{"product_id":"frozen-red-plankton-flat-454g","title":"Frozen Red Plankton Flat 454g","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA copepod that drifts through the water column instead of dropping to the sand.\u003c\/strong\u003e Ocean Nutrition Frozen Red Plankton is \u003cem\u003eCalanus finmarchicus\u003c\/em\u003e, an omnivorous North Atlantic copepod of 2 to 3 mm, supplied here as a 454 g flat pack rather than a pre-portioned blister. Ocean Nutrition rates it for marine fish, corals and invertebrates, and the reason is dispersal - this frozen red plankton spreads evenly through the tank, so polyps and filter feeders get a share instead of the fish taking everything on the first pass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKey features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDisperses through the water column\u003c\/strong\u003e - the single most useful property in a reef tank, where a fast-sinking food only ever feeds the substrate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2 to 3 mm animals\u003c\/strong\u003e - small enough for large-polyp corals and anemones to capture, large enough for most reef fish to bother with.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHigh astaxanthin\u003c\/strong\u003e - the natural carotenoid behind red and orange pigmentation in both fish and coral tissue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2.8% fat, the richest in the single-species frozen range\u003c\/strong\u003e - \u003cem\u003eCalanus\u003c\/em\u003e stores omega-3 fatty acids as its cold-water energy reserve, and that is what you are buying.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSingle-ingredient declaration\u003c\/strong\u003e - red plankton and nothing else. No binder, no added colour, no preservative named.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e454 g bulk slab\u003c\/strong\u003e - roughly four and a half times a 100 g blister, for reef tanks fed daily or for several tanks off one pack.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhole animals\u003c\/strong\u003e - flash frozen intact rather than minced, so less dissolves into the water before anything eats it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eForm\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFrozen flat pack, 454 g slab\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSpecies\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cem\u003eCalanus finmarchicus\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAnimal size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2 to 3 mm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePack size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e454 g\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eIngredient\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRed plankton\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCrude protein\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e7.4%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCrude fat\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2.8%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWater type\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarine\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSuits\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarine fish, corals and invertebrates\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFeeding frequency\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2 to 5 times a day\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eStorage\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKeep frozen until use\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRefreezing\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNever refreeze a thawed portion\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFreight\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCold chain - in-store pickup or local delivery\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFlat pack or blister - which should I buy?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe food is identical. The difference is entirely in how you portion it and how long it lasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFormat\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePortioning\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBest suited to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e454 g flat pack (this page)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA solid slab. Break or shave off the portion you want and return the rest to the freezer\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef tanks fed daily, multiple tanks, or anyone already certain their livestock takes red plankton\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e100 g blister\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePre-portioned cubes, pressed out one at a time\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA single display tank, occasional feeding, or trialling red plankton for the first time\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe honest catch with a flat pack is that it demands a little more care. A slab handled roughly softens at the edges, and a food that has partly thawed and been put back is a food you should not be feeding. Break the pack into usable portions once, while it is rock hard, and store them in a sealed container.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIngredients and nutrition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFull ingredient declaration\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReproduced exactly as Ocean Nutrition publishes it: Red plankton.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat is the complete declaration. \u003cem\u003eCalanus\u003c\/em\u003e are copepods and therefore crustaceans, so the pack carries a crustacean allergen for anyone handling it. No artificial colours, preservatives, ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT are named, because nothing beyond the animal itself is named at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eAnalytical constituents\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCrude protein\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e7.4%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCrude fat\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2.8%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAsh\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2.5%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMoisture\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e85.5%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOcean Nutrition does not publish a crude fibre figure for this product, so none is shown here rather than estimated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eReading the fat figure\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrozen foods are analysed wet, so 2.8% fat understates what is actually being delivered. Only 14.5% of the slab is solid matter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn a dry-matter basis that works out at roughly 51% protein and roughly 19% fat. The fat is the point of this particular animal: \u003cem\u003eCalanus finmarchicus\u003c\/em\u003e overwinters in cold North Atlantic water on a stored lipid reserve, and that reserve is the omega-3 content the food is bought for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThawing, feeding and storage\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOcean Nutrition's direction is to feed 2 to 5 times a day, offering only what the tank will clear within five minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBreak off the portion you need while the slab is still frozen solid, then let it defrost in a small container at room temperature, without water, for ten to fifteen minutes. Never thaw the whole pack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor coral feeding, mix the thawed portion with a little tank water and deliver it with a turkey baster or a dosing syringe, close to the polyps. Turning the return pump and wavemakers off for five to ten minutes gives the corals time to capture it before the skimmer does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor fish alone, straining off the pack liquid first is worth doing. For broadcast coral feeding it matters less, because the fine material in that liquid is part of what filter feeders are taking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep the pack frozen and never refreeze a thawed portion. A slab that has softened through and been returned to the freezer should be discarded, not fed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSuitable for, and not suitable for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSuitable for\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarine fish of small and medium size - anthias, chromis, cardinals, wrasses, gobies and clownfish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLarge-polyp stony corals, anemones and zoanthids that capture particulate food\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNon-photosynthetic corals and gorgonians, which need suspended food rather than light\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeather dusters, tube worms and other filter-feeding invertebrates\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour conditioning, where the natural astaxanthin supports reds and oranges already in the animal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eNot suitable for\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse as a sole diet - a single-species copepod is rich but narrow, and needs a mixed formula alongside it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNewly hatched fry and the smallest filter feeders - at 2 to 3 mm this is too large, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frozen-rotifers-100g\"\u003eFrozen Rotifers 100g\u003c\/a\u003e at 0.2 mm is the food for that job\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLarge predatory fish, which will not chase a 2 to 3 mm item in any useful quantity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFreshwater aquariums - Ocean Nutrition rates this one for marine fish, corals and invertebrates\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAutomatic feeders, which cannot handle a frozen wet food\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA single small tank fed once a week - 454 g will outlast its quality in the freezer before you finish it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/frozen-rotifers-100g\"\u003eFrozen Rotifers 100g\u003c\/a\u003e - the 0.2 mm size class, for small-polyp corals and fry that cannot take a copepod.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/ocean-nutrition-frozen-copepods\"\u003eOcean Nutrition frozen copepods\u003c\/a\u003e - a different copepod to rotate through the week.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/frozen-marine-quintet-100g\"\u003eFrozen Marine Quintet 100g\u003c\/a\u003e - a mixed marine blister that covers what a single-species food does not.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/ocean-nutrition-coral-pellets-small-100g\"\u003eOcean Nutrition Coral Pellets Small 100g\u003c\/a\u003e - a shelf-stable coral food for the days the freezer stays shut.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/frozen-mysis-flat-454g\"\u003eFrozen Mysis Flat 454g\u003c\/a\u003e - the same bulk flat format in a larger prey size for the fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWarranty and delivery\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAquarium foods carry no manufacturer warranty period. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply in full and sit in addition to anything a manufacturer offers, including a remedy if a product arrives thawed, damaged or not of acceptable quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a frozen product and is handled as cold-chain stock. It travels by in-store pickup or local delivery rather than standard parcel post, because a 454 g slab that thaws in transit cannot be refrozen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat exactly is red plankton?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRed plankton is \u003cem\u003eCalanus finmarchicus\u003c\/em\u003e, an omnivorous copepod of 2 to 3 mm that forms a major part of the marine food chain in the North Atlantic. Its red colour comes from natural astaxanthin, the same carotenoid that gives salmon and cooked prawns their colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill red plankton feed my corals, or just the fish?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOcean Nutrition rates it for corals and invertebrates as well as fish, and it disperses evenly through the water column rather than sinking quickly, which is what makes coral feeding practical. Turning off circulation for five to ten minutes during the feed makes a substantial difference to how much the polyps actually capture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow do I portion a 454 g flat pack?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBreak or shave off the amount you need while the slab is still frozen hard, and return the remainder to the freezer immediately. Breaking the whole pack into meal-sized pieces on the first day, then storing those in a sealed container, avoids repeatedly softening the edges of the slab.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIs the flat pack the same food as the 100 g blister?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Same species, same analysis, same single-ingredient declaration. The only differences are the quantity and whether the food arrives pre-portioned into cubes or as one solid slab you portion yourself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes red plankton raise nitrate and phosphate?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny food added to a closed system contributes both, and a broadcast feed aimed at corals contributes more than a targeted feed because more of it goes uneaten. Straining the pack liquid when feeding fish, and feeding smaller amounts more often, are the two practical controls.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I feed this to freshwater fish?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOcean Nutrition markets Red Plankton for marine fish, corals and invertebrates, and that is the use the product is specified for. Freshwater fish will generally eat it, but it is not the intended application and freshwater-specific frozen foods are the better fit.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ocean Nutrition","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55293354836259,"sku":"ON1574410","price":48.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/on1574410_1778637469.jpg?v=1786055775","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/frozen-red-plankton-flat-454g","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}