Are Guppies Or White Clouds More Nutritious?
- Thread starter Lulu09
- Start date
nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
Your retailer is an idiot, or at least, not very well read.
None of your fish need live feeders, and unless you're breeding feeders at home, none of them are safe. None. NONE. In case I haven't made myself clear here, NO STORE-BOUGHT FEEDER FISH IS SAFE TO USE.
When it comes to safe species to use, do not use cyprinids, i.e., no goldfish, minnows, barbs or anything else belonging to the family Cyprinidae. These contain too much fat and a chemical called thiaminase that breaks down vitamin B1. There is increasing evidence that excessive amounts of thiaminase is a major reason why fish-eating predators get sick in captivity. Noted marine aquarist Bob Fenner has reported that the single commonest cause of premature death among lionfish is the use of feeder fish. Reflect on that for a moment. More lionfish die from being given feeder fish than die from poor water quality, parasites, accidental poisoning, starvation, or aggression between fish.
Of course your pet store will sell feeders. If he can sell you half a dozen minnows every week, he'll be raking in the cash. Reflects rather badly on his approach to the hobby though…
If you must use feeders in situations where the fish being kept is an obligate piscivore, for example a South American leaffish, killifish and livebearers are the best to use, but cichlids may be suitable, assuming a given predator can handle prey with spiny fins. In all cases you breed them at home, use the offspring, not the parents, and you gut-load everything. Using feeder fish safely is extremely labour-intensive and expensive. Unless you have a fish room and are cranking dozens if not hundreds of fry per month, there's no point at all getting your predatory fish hooked on live fish.
Wild Polypterus delhezi mostly feed on insects. Almost all of the Polypterus delhezi in the trade now are farmed, and these are easily adapted to a range of non-live foods including tilapia fillet and cockles, both of which are thiaminase-free. Because they contain thiaminase, prawns, shrimps, squid and mussels should be used sparingly. Earthworms are excellent treats. A wide range of invertebrates will be accepted by your bichir as well as your other fish including bloodworms, krill and brine shrimp.
Cheers, Neale
None of your fish need live feeders, and unless you're breeding feeders at home, none of them are safe. None. NONE. In case I haven't made myself clear here, NO STORE-BOUGHT FEEDER FISH IS SAFE TO USE.
When it comes to safe species to use, do not use cyprinids, i.e., no goldfish, minnows, barbs or anything else belonging to the family Cyprinidae. These contain too much fat and a chemical called thiaminase that breaks down vitamin B1. There is increasing evidence that excessive amounts of thiaminase is a major reason why fish-eating predators get sick in captivity. Noted marine aquarist Bob Fenner has reported that the single commonest cause of premature death among lionfish is the use of feeder fish. Reflect on that for a moment. More lionfish die from being given feeder fish than die from poor water quality, parasites, accidental poisoning, starvation, or aggression between fish.
Of course your pet store will sell feeders. If he can sell you half a dozen minnows every week, he'll be raking in the cash. Reflects rather badly on his approach to the hobby though…
If you must use feeders in situations where the fish being kept is an obligate piscivore, for example a South American leaffish, killifish and livebearers are the best to use, but cichlids may be suitable, assuming a given predator can handle prey with spiny fins. In all cases you breed them at home, use the offspring, not the parents, and you gut-load everything. Using feeder fish safely is extremely labour-intensive and expensive. Unless you have a fish room and are cranking dozens if not hundreds of fry per month, there's no point at all getting your predatory fish hooked on live fish.
Wild Polypterus delhezi mostly feed on insects. Almost all of the Polypterus delhezi in the trade now are farmed, and these are easily adapted to a range of non-live foods including tilapia fillet and cockles, both of which are thiaminase-free. Because they contain thiaminase, prawns, shrimps, squid and mussels should be used sparingly. Earthworms are excellent treats. A wide range of invertebrates will be accepted by your bichir as well as your other fish including bloodworms, krill and brine shrimp.
Cheers, Neale
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