Feeder fish vs crickets

[AssistedDecoy]

So I have read up on breeding guppies and breeding crickets, it seems like crickets would be alot easier and produce alot more.
Has anyone tried either or both?
Is it even worth it?
How many of each would make a meal?
Very interested in hearing opinions and stories on this

 

[nirbhao]

Who are you feeding?

 

[AssistedDecoy]

Oscars and tank mates once i get some

 

[SherLar]

I've tried raising feeder mollies, and tried raising crickets.
The mollies never produced enough, and were too slow growing to make it worthwhile. The crickets had an annoying habit of escaping, and crawling around the basement. I found it easier, and nearly as cost effective, to just order live crickets from a supplier. It's been a couple years, but if memory serves, we could get 1000 m-lg crickets for around $20.00 delivered.

 

[nirbhao]

I don't know about crickets, but guppies are super easy to breed. I wonder how old they would have to be to make it worth your time to feed them to oscars.

 

[AssistedDecoy]

I've tried raising feeder mollies, and tried raising crickets.
The mollies never produced enough, and were too slow growing to make it worthwhile. The crickets had an annoying habit of escaping, and crawling around the basement. I found it easier, and nearly as cost effective, to just order live crickets from a supplier. It's been a couple years, but if memory serves, we could get 1000 m-lg crickets for around $20.00 delivered.

The babies escaped? Or big ones 2?
I looked it up and yeah its still around $20 for 1000. After reading i wasnt super intrested in mollies but wasnt sure about crickets but i might give it a try just to see for myself

 

[kashif314]

No offense but if a fish can have a healthy diet sold in markets why to feed them live fish? You can read about Oscars hole in the head disease because of feeder fish.

Feed ur fish oscar cichlid pellets or frisen blood worms etc. They are more healthy and nutritious.

 

[SherLar]

All sizes escaped periodically. To be fair, I didn't use the kind of enclosure that was recommended; I used a 20g tote with some air holes poked in the lid. Supposedly, they're easy to breed and grow quickly, but I really didn't give it enough of a chance to find out. After one failed attempt, I just starting ordering them.
I don't know what a "normal" size brood for most live-bearers is, but the mollies usually had only a few fry each time. It took the fry a couple months to get to a size large enough to be considered feeders. Wasn't very effective for me at that time, as I had several large fish who enjoyed treats. Guppies may grow faster.

 

[SherLar]

In answer to kashif314:
Hole-in-the-head disease is caused by malnutrition for the most part. Most people who feed their oscars and other large fish treats of insects and feeders do it only occasionally, with the main diet being more nutritious, staple foods. Giving feeders or insects is much like giving our dogs treats: it isn't the main diet.

 

[kashif314]

In answer to kashif314:
Hole-in-the-head disease is caused by malnutrition for the most part. Most people who feed their oscars and other large fish treats of insects and feeders do it only occasionally, with the main diet being more nutritious, staple foods. Giving feeders or insects is much like giving our dogs treats: it isn't the main diet.

Yes I agree but I see it as animal cruelty. I believe I am the only aquarist.

Never feed my blood parrots community live feed or Oscars too. People say in the wild Oscars eat. Yes they eat but in the wild live feed have chance to escape but here these poor guys are trapped and sooner or later will be eaten. Poor fish.

 

[AssistedDecoy]

Yeah i figured like once a week plop a few crickets in, the wife wants a bearded dragon so it wouldnt be just for fish

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Trust me, ordering crickets is much cheaper than breeding them in the long run. We have a cricket eating beardie (purchased at 4" in june 2016, now 14 inches in Feb 2017), and despite his appetite can supply crickets to him and everybody for $10 a month, that's cheaper than the amount of cornmeal they eat.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[AssistedDecoy]

Thanks 4 the info

 

[Toad]

They normally eat bugs in the wild so I would say go with crickets (which you can gut load too), worms etc.

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[AssistedDecoy]

What about ghost shrimp? Any info on them? Easier than guppies hard? Yield?

 

[Delapool]

All sizes escaped periodically. To be fair, I didn't use the kind of enclosure that was recommended; I used a 20g tote with some air holes poked in the lid. Supposedly, they're easy to breed and grow quickly, but I really didn't give it enough of a chance to find out. After one failed attempt, I just starting ordering them.
I don't know what a "normal" size brood for most live-bearers is, but the mollies usually had only a few fry each time. It took the fry a couple months to get to a size large enough to be considered feeders. Wasn't very effective for me at that time, as I had several large fish who enjoyed treats. Guppies may grow faster.

I've only seriously done this occasionally with molly breeding. Brood size was around 2 dozen generally in seperate tanks. But growing out was very slow (probably as was never seriously interested in feeding them up).