The scores
First Mate Pacific Ocean Fish Original: B (77/100) — Good. Genuinely short ingredient list, wild-caught fish meal, low allergenic risk.
Blue Buffalo Basics LID Salmon & Potato: B (78/100) — Good. Single animal protein, grain-free or grain-inclusive options, broader vitamin and superfood support.
How the ingredients compare
The top five ingredients:
First Mate: Ocean Fish Meal, Burbank Potato, Norkotah Potato, Tomato Pomace, Chicken Fat
Blue Buffalo Basics: Deboned Salmon, Salmon Meal, Potatoes, Pea Starch, Peas
Both formulas start with fish-forward proteins and use potato as the primary carb. First Mate's ocean fish meal blends wild-caught herring, anchovy, and sardine — small, cold-water species with high omega-3 density. Blue Buffalo Basics leads with fresh deboned salmon plus salmon meal — a single-species protein source that's better for strict elimination-diet tracking.
Beyond the top five, the formulas diverge in philosophy. First Mate keeps the ingredient count low (fewer than 30 items total), sticking to its minimalist LID principle. Blue Buffalo Basics adds peas, pea starch, natural flavor, salmon oil, flaxseed, and a broader vitamin and mineral premix — more total ingredients but also more nutritional depth.
Where Blue Buffalo Basics pulls ahead
Fresh meat up front: Deboned salmon as the first ingredient provides whole-meat nutrients and palatability that meal-only First Mate can't match. Many dogs are pickier about meal-first kibbles.
Broader nutritional support: Vitamin and mineral premix, LifeSource Bits, added omega-3 from salmon oil and flaxseed, and more functional inclusions. For dogs on a LID long-term rather than a short-term elimination trial, Basics delivers more complete nutrition.
Wider retail availability: Blue Buffalo Basics is stocked at virtually every pet-specialty retailer and most grocery chains. First Mate is a Canadian brand with limited U.S. distribution outside Chewy, Amazon, and specialty stores. Shop on Amazon →
Where First Mate holds its own
Genuinely minimal ingredient list: This is the real differentiator. First Mate runs under 30 ingredients; Blue Buffalo Basics runs 40+. For veterinarian-supervised elimination diets where the goal is to identify specific allergens, shorter is legitimately better — fewer variables to rule out.
Fish species diversity within a single protein class: Herring, anchovy, and sardine in one meal blend means multiple cold-water fish contribute EPA and DHA. Blue Buffalo Basics sticks to salmon as its marine source. For dogs with specific fish-species sensitivities, this could cut either way — some benefit from the variety, others need to isolate to a single fish species.
No peas or legumes: First Mate is genuinely potato-only for its primary carb. Blue Buffalo Basics adds peas and pea starch, which puts it adjacent to the DCM conversation that continues to circle grain-free legume-heavy formulas. First Mate sidesteps that entirely. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
Blue Buffalo Basics wins the raw score by one point, mostly because of fresh salmon up front and broader nutritional completeness. But First Mate wins the LID comparison by genuinely delivering what the category promises: a short ingredient list, potato-only carb, and fish-only protein. If you're working with a vet on an elimination diet where minimizing variables is the goal, First Mate is arguably the better-fit choice despite the lower score. If your dog has a known fish-protein preference and you want a full-spectrum premium kibble, Basics is the more complete option. Read our full reviews of First Mate and Blue Buffalo Basics for the complete breakdown.