People fish for fish

[Tooch]

Ok, we're starting to get our fish off of feeders, but want to be able to give them a variety. I've heard of people feeding their fish things like cut of fish fillets, mussels, shrimp...

How are these foods prepared? Is it safe to just drop in coctail shrimp? What about shells? I've heard people say to de-shell them. Is that right? Would it be the same as crayfish shells, wich our fish don't eat?

Do the mussels need to be cleaned a certian way? I've heard people saying they feed their Bichirs the mussel on the half shell, to give them something to prey on (the muscle attachment keeping the meat inside the shell)..


So? What's the deal? What do I feed, and how do I prepare it? Thanks for the answers I know I'll get! thumbs2:

[sailor]

I don't know about feeding mussles or fish but I do know that my all my tanks love fresh shrimp. I pick up fresh shrimp from the market shell them cut them up into bite size pieces and freeze them in zip lock baggies. When I want to feed them a shrimp treat I thaw it out in aquarium water and then watch the feeding frenzie begin. The only thing with feeding this or I imagine other types of fresh fish or seafood is you have to be carefull of not putting more in then they will eat as it will foul the water quickley. I read in another forum something I will try the next time I'm picking up seafood for my tanks. A frozen seafood mix of shrimp, scallops and squid. Thaw some out about have way, cut up really small, put into ice cube trays with a bit of aquarium water. Once frozen transfer to ziplock bags, Then thaw and serve as required.

[Drumachine09]

Many fish can enjoy mussels, clams, and other saltwater fauna. Just make sure that you don't feed them precooked foods, because those have lost a lot of their nutrition.

[Tooch]

Many fish can enjoy mussels, clams, and other saltwater fauna. Just make sure that you don't feed them precooked foods, because those have lost a lot of their nutrition.


So raw shrimp is the way to go?

[Drumachine09]

Yup.

When I got an anemone (BAD idea) a while ago, 2manyfish instructed me to feed it only uncooked shrimp. The cooked stuff has a lot of the nutrients cooked out.


Larger cichlids, like what you have, love meaty foods too, so I'm sure they will see this as a treat.

[Lady Hobbs]

One thing I've never been able to completely understand is we can not use table salt in a fish tank due to the iodine but we readily feed our fish raw shrimp which contain iodine. What's up with that?

[NickFish]

I think the shrimp contain iodine in much lower quantities. Not sure though good question....

[Tooch]

I think the shrimp contain iodine in much lower quantities. Not sure though good question....


I have a friend who can't eat seafood because she's allergic to the iodine... Strange!