Lost all 3 Pictus Cats

[pondfreak4365]

Within 24 hours of feeding beefheart, I lost all three of our pictus cats. The water params were right on, I am diligent on tank maintenance. I bought frozen beefheart from the LFS, and wonder if that was what killed them. I can see no marks on any of them, no ick..nothing external. Until I fed them for the last time, everyone was swimming fine. Just watched the big guy breathe his last.

 

[CFC]

Im very sorry to hear that pondfreak Ive never heard of beefheart killing fish but ive never used it so i wouldnt know really, i find it best to stick with foods that fish would encounter in the wild like insects and their larvea and meaty foods like fish and mussels.

 

[pondfreak4365]

I must have had a brain fart or something. I had thought that beefheart was recommended, but now I cannot locate that information. Now I really blame myself

 

[david27]

Hi pondfreak sorry to hear about your pictus, I've feed my fish on beefheart in the past and while to much is not good for fish that is long term not overnight. Have you any other fish in the tank that ate the beefheart? are they ok?.
I always prepare my own food these days so I control its freshness not some LFS who's freezer broke down and was unwilling to dispose of their defrosted food, which happen at a LFS I know.

David

 

[pondfreak4365]

Fortunately I didn't feed the beefheart to the puffer, although I was tempted! The LFS did take it back and gave a refund, but denied that anything had happened with their freezers..went so far as to say they would feed it to their stock!. The poor pictus cats just loved the bloodworms so much, I thought beefheart would be a nice treat.



Signed,
The fish murderer

 

[Eelzor]

I saw some pictus cats a while ago, nice catfish and really sorry to hear what happend. I know how it feels.

 

[Inchworm]

I'm so sorry to learn about your fish, PondFreak.

The beefheart must have gone bad to kill the fish. How did it smell? If it doesn't smell like good beef--the kind you'd eat yourself--it may have been.

As far as feeding beef to the fish, I don't know that that's a whole lot different than(in nature) the fish eating any animal that died and fell in the water. They would pick on it, I think. And I've fed my goldfish steak with no problems.

Again, so sorry.

 

[pondfreak4365]

Thanks for the support folks. The beefheart smelled fine, really no smell at all. I just don't know what happened.


edit: It was called "Fish Gum Drops", San Fransisco Bay Brand, a floating fish food that comes packed in individual servings. I use the same brand of bloodworms and brine shrimp with no other issues. The servings or 'drops' contain 100% of whichever ingredient, no preservatives or fillers.