Touchy Subject!

[DugOut]

I go to the local pet store every Saturday inorder to pick up feeders for my bass, I often try to do my shopping when the store isn't busy or just about closing because there are times forwhich I hear negative comments from other customers, on how mistreating this is to fish.

My feeding live is part of nature of my fish, I someday may return it to the waters and don't want to mislead the natural eating habits by switching to artifcial/foods.

There has to be others that use live feeders or they wouldn't display so many. I am lost on how to approach this without upsetting or offending others

 

[Tiffi]

Tell them it's natural and your fish eat small fish in nature too. Besides, I would ask the people if they plan to go into the steppe to salvage every antelope from a tiger from now on. And further, you could ask them if they don't eat fish, pork, etc.

What kinds of fish doyou have that you're planning on releasing them one day? I hope you know that you shouldn't release tropical fish, which are not natural to that habitat/your area.

 

[Jchillin]

It is unfortunate that folks are misinformed about the whole "feeder" fish issue. People who aren't so informed often look at the feeder fish tanks and think these fish are for sale as tank specimens.

I'm sure that this could be explained without any rudeness.

 

[DepotFish]

I used to go to the bait shop and get minnows for my turtle. I recommend that. Its a more natural food and they usually don't have any diseases in with them. Nobody bothers you about it either. I hate the feeder fish consist solely of common goldfish and that common goldfish are not sold as regular pet fish. I'd like to kill off some of the grossly deformed goldfish before the cute, normal fish.

 

[Big C]

I have a tank with minows and a blue cray fish. I KNOW what the cary fish eats but I choose not to watch. From time to time I have to net out half a minow from the tank and it groses me out.

I didn't choose this tank, I inherited from my daughter when she moved out. I understand it is natural and respect those who do it, but it is not my cup of tea.

On the other hand, one of my neighbourghs keeps piranhas and a small tank with feeders. Him and his dad sit to watch the blood bath at feeding time and have a blast looking at the poor feeders get their heads eaten off. You see, I don't respect that as much!

 

[QTOFFER]

I have a problem with feeder fish and it has nothing to do with the ethics of feeding one creature to another. That's simply how nature works. My problem is the often deplorable conditions in which feeders are kept in the lfs. They're usually sold from a filthy, overcrowded tank that almost always has a few dead fish festering in it. These conditions are ripe for diseases that could be passed on to the fish that eats them. Also, you have no idea what and how well the feeders have been fed themselves.

If possible, it is far better to breed your own feeders - livebearers are the obvious choice. That way, you know they're disease free, and you have complete control over their diet and hence their nutritional value. If this is not possible, try to find a lfs that feeds and treats their feeder stock properly.

Anyway, how would people in the store know what you have planned for the feeder fish? If anybody questions, just tell them you're putting them in a 500 gal pond.

 

[lmw80]

Tell them first to mind their p's and q's. Then ask them which would be worse - feeding feeder fish or having your fish malnurished? As aquarist, we take fish outside their natural environment and in order for otpimal health, they need live food.

 

[DugOut]

Great Points!
I have a Bigmouth bass.
Someone once mentioned that bass are very smart fish and thier possibilities are amazing. Well needless to say; They are exactly right. Smartest fish I've ever owned. Too smart sometimes. Picks up signs so easy.
Beleave it or not, it even loves the attention of kids. (Now thats Scary)
We had petstores imform us that this fish would never adapt in captivity and would end up dead within the week I brought it home.

Where do these pet stores buy thier feeder fish? They have to be cheaper than what I'm paying. 12 cents a piece @ 15-20 per day. I often catch minnows for feeding but here on the east coast, water temps are getting alittle too cold for quanity. I usually buy 150 feeders at a time. (normal week) I loose 8-10 to the grimreeper. these little guys die for no reason.

 

[bosk1]

Well said, qtoffer. I couldn't agree more.

...or you could just quote Kurt Cobaine to them: "It's okay to eat fish because they don't have any feelings." (yeah, I think Cobaine was an idiot, too. But it's a funny lyric)

 

[DugOut]

I saw the main holding tanks for feeders and it isn't a pretty sight or smell. QTOFFER in those short little words, you just answered my ? on why so many die. Now Ya got me nervous about buying anymore from the lfs. Actually, I"m gonna bring it up the next time I go in to do my shopping. This lays a big risk on people with very expensive fish. or any fish at that!

 

[macman7010]

DugOut,

I noticed you live in MD and I too live in MD and a good friend of mine's father is a MD State Natural Resoruce Police officer. It is stricketly forbid and illegal to remove any native fish from MD waters for the purpose of putting it into captivity. I know several people who have done this and gotten large fines. I will be notifying my friend's dad promplty about what you have done so he can contact the proper Smithsburg officials ... Just Kidding couldnt resist! LOL seriously though be careful about who you tell about that fish coming from native waters - especially those people at the pet-store complaining as they may get thier kicks from turning you in.

take care

 

[DugOut]

I'll just say that I plan on eating it and there is no fish like fresh fish. It was caught at legal limit also. Either way, theres no worries mate!

 

[macman7010]

good idea, lol. A friend of mine caught a nice musky and kept it in his aquarium. Some neighbor who saw it turned him in and he got some kind of fine.

 

[willowthepoet]

I have no problem with feeding feeder fish because that's how the world works... I just don't do it because all the feeder fish tanks are horrible and I would never want to put anything that might be diseased into the boyfriend's oscar's tank.

For that reason, I have started breeding guppies. I know that since they're born in my house, they're healthy. I save any that turn out really beautiful, but give most of them to the oscar.

 

[Tiffi]

I would get a 10 or 20 gal depending on your needs, and get some livebearer. That way you don't have to bother yourself about the people in the store and the quality of their feeder fish anymore.

 

[HoopsGuru]

It would be a good idea to not buy feeder goldfish anymore, do the bait shop as someone else mentioned. You would be getting a more natural diet for your bass (you can also pick up worms, etc.) as goldfish seem to not be able to provide a complete diet (thoughts on "fatty" content, etc....). You could also pair it up with Tetra Jumbo Min or similar. I wouldn't worry about the fish not being able to return to feeding live, it is an instinct that is readily apparent if you put a feeder fish in an oscar tank that never had them before.

Not quite on your topic, but also reconsider ever releasing the bass again. Even if you don't see any pathogens, there are tons of bacteria, fungi, and parasites in and on fish that are dangerous to introduce to natural ecosystems.

 

[DugOut]

My fish has a huge appetite and for me to breed and supply my own, I would have to atleast have 105 offspring of fish per week. I really wouldn't know how to even start such a setup. I had fish the hatched in a aquarium before and my wife called me at work and said there must be hundreds When I got home she was so sad because she forgot to unplug the filter and it sucked them all up We really don't have what it takes.

 

[Guest]

IMO big mouth bass should not be kept in an aquarium if you plan on putting them back in nature. Becuase the chemicals you use for your aquarium.. sometimes they say "do not use on fish intended for food" and if you return that fish to the wild.. it may one day be cuaght by a fisherman as his "BIG CATCH". More than likely it would be stuffed and hung and not eaten, but what if it is eaten? Those chemicals are known carcinogens.. i just don't think its right. If your going to keep it by all means keep a huge tank and keep it, but please don't "let it free" after keeping it in captive.

 

[Guest]

I'll just say that I plan on eating it and there is no fish like fresh fish. It was caught at legal limit also. Either way, theres no worries mate!

If you are going to eat it i wouldn't suggest feeding it with feeder fish from the fish store that contain chemicals from god knows what they use to treat the water and diseases. These are carcinogens that have been linked to cancer. If you are feeding it to eat it is better to buy food from a bait shop.

 

[Tiffi]

We really don't have what it takes.

Setting up such a feeder tank is not very difficult. I think it will also be cheaper and healthier in the long run. Guppies get around 20 fry each month, lets say a sometimes more (when they get more mature, and don't eat some themselves). So 20 females will already give you about 400 fry a month, that is 100 fry a week. If you have a 20 gal (maybe slightly bigger), nice filter with e.g. Eheim prefilter (so the fry don't get sucked up), some floating plants like javamoss, etc to give them the opportunity to hide, a heater, that will be it. You don't need light or gravel or other furniture.
Guppies get fry once a month, and if you give them a month to grow up a little, you have your feeder fishes.