Hikari Algae Wafers Review
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Introduction
Note: This Hikari Algae Wafers review is from my own personal experience as an aquarium hobbyist.
Hikari algae wafers have been a staple amongst aquarium hobbyist for years and claim to be the 1st saucer shaped fish diet. They are a favorite for many hobbyists being specifically designed for bottom feeders.
I personally enjoy this food and use it for many of my fish, including non-bottom feeders. However, I find the marketing to be a little deceiving. Hopefully the review below will help you with deciding if this is a good food for you.
Are my fish a fan of the food?
A great place to start, and a big plus I find for this food, is that my fish all enjoy eating Hikari Algae Wafers. This includes fish like my bristlenose plecos and Corydoras, along with others like my guppies and platies. The only fish that I find that do not eat these, are top feeding only fish like my platinum halfbeaks or hatchet fish for example. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to eat some though. This food is designed specifically for bottom feeders but is often picked at by others.
Package Sizing and Pricing
Hikari Algae Wafers prices are fair for what you get, but cheaper options are out there. They come in multiple sizes with the 0.7oz bag costing about $7 on Amazon. You may be able to find some cheaper at a local store however, due to shipping cost.
Wafer Overview
the hard and slow to break down wafers are an odd form for feeding most fish. I find them to be great for fish who like to pick at the bottom and rasp on their food like plecos and loaches.
The Hikari Algae Wafers in particular do not break down fast and tend to hold their form in the water well. They also have no problems sinking consistently.
Ingredient Quality
Here is where I find the Hikari Algae Wafers to score a little lower in my opinion. As mentioned earlier in the review, the algae wafers are kind of falsely advertised. The wafers really don’t contain algae at all. In-fact the main ingredient is fish meal, and dried seaweed appears to be one of the only water-based plants included.
I find the food to contain most of the basic fish food ingredients you will find in other foods. They advertise the spirulina in the food, but the reality is a lot of foods contain that nowadays, like the new Finsect Tropical Fish Food.
Again, I do believe the food is good as a standard fish food, I just probably wouldn’t recommend it for primarily herbivorous fish.
Market Availability
Hikari Algae Wafers are widely available in most pet shops and most online retailers. This makes them an easy pickup when needed, without needing to place an order online.
My Final Thoughts
I like these wafers as a treat for most of my fish. The protein percentage is a little lower than some foods, but it can be good to vary the diet. These are also a perfectly fine option for some plecos that don’t need the higher plant content in their diet. Be sure to check what your specific pleco’s diet is. I also find the wafers to be a great treat for other bottom dwelling creatures in the tank, like shrimp and snails.
Overall, I do enjoy this food and think most aquarist could benefit from having some on hand.
Where to Purchase Hikari Algae Wafers
If you believe this food is something you would like to try, feel free to use the link below to purchase some for yourself.
Thanks for reading!
Be sure to check out my fish food review master list here, and feel free to comment below on your experience with the food.