Feeder Fish

[Kevin_D]

I'll look into keeping them then, If I do get them, I'll only introduce fish that will be eaten soon after introducing them, I wont stock the tank with more than the snake(s) are likely to eat at one feeding.

I'd attempt feeding them dead fish, are frozen small dead fish available as feeders? like with rodents?

 

[tommo1988]

I would think that it isnt illegal to use feeders, when pike fishing in the uk i have seen livebait used many times(and to good effect!) and the baliffs walking about working for the environment agency have never said not to do it.

 

[Gatorbait]

I want to mention that if you do feel the need to use feeder fish, make sure you quarantine them and use PraziPro. I've seen a lot of feeder fish have ringworms and tapeworms in them that are bigger than the fish. If your fish eats it, well he has it too now. PraziPro will kill them.

I don't like to feed live fish but when I have to I use that and also use it on every new show fish I buy. I know I've said this before but I haven't heard anyone mention to use it before.

 

[Nevergone815]

It's exactly the same with reptiles...it wouldn't be legal to feed a python a live rat if it would happily feed on defrost. There's absolutely no need, and just creating suffering for the prey animal.

I feed my 2 Ball Pythons small live mice all the time. In fact, if they kill their pray and then move for any reason or lose it, they won't eat the dead mouse. I had to handfeed one of them with small frozen inky mice when I first got it (it refused ot eat anything), but once it started eating regularly, it got switched over to live mice. I used to breed them myself, but one time the power went out in the middle of the winter (ice storm) and there was no backup power supply. The tank temp dropped and they went into hybernation for 6 months (even after I got the tank temp back up to par), that was a treat for me. I had to give all my mice to a lps and havn't bred since as I'm afraid of that happening again.

Also, I feed my Ribbon Snake live feeder fish. I heard that (on many sites, including 3 different reptile forums) that feeding guppies prvide no nutrition to snakes, but Minnows are their natural food source as they are a river snake and close relative to Garter Snakes.

My snakes have never had any ill effects from it to date and really can't imagine them taking dead foods. But that is just me and my opinion. I'm from the US so I know this doesnt apply to across the pond, but I myself only feed live feeder fish as a treat once in a while and only "culls" from livebearer batches or convict spawings. I try to stay away from it, as I've found that it reverts the fish back to a primitive state and all they do is become aggressive to their tankmates when they get fed feeders. That's why I stay as far away as possible.

I want to mention that if you do feel the need to use feeder fish, make sure you quarantine them and use PraziPro. I've seen a lot of feeder fish have ringworms and tapeworms in them that are bigger than the fish. If your fish eats it, well he has it too now. PraziPro will kill them.

I don't like to feed live fish but when I have to I use that and also use it on every new show fish I buy. I know I've said this before but I haven't heard anyone mention to use it before.

I never knew that... I'll have ot look into getting PraziPro. I don't feed live foods to my fish, but I use Rosey Red Minnows to feed my Ribbon Snake and I've quarenteened them first, but never knew of such a product existing, nor the fact of the ringworms and tapeworms. I lways thought reptile digestive systems handle them readily.

That is just my $0.02 in all this.

 

[n3ont3tra]

What about aquatic turtles in the UK? If you put some minnows or something in there that looked too big to eat, but the turtle actually ate it, wouldn't that be illegal? Or what if you put a goldfish in a bowl like you see on TV shows and stuff. Do pet stores advertise things loke that, and doesn't that make it illegal, cause it causes the animal suffering? There's enough laws in the US to remember, but now I'm trying to memorise UK?

 

[Gatorbait]

I want to mention that if you do feel the need to use feeder fish, make sure you quarantine them and use PraziPro. I've seen a lot of feeder fish have ringworms and tapeworms in them that are bigger than the fish. If your fish eats it, well he has it too now. PraziPro will kill them.

I don't like to feed live fish but when I have to I use that and also use it on every new show fish I buy. I know I've said this before but I haven't heard anyone mention to use it before.

I never knew that... I'll have ot look into getting PraziPro. I don't feed live foods to my fish, but I use Rosey Red Minnows to feed my Ribbon Snake and I've quarenteened them first, but never knew of such a product existing, nor the fact of the ringworms and tapeworms. I lways thought reptile digestive systems handle them readily.

That is just my $0.02 in all this.

I'm not sure about reptiles. I've never had them.

PraziPro will kill worms and I swear by it. I never hear anyone talk about it or suggest it on these forums tho so maybe it's just me but like I said, a LOT of feeders have worms and this will kill them.

Most people won't even know their fish has ringworms or tapeworms. I've suggested this to friends here at home and after their Red Devil didn't grow much for 8 months or so, they used praziPro and found a tapeworm floating in their tank 2 days later. That Red Devil grew 3" the next month and a half. That's one of many stories that make me a believer in PraziPro.

I just got a Black Rhom and when I first got him he would ONLY eat feeders so I used it. A couple weeks ago I got him into a non-live fish eating habit so I don't anymore. This Rhom was easy to train off from them but others aren't.

 

[Kevin_D]

Ive decided to get an Enhydris chinensis, a small, nearly totally aquatic snake, it will be arriving in a few weeks once its tank is set up and settled ready for it. It will have heating, filtration and an air pump, and treated similar to a Turtle or semi-aquatic Newt. I'll be feeding it live feeder fish, as it wont accept any other foods, I also have an aquatic frog (and many other species arriving soon) that I wont be feeding live fish, as they are very happy eating small live invertebrates and pelleted food. I'll try weaning the snake onto dead fish, but I dont know if it will take them or not. Im probably going to be feeding it small mountain minnow's (which would be very similar to its natural prey in the wild) I currently keep the golden variety with my Sirens to help eat uneaten foods, I'll get the normal variety, and keep them in a seperate tank, and attempt breeding those.

Nevergone815, do you think its true that Guppies would provide no nutrition for Snakes? if the Guppies being bred are fed a healthy, varied diet would it make them a better feeder for them?

 

[OohFeeshy]

Nevergone815, do you think its true that Guppies would provide no nutrition for Snakes? if the Guppies being bred are fed a healthy, varied diet would it make them a better feeder for them?

Guppies shouldn't be any less nutritional than any other fish if you feed them a decent diet, whereas I believe (although can't remember for sure) minnows contain the anti-Vit B enzyme. Although it depends what you mean by minnows.

 

[Kevin_D]

Nevergone815, do you think its true that Guppies would provide no nutrition for Snakes? if the Guppies being bred are fed a healthy, varied diet would it make them a better feeder for them?

Guppies shouldn't be any less nutritional than any other fish if you feed them a decent diet, whereas I believe (although can't remember for sure) minnows contain the anti-Vit B enzyme. Although it depends what you mean by minnows.

By minnows I mean White Cloud Mountain Minnows, Tanichthys albonubes.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Under the circumstances guppies would probably be better, much easier to breed. Although variety is best- small cichlid fry are often good as they're rapidly produced. But obviously it's also a good idea to try and wean it onto live.

 

[Kevin_D]

Under the circumstances guppies would probably be better, much easier to breed. Although variety is best- small cichlid fry are often good as they're rapidly produced. But obviously it's also a good idea to try and wean it onto live.

I'll try breeding Guppies then, the only worry was them not being as nutritional as minnows, but I'll be feeding the fish a varied diet, and the adults will be well looked after, so hopefully theres no problems with them.

 

[CFC]

The key to nutritious feeders is gut loading, about an hour before i use a feeder i feed them with a good quality flake mixture (i mix the tetra veggi; colour and pro together in one big pot so i get the best of everything) so that when the unfortunate fish is eaten the nutrients from the flake is absorbed by the predator.

Keep and feed your feeders well and they will keep and feed your predators well.