How to check if your TetraBits are original ?
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 4:27 pm
How to check if your TetraBits are original ?
Most of us hobbyists seem to have doubts on the TetraBits if they are original or not. Some say the pellets float, some say they sink; some say they emit a red colour in the water but no one has definite proven answers. Doubts still remain.
I wrote to the company directly on this issue providing them will all the details of the product I purchased
and received favorable replies with direction where you can order your original TetraBits from.
First read the mail received from them and their responses and then you can view pictures and videos
explained below
The Correspondence
QUOTE
Dear Mr. Pio,
Thank you very much for your mail. Based on the details given I confirm that you bought an original Tetra Product.
We are able to follow up each batch number in Melle. Maybe Aquazona can give information on retailer sales price in India.
Normally you can identify the original Tetra products by the help of the EAN Code as the first figures refer to the country, state and company.
Furthermore Tetra foods always have an original sealing with Tetra printed or punched on the sealing foil.
Best regards and have a nice weekend
Ursula Kirchhoff
Supervisor Affiliate Coordination
TetraEurope
Melle - Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 5422 105-380
Fax: +49 (0) 5422 105-77380
eMail: ursula.kirchhoff@eu.spectrumbrands.com
http://www.tetra.net
Tetra GmbH, Herrenteich 78, 49324 Melle
eingetragen beim Amtsgericht Osnabrück, HRB 19028
Geschäftsführer: Jochem van Rietschoten, Dr. Andreas Rouvé, Anja Krüger
------------------------------------
The India counterpart responded
Company Name M/s Aakar Aquarium
Contact Person Mr. Sandeep
Contact no. 09967981592
Company name M/s Aquaria
Contact Person Ms. Bella
Contact no. 022-26421400
Please do not hesitate to contact us, if any products are not available with the dealer, so we can arrange
from Delhi without any courier charges.
Mamta
For AQUAZONA EXPORTS
aquazona@nda.vsnl
UNQUOTE
Heres my explanation
The Product
Each Product has a barcode. See Picture as indicated below.
You can type the barcode in this site
http://gepir.gs1.org/v32/xx/default.aspx?Lang=en-US/
After you enter the barcode online you will get information of the company
As you can see the barcode is linked and registered to Tetra – Germany
Your Tetra container will have the Lid with a Tetra Logo at the top and at the bottom there will be batch
number and expiry date of the product printed
As the company mentions, the sealing foil will carry the Tetra logo in either printed or embossed form
Left picture is from online. Right picture is what I have.
Note : TetraBits Complete pellets sink. No doubt about it. And they do not emit any colouration…
Video link : http://tinypic.com/r/2i6l4s0/5
…Neither do they breakup in the water unless you churn the whole thing up like I did below to feed smaller fish.
Should you have any doubts contact the above representatives to clarify with them on other types of Tetra products, since I’ve covered only TetraBits Complete here
Edit : After Posting the above
I realised that some hobbyists have genuinely got duped and theres no way of stopping it because only after you buy and spend you money the deed is done.
However we can take some precautions and provide suggestions to the Tetra Company
Precautions
1) Buy from the dealer/retailer suggested by them
2) Destroy your label and container. Or use your containers to store your Micros and Macros. But ensure that this container if its out in the trash it is destroyed completely. Just like how you would destroy a foreign perfume or liquor bottle. That way its not available to use or reuse at all for fake products.
There's no stopping a local LFS from creating his own can, forging the logo and foil but he has to incur these costs and may think twice before venturing.
Suggestions
1) The Tetra company should insert a small unique code in the fish-food which should then be checked online. In this way it will be securitized.
2) If you have been duped report the shop name with complete address back to Germany or India about it. Don't remain silent about it.
Most of us hobbyists seem to have doubts on the TetraBits if they are original or not. Some say the pellets float, some say they sink; some say they emit a red colour in the water but no one has definite proven answers. Doubts still remain.
I wrote to the company directly on this issue providing them will all the details of the product I purchased
and received favorable replies with direction where you can order your original TetraBits from.
First read the mail received from them and their responses and then you can view pictures and videos
explained below
The Correspondence
QUOTE
Dear Mr. Pio,
Thank you very much for your mail. Based on the details given I confirm that you bought an original Tetra Product.
We are able to follow up each batch number in Melle. Maybe Aquazona can give information on retailer sales price in India.
Normally you can identify the original Tetra products by the help of the EAN Code as the first figures refer to the country, state and company.
Furthermore Tetra foods always have an original sealing with Tetra printed or punched on the sealing foil.
Best regards and have a nice weekend
Ursula Kirchhoff
Supervisor Affiliate Coordination
TetraEurope
Melle - Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 5422 105-380
Fax: +49 (0) 5422 105-77380
eMail: ursula.kirchhoff@eu.spectrumbrands.com
http://www.tetra.net
Tetra GmbH, Herrenteich 78, 49324 Melle
eingetragen beim Amtsgericht Osnabrück, HRB 19028
Geschäftsführer: Jochem van Rietschoten, Dr. Andreas Rouvé, Anja Krüger
------------------------------------
The India counterpart responded
Company Name M/s Aakar Aquarium
Contact Person Mr. Sandeep
Contact no. 09967981592
Company name M/s Aquaria
Contact Person Ms. Bella
Contact no. 022-26421400
Please do not hesitate to contact us, if any products are not available with the dealer, so we can arrange
from Delhi without any courier charges.
Mamta
For AQUAZONA EXPORTS
aquazona@nda.vsnl
UNQUOTE
Heres my explanation
The Product
Each Product has a barcode. See Picture as indicated below.
You can type the barcode in this site
http://gepir.gs1.org/v32/xx/default.aspx?Lang=en-US/
After you enter the barcode online you will get information of the company
As you can see the barcode is linked and registered to Tetra – Germany
Your Tetra container will have the Lid with a Tetra Logo at the top and at the bottom there will be batch
number and expiry date of the product printed
As the company mentions, the sealing foil will carry the Tetra logo in either printed or embossed form
Left picture is from online. Right picture is what I have.
Note : TetraBits Complete pellets sink. No doubt about it. And they do not emit any colouration…
Video link : http://tinypic.com/r/2i6l4s0/5
…Neither do they breakup in the water unless you churn the whole thing up like I did below to feed smaller fish.
Should you have any doubts contact the above representatives to clarify with them on other types of Tetra products, since I’ve covered only TetraBits Complete here
Edit : After Posting the above
I realised that some hobbyists have genuinely got duped and theres no way of stopping it because only after you buy and spend you money the deed is done.
However we can take some precautions and provide suggestions to the Tetra Company
Precautions
1) Buy from the dealer/retailer suggested by them
2) Destroy your label and container. Or use your containers to store your Micros and Macros. But ensure that this container if its out in the trash it is destroyed completely. Just like how you would destroy a foreign perfume or liquor bottle. That way its not available to use or reuse at all for fake products.
There's no stopping a local LFS from creating his own can, forging the logo and foil but he has to incur these costs and may think twice before venturing.
Suggestions
1) The Tetra company should insert a small unique code in the fish-food which should then be checked online. In this way it will be securitized.
2) If you have been duped report the shop name with complete address back to Germany or India about it. Don't remain silent about it.
