Technical Background

Amino acids are the components of proteins, and the ratios in which they occur are specific to different tissue types of organisms; the proteins, themselves, are involved in all aspects of cellular processes. Amino acids play a number of essential direct and indirect roles in all biological processes, from regulating protein utilization, to indirectly influencing neurological functioning, to the formation of pigments that give organisms their coloration, and so on; in short, they are crucial to the overall existence of all living organisms. Absence of various amino acids in the diet of an organism can have a negative impact by limiting, or “throttling”, a number of biological processes; this may lead to illness or death, and is obviously to be avoided.

Many organisms are not able to biochemically create certain amino acids from their more basic components, requiring that the organism obtain these amino acids from their foods. The advantage that MaxAmino offers aquarium hobbyists is that it is precisely formulated to provide the twenty standard amino acids in the exact same ratios in which they occur in the tissue of fishes, and in a form readily absorbed into prepared and thawed frozen foods. As such, MaxAmino is primarily intended for use as a soak to enhance the nutritional value of frozen and prepared foods. It increases the protein percentage of foods by 10 mg per ml applied. Additionally, soaking new foods in MaxAmino encourages finicky fishes to begin feeding, indicating that it enhances the flavor of these foods.

MaxAmino does not require refrigeration, however storage in a cool, shaded area will prolong the stability of the amino acids. Refrigeration will maximize the shelf-life of the product.

Ingredients
Purified water, proprietary complex of free-form amino acids, hydrolyzed fish protein.

Shake product well before using.

Measure the desired amount of food out and place it into a clean container, such as a small cup or bowl; rinse frozen foods under a stream of (preferably purified) water until they have thawed and any solution in which they were frozen is washed away, then place food into container. Add MaxAmino drop-by-drop to the container, saturating the food, but do not add so much of the liquid that extra remains; in other words, do not add a capful of the product to a pinch of food and then add the entirety of this to the aquarium. Allow 2 - 5 minutes for MaxAmino to soak into food, then add food to aquarium in an area of moderate water flow away from pump intakes or overflows, or as desired; this is effectively accomplished by scooping the saturated food out of the container with a small spoon and placing it in the desired location inside the aquarium. Discard any unused MaxAmino left over in container. Note that saturated food has a tendency to sink more quickly than does “dry” food, however it is also easier for fish to consume due to the fact that it is softened and at room temperature (frozen foods). Foods allowed to soak for considerably longer than 5 minutes may easily fall apart when exposed to moderate water flow; this may be of benefit when the aquarium contains species of fish that prefer small food particles to relatively larger ones.

Add no more than 5 ml total per 50 gallons of water in the entire aquarium system daily for the first four weeks of use; thereafter, the dosage may be gradually increased as desired. Starting out at a low dosage and gradually increasing it with time will allow the biological filtration in the aquarium to adjust to the increase in nutrients and prevent water quality from deteriorating. Some hobbyists may choose to employ MaxAmino with every feeding, whereas others may prefer to employ it once daily or less frequently. MaxAmino does not have any free phosphate, however it is composed of amino acids, the precursors of protein, and therefore contributes to the concentration of organic material entering the aquarium with each feeding; therefore, use the product only as directed and decrease frequency of usage if the presence of cyanobacteria or nuisance algae increases during periods following addition of the product to the aquarium. Do not add this product directly to aquarium water.