cichlid555
Aquarium Advice Activist
should i turn my extra 10 gallon into a feeder fish tank??????????????????
do you think i should set up a feeder fish tank?
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If you are using feeder fish, you better be breeding them yourself or you are going to get all your fish sick. Its just a matter of time with the LFS feeders.
Now if I ran a LFS, I would have that feeder fish tank hooked up to the biggest UV I could get my hands on, but they don't care enough. I've lost five piranna and three sabre tooth barracudas to feeders, so NEVER AGAIN IMO.
Now if I ran a LFS, I would have that feeder fish tank hooked up to the biggest UV I could get my hands on, but they don't care enough. I've lost five piranna and three sabre tooth barracudas to feeders, so NEVER AGAIN IMO.
zilla870
Aquarium Advice FINatic
stay away from feeder fish bad mojo very bad mojo.
FMJnaX
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Yeah, stay away from LFS feeders... unless, of course, you want a fish to cycle with.... in which case a small group of feeder golds will do alright.... just be sure to watch for any diseases during the cycle since introducing your "real" fish may still be harmful long after the feeders are gone. But yeah, for the most part, stay away from them unless you're 100% sure of their background.
cichlid555
Aquarium Advice Activist
what type of meaty food do you feed oscars then because i think that they like the meaty foods better than pellets right!
ace1uno_00
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I say go for it. just keep the tank clean and clear of ich.
cichlid555
Aquarium Advice Activist
good idea and i still dont get why i shouldnt feed them feeder fish!!!!
but they are right i fed my old oscar live fish and he ended up dying!
but they are right i fed my old oscar live fish and he ended up dying!
FMJnaX
Aquarium Advice FINatic
There are two reasons I can think not to always feed feeders:
1) Store-bought feeders are typically not kept for. For example, out LFS has a 10 gal with at least 100 feeder golds in it. They don't have any UV on them, nor do they treat the water, even when an infestation breaks out. They sell for 10 cents a pop, so I'm sure the LFS doesn't really care about them. When you feed a diseased fish to another fish, it increases the chances of getting that disease passed to it. If you raise/breed your own feeders and/or know 100% of the feeder background (and I mean 100%!), then you should be alright.... except for item #2
2) Tank-raised fish need more than a steady diet of feeders If you supplement or change up the diet, then you should be alright. Also, some tank raised fish may not have the natural hunting instinct and/or the interest since they've been fed the good stuff. Each fish is different in this regard.
Again, just my opinions.
1) Store-bought feeders are typically not kept for. For example, out LFS has a 10 gal with at least 100 feeder golds in it. They don't have any UV on them, nor do they treat the water, even when an infestation breaks out. They sell for 10 cents a pop, so I'm sure the LFS doesn't really care about them. When you feed a diseased fish to another fish, it increases the chances of getting that disease passed to it. If you raise/breed your own feeders and/or know 100% of the feeder background (and I mean 100%!), then you should be alright.... except for item #2
2) Tank-raised fish need more than a steady diet of feeders If you supplement or change up the diet, then you should be alright. Also, some tank raised fish may not have the natural hunting instinct and/or the interest since they've been fed the good stuff. Each fish is different in this regard.
Again, just my opinions.
cichlid555
Aquarium Advice Activist
thank you!
ace1uno_00
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Well Said FMJanx!
I'd say get 3 male and 6-9 Quality female guppies. Feed any fry you have to your larger fish as a variation in their diet, but feeder fish alone isn't that healthy. Investing in some normal, not feeder guppies now will save you money on feeders in the long run
I would also seperate any female guppies that are about to give birth or put them in a breeding net. This way you'll raise more fry then when you let the female spwan in the tank, where I'm sure some will get eaten.
HTH!
I would also seperate any female guppies that are about to give birth or put them in a breeding net. This way you'll raise more fry then when you let the female spwan in the tank, where I'm sure some will get eaten.
HTH!
IMO the only time you should feed FW tropicals feeder fish is if they won't eat anything else. There are very few aquarium fish where this is the case (clown knives and alligator gars come to mind). Simply put, the less fish you put in your tank, the better off your fish will be.
There are many commercially prepared frozen and dried foods that are high in protein and will be relished by oscars, dempseys and jewels. When I kept these fish I fed frozen krill primarily. Occasionally they would get live earthworms as a treat.
There are many commercially prepared frozen and dried foods that are high in protein and will be relished by oscars, dempseys and jewels. When I kept these fish I fed frozen krill primarily. Occasionally they would get live earthworms as a treat.
oscarbreeder
Aquarium Advice Addict
you can also feed your oscar live crickets and nightcrawlers.
cichlid555
Aquarium Advice Activist
thanks everyone for the replies
i ended yo making it a feeder fish tank and its worked out great
before i did it i talked to the local pet store and the manager said that as long as i keep the fish on a diet of pellets as well i could still feed them the feeders
she did however say that the fish could get a disease called hole in the head or something like that but its pretty rare i guess!!!!!!
thanks again
p.s. my fish love the new tasty treats and still are eating the pellets
i ended yo making it a feeder fish tank and its worked out great
before i did it i talked to the local pet store and the manager said that as long as i keep the fish on a diet of pellets as well i could still feed them the feeders
she did however say that the fish could get a disease called hole in the head or something like that but its pretty rare i guess!!!!!!
thanks again
p.s. my fish love the new tasty treats and still are eating the pellets
lukepghpa
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
depending on how big your tank is, could you block part of it off with netting or screen so that the feeder fish are constantly in the tank with your oscar...that way you are constantly introducing fish from one tank into another...just a thought
cichlid555
Aquarium Advice Activist
well i dont know i mean netting would really mess up the tank and a plexy glass seperator would just be a waste considering that i just payed a whole bunch of money for the new tank i have!!
thanks anyways though
thanks anyways though
DeFeKt
Aquarium Advice Addict
IN A nutshell, i'd say "Yes"
i have my oscars and barras on a diet of mostly high nutrition pellets (which city farmers, a local farm foods depot, makes and supplies) and Kangaroo Meat...
(1 oscar eats a chunk the size of the average thumb)
I also have a guppy tank which im cycling via my 120 gall, just for a weekly treat..
they love the fresh kill
i have my oscars and barras on a diet of mostly high nutrition pellets (which city farmers, a local farm foods depot, makes and supplies) and Kangaroo Meat...
(1 oscar eats a chunk the size of the average thumb)
I also have a guppy tank which im cycling via my 120 gall, just for a weekly treat..
they love the fresh kill
cichlid555
Aquarium Advice Activist
tjhanks for that i thinks thats a great idea as long as i still give them their diet containing pellets and other meaty foods they should be great!!!
megladonsharky
Aquarium Advice Freak
My lfs sells live black worms , I would say that would be a treat... my bettas love them and since they are raised my the owner they are in better shape than any feeder guppies
fish_4_all
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would recommend live food feeders as I fed mine on it for 4 years. King meal worms might make a good choice for a clean food as they are so easy to raise by the thousands and cheap too. If you want places to get them or instruction let me know. I took 50 of them and have turned them into 3000 in less than 5 months. Cost to raise, about $10 a month.
As for pellets and other foods, I can't say because the only oscar I had lived for 4 years and was about 3 pounds, he was 9 years old when he finally died and he was never fed anything but live feeders, goldfish, guppies, earthworms and crawdads. I got him at 4-5 years old from someone who fed him strictly on feeder goldfish. I think he finally died because he ran out of space in the 55 gallon he was in. There may be some really good pellets and other foods out there but I don't know anything about them.
As for pellets and other foods, I can't say because the only oscar I had lived for 4 years and was about 3 pounds, he was 9 years old when he finally died and he was never fed anything but live feeders, goldfish, guppies, earthworms and crawdads. I got him at 4-5 years old from someone who fed him strictly on feeder goldfish. I think he finally died because he ran out of space in the 55 gallon he was in. There may be some really good pellets and other foods out there but I don't know anything about them.
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