o, what is Probiotix�? It�s the Spectrum Nutrition Formula combined
with our own mix of beneficial probiotic cultures � at least 3 million
per gram (which to our knowledge is the most of any aquarium food
product). These add to the beneficial organisms that live in your fish�s
gut and help aid digestion � more of the nutrients your fish eat are
absorbed and converted (this is called utilization ratio). This means
that with the same formula, Probiotix� is actually more nutritious
because your aquarium companions get more out of each pellet! Plus, the
nutrient formula is based on our most concentrated formulation: NLS
Thera+A.
This boosted effectiveness also means there�s not as much waste
byproduct going into your aquarium water. And our proprietary probiotic
mix has an extra benefit: we added phosphate-eating bacteria that works
in the gut, but also gets into the water column along with the waste �
and from there into the filter media. The result? A virtuous cycle in
the aquarium that works in the gut, the water and the biofilter.
Creating a probiotic fortified food has been an idea we�ve been
interested in for a while. But our philosophy is that we don�t do
something simply because it looks good on an advertising sheet. Until we
could make something that wasn�t just a gimmick to put on a label, we
didn�t do it. We did it.
Probiotix� is manufactured using what we are calling our Cold
Re-Extrusion Tech. This gives us high probiotic density (that is
biologically effective) locked within the pellet so it doesn�t wash-off
in the water and activates in the hot, moist conditions of the fish�s
gut as the pellet is broken down.
In brief, Cold Re-Extrusion means we heat-extrude the pellet to
pasteurize it, re-grind it, add the probiotics and then re-form the
pellet using a cold process made possible by our new, low-starch binding
formula � and some clever re-engineering of our machines that keep the
dough cool as it�s compressed into the final pellet.
We are pretty proud of this innovation.
Unfortunately, there are so-called �probiotic� foods are simply
marketing ploys. The kill rate for probiotics is basically 100% at
temperatures above 60-degrees celsius. Traditionally, pellets must be
created at over 90-degrees celsius both for pasteurization (legally
required for food safety) and for the successful formation of a
water-stable pellet. Some foods do say �x cfu or probiotic cultures at
the time of manufacture.� This is true but misleading. It means that the
beneficial bacteria were alive when added to the mix, with no warranty
on how many viable cultures are still alive in the final result.
There are products that spray-coat the bacteria on the surface in an
oil solution. We did consider this, but there are several disadvantages.
First, it really shortens the shelf life. We�re proud of the fact that
Probiotix� has a great shelf life in years, close to our non-probiotic
formulas. Second, surface coating is the first thing to �wash-off� in
the water so that less of it gets into your fish�s gut. The coating also
gets into the water to create an extra �film�. Often coated products
also have a lower probiotic density than is ideal, sometimes below what
we would consider a biologically-significant threshold.
Probiotix� guarantees at least 3 million viable cultures per gram �
more than enough to work in your aquarium companions� gut and help
support the biological cycle in your tank.
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