Jack dempsey help feeder guppy question?

[Chasnkevin4ever]

I got me a jack Dempsey about a week ago. I was planning on giving it feeder guppies. The problem is, I don't know how many or how often? Any help would be much appreciated! He is on nls pellets, I feed him three to four pellets in the morning and when I go to bed, and also I was planning to give blood worms once a week.

 

[jetajockey]

Any reason why you want to give feeders? It's really not healthy, but if you do want to incorporate it as a routine then do it as sparingly as possible, like once a week would be good.

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

Any reason why you want to give feeders? It's really not healthy, but if you do want to incorporate it as a routine then do it as sparingly as possible, like once a week would be good.

Why is it unhealthy? How many should I give him? They are babies almost 5 weeks old. About an inch long each. Don't they eat live fish in the wild?

 

[jetajockey]

A few reasons. It's mostly about giving the fish a better balanced diet, I liken giving feeders to giivng myself a t-bone steak dinner every day, I'd really like it but it's not healthy in the long run.

That said I do give feeders to some of my fish, but it's very sparingly (culls from my guppy tanks), so I definitely wouldn't make a routine out of it. One other issue that comes to mind is some fish can get spoiled on feeders, they can get picky and that makes things more difficult also when trying to give them a better diet.

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

A few reasons. It's mostly about giving the fish a better balanced diet, I liken giving feeders to giivng myself a t-bone steak dinner every day, I'd really like it but it's not healthy in the long run.

That said I do give feeders to some of my fish, but it's very sparingly (culls from my guppy tanks), so I definitely wouldn't make a routine out of it. One other issue that comes to mind is some fish can get spoiled on feeders, they can get picky and that makes things more difficult also when trying to give them a better diet.

What fish do u have that u give feeders on a regular basis? I have moray eels but they don't seem interested in the live fish! I bought some guppies thinking my morays would eat them but instead of that the guppies started having babies, I can't let my tank get over populated, that's why I was going to feed the babies to my JD. So how often should I feed the JD feeders and how many at one time?

 

[spoonman]

Also, the more you bring in feeder fish, the better the odds of bringing some disease in with them. You dont have that risk with pellets or flakes. Just my 2 cents.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

How big is your JD?

You also have to realize the aggression level can increase, sometimes drastically. When you take a predator and feed it a pellet, it will relatively stay more calm. When you give it the thrill of the hunt, it starts to revert to the wild predator side.

Live feeders can be a good choice. Not only do they add variety, but they add entertainment. I would do once a week and depending on the fish's size, how many each time.

Just make sure to introduce new guppies every so often to create a better stock and always quarantine parents and babies before breeding/feeding. Also, feed them a high quality food (such as NLS) so that they will be giving the most nutrition.

 

[stingrays4]

Hi i personally wouldn't feed feeders. I have kept many fish that would eat fish in the wild but i personally believe its cruel to feed a live fish to another in captivity. As already been said if the JD is feeding on pellets, i would add some frozen food such as you say with the bloodworm,and maybe krill,cockle,mussel etc This provides a much better balanced diet
In England it is actually illegal to feed a live fish to another fish in captivity.

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

Also, the more you bring in feeder fish, the better the odds of bringing some disease in with them. You dont have that risk with pellets or flakes. Just my 2 cents.

What disease? I take great care of all my fish even my feeders! As long as they are healthy then my JD should be okay, right?

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

How big is your JD?

You also have to realize the aggression level can increase, sometimes drastically. When you take a predator and feed it a pellet, it will relatively stay more calm. When you give it the thrill of the hunt, it starts to revert to the wild predator side.

Live feeders can be a good choice. Not only do they add variety, but they add entertainment. I would do once a week and depending on the fish's size, how many each time.

Just make sure to introduce new guppies every so often to create a better stock and always quarantine parents and babies before breeding/feeding. Also, feed them a high quality food (such as NLS) so that they will be giving the most nutrition.

My JD is 3-4 inches, still a baby and I really don't have a problem with him getting more aggressive. He has his own tank! And what do u mean introduce more guppies ever so often, why? As long as I have my main ones that I breed isn't that enough?

 

[jetajockey]

What fish do u have that u give feeders on a regular basis? I have moray eels but they don't seem interested in the live fish! I bought some guppies thinking my morays would eat them but instead of that the guppies started having babies, I can't let my tank get over populated, that's why I was going to feed the babies to my JD. So how often should I feed the JD feeders and how many at one time?

I've given feeders to my JD's but most of the time I just feed my grass pickerel.

 

[stingrays4]

Hi if you've bred them and kept them all the time then they should be totally disease free. As already been said i would feed only two or three at most a week,so that your JD doesn't start to ignore other foods one of my rays got fixated on earthworms,so that ray grew alot slower than the others

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Any number of fish diseases. This is normally connected to the actual keeping of feeder fish in awful conditions.

Since you are keeping and breeding your own, you have much smaller chances of having diseased food passing on to your cichlid. That is NOT saying that there is no risk. There is always a risk, just go to the unhealthy section of this forum. Pets get sick all the time. That is why it is important to closely watch your feeders, keep them is great conditions, and feed them high quality food. Always quarantine and keep up good parameters. Always remove the sick and if anything pops up in your tank, wait at least a few weeks after it has clearer up to continue feeding live.

If you don't want to face your JD getting sick, then you have to put in some effort. But, it's your choice.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

My JD is 3-4 inches, still a baby and I really don't have a problem with him getting more aggressive. He has his own tank! And what do u mean introduce more guppies ever so often, why? As long as I have my main ones that I breed isn't that enough?

He might be too young at this point. Sometimes, a fish will attempt to eat stuff bigger than they can get down and it will get lodged. I would wait until he is six inches, personally.

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

Hi i personally wouldn't feed feeders. I have kept many fish that would eat fish in the wild but i personally believe its cruel to feed a live fish to another in captivity. As already been said if the JD is feeding on pellets, i would add some frozen food such as you say with the bloodworm,and maybe krill,cockle,mussel etc This provides a much better balanced diet
In England it is actually illegal to feed a live fish to another fish in captivity.

Fish eating fish is a part of natural, just like some people eat fish. It's part of life whether its in the wild or in a tank. Can't change life, JD eats fish in the wild he will eat fish in his tank. I will not give him live fish just cause it's cruel, it's what he eats can't change that. It's wrong to try to change their diet just cuz it's wrong to find him a live fish. They gotta feel somewhat useful in a tank. They deserve to be happy too!

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

Any number of fish diseases. This is normally connected to the actual keeping of feeder fish in awful conditions.

Since you are keeping and breeding your own, you have much smaller chances of having diseased food passing on to your cichlid. That is NOT saying that there is no risk. There is always a risk, just go to the unhealthy section of this forum. Pets get sick all the time. That is why it is important to closely watch your feeders, keep them is great conditions, and feed them high quality food. Always quarantine and keep up good parameters. Always remove the sick and if anything pops up in your tank, wait at least a few weeks after it has clearer up to continue feeding live.

If you don't want to face your JD getting sick, then you have to put in some effort. But, it's your choice.

I keep all my tanks in great condition and it does take alot of time but thats fine with me. And thanks for ur advice!

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

He might be too young at this point. Sometimes, a fish will attempt to eat stuff bigger than they can get down and it will get lodged. I would wait until he is six inches, personally.

Even tho the babies are an inches, are they still to long for him to eat?

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Sorry if that came off a bit blunt. Just passing off the knowledge I have been gathering. I'm wanting to feed my flowerhorn live fish when he gets big enough. He had a cricket get stuck a few months ago, so I'm a little hesitant to feed live right now.

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

Hi if you've bred them and kept them all the time then they should be totally disease free. As already been said i would feed only two or three at most a week,so that your JD doesn't start to ignore other foods one of my rays got fixated on earthworms,so that ray grew alot slower than the others

Okay two to three a week, awesome thank u!

 

[Chasnkevin4ever]

Sorry if that came off a bit blunt. Just passing off the knowledge I have been gathering. I'm wanting to feed my flowerhorn live fish when he gets big enough. He had a cricket get stuck a few months ago, so I'm a little hesitant to feed live right now.

A flowerhorn? What kind fish is that? How big they get? Fw or sw? And yes I understand what ur saying and I wasn't trying to be rude just want my fish to feel at home!