Live Food

[alexdallimore]

When the winter goes (yes I know it's just starting) is it ok to collect ants from the garden and keep in a ant farm and then occassionally feed ants to my fish. I know people use mossie lavae collected from the garden but I was wondering if anyone collects anything else?

 

[Tsi_User]

The main problem with feeding you fish food from the garden is:

A) You don't know what they consume (the could ingest all kinds of bad things)
B) You don't know what kinds of pesticides, fertelizers etc.. they could be living in.

Although some people have no problems with feeding their fish live food from the garden, I have heard of others who have most likely lost fish due to contaminated live food.

 

[alexdallimore]

Ok cheers, is there another way of doing it like setting up an ant farm from a supplier or anything else. I am just thinking of my rainbow fish and panchax. Just trying to give some live food without killing them in the process

 

[black angel]

You can buy ant farms via mail order and i think argos have them. Not much point in trying to start your own as you need a queen i think to produce young. If you tried to make your own then the ants woulp probably escape and invade your house.
If you are lucky enough to find a nest in the garden then you might be able to raid it for the eggs. I did that when i found a nest in a plant pot outside.

 

[BigC]

I personally use anything I can get my hands on during the warmer months, midges and larvae, earthworms and even the aphids on the roses. (don't spray the roses dip the buds in a pot of water to collect the aphids)
Regards
BigC


The ant farm, is it large scale and is it sucessful, tell me a little more about your setup.
Regards
BigC

 

[TolkienGeek]

I use whatever larvae I can find, that's small. And like BigC I've thrown some aphids into the tank, my tetras love those . Back when I had my oscar, I would give him the odd grasshopper.

I don't recall ever feeding ants, but I did once have an Ant Farm. They are a lot of fun, but all the ones I've ever seen just contain worker ants, there's no queen, so they don't reproduce. Eventually, the workers die, one by one as they age, and the farm's done.

There might be a farm with queen out there, but I've never seen one. Maybe you can dig one up.
At any rate, Good Luck!

 

[CruX]

Whats the deal with earthworms from the garden? Do they need chopping up or can you just chuck one on the tank evey now and again?

 

[BigC]

Whats the deal with earthworms from the garden? Do they need chopping up or can you just chuck one on the tank evey now and again?

That depends on the size of the worm and the size of the fish for best results use a stanley/hobby knife blade and dissect them.
Regards
BigC

 

[CruX]

Whats the deal with earthworms from the garden? Do they need chopping up or can you just chuck one on the tank evey now and again?

That depends on the size of the worm and the size of the fish for best results use a stanley/hobby knife blade and dissect them.
Regards
BigC

Unfortunately Mrs CruX has veto'd this practice, unconditionally.

 

[ImperfectFaerie]

Whats the deal with earthworms from the garden? Do they need chopping up or can you just chuck one on the tank evey now and again?

That depends on the size of the worm and the size of the fish for best results use a stanley/hobby knife blade and dissect them.
Regards
BigC

Unfortunately Mrs CruX has veto'd this practice, unconditionally.

Don't worry- I've vetoed that in my house too, I can be cool with having frozen random food in the freezer, I can ignore it defrosting in a coffeemug (we finally dedicated one to it, so I don't have to be grossed out), I can even enjoy watching them eat the goodies- but LIVE worms is going just a little too far.

 

[CruX]

Whats the deal with earthworms from the garden? Do they need chopping up or can you just chuck one on the tank evey now and again?

That depends on the size of the worm and the size of the fish for best results use a stanley/hobby knife blade and dissect them.
Regards
BigC

Unfortunately Mrs CruX has veto'd this practice, unconditionally.

Don't worry- I've vetoed that in my house too, I can be cool with having frozen random food in the freezer, I can ignore it defrosting in a coffeemug (we finally dedicated one to it, so I don't have to be grossed out), I can even enjoy watching them eat the goodies- but LIVE worms is going just a little too far.

The way I see it the kids are gonna dig the poor chaps up and chase girls (their mum too) with them so lets put them to good use.

 

[Griz]

I also feed all sorts fom goodies from the outdorrs. Ant eggs and larvae, mosquito larvae, etc. If you don't want to go this route there are several live foods you can raise yourself. They can be bought in starter kits/cultures and aren't that expensive. Some require more work than others. Look up vinegar eels, grindal worms, brine shrimp, microworms.

 

[BigC]

If you don't want to go this route there are several live foods you can raise yourself. They can be bought in starter kits/cultures and aren't that expensive. Some require more work than others. Look up vinegar eels, grindal worms, brine shrimp, microworms.

Now taking orders.
Regards
BigC

 

[madmom]

Mostly I use frozen foods since the hubby vetoed live foods. Would mosquito larvae work? Just put a plastic bucket of water out and let it sit. I have the same problem CruX only it's my 8 year old girl chasing her 16 year old brother with live critters.

 

[BigC]

Putting manure in the buckets will help.