pellet helps avoid air gulp-
ing, which can reduce the chances
of swim bladder issues common
with many goldfish species. When
fed as directed, the product won’t
cloud aquarium water and is accept-
ed readily by most goldfish varieties.
hikariusa.com
kloubEc koI Farm’s Platinum
koi cuisine is a color-enhanc-
ing, floating koi food. It is made
with only ultra-fresh ingredients,
vitamins and minerals, and high-
grade white fishmeal is the No. 1
ingredient. It contains no fillers,
and the medium-sized floating
pellets are consumed easily by all
sizes of koi. Choose from 2-, 4-, 8-
and 25-lb. sizes.
kloubeckoi.com