Touchy Subject!

[QTOFFER]

DugOut, if you're spending $15 a week on feeders, you should definitely look into breeding your own. If you have the space, you'd need a second-hand 20 - 30 gal breeder tank, a heater, and a few sponge filters.
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What about live crickets? I thought bass ate them too. They're very easy to raise in a 10 gal tank layered with egg carton material.

Will your bass accept frozen food or pellets? Owning a fish that requires a completely live diet sounds expensive!

 

[DugOut]

How old do guppies have to be before they reproduce. If I have 20 guppies that were producing fry each month. Would I have to divide the tank into sections of age groups or will they not bother with one another of different size. Sounds like a perfect idea. I always wanted my own farm. Also, how can you tell male from female? My wife is baught me a 225 gallon that I plan to have delivered in two weeks. I just wont be allowed to put fish in it till christmas. This tank will free up my 55gal for breeding.

 

[DugOut]

Insects, worms just about anything you put in. What type of frozen pellets are you mentioning. I've heard people talk about them but no one ever mentioned on where to purchase them.

 

[severum mama]

You can find frozen food at your LFS or chain pet store. I'm sure your bass would love to try some bloodworms! If I were you, I would definitely try raising crickets and breeding your own feeders. I'm sure you would save a lot of money in the long run.

 

[DugOut]

I spent around $400. in the past 6 months. Sounds like alot but, I make a really good income. Besides that, I gave up my pack a day smoking habit that cost me $3.50 a day for a fish hobby that is costing me $2.50 a day. I feel better and am more relaxed now. Although, $800. is a great savings. I'll check my lfs for this food!

 

[JDogg]

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

i feed live feeders to my painted turtle and clawed frog, my students love the action, and i gives them a good nature lesson in the process

 

[CrawChuck]

Close to 75% of the Largemouth Bass forage in nature is...believe it or not...Crayfish. That's why crayfish mimicking lures are the most effective at catching them. It would take quite a bit more effort to raise enough crayfish than it takes to raise live birthing fishes though. You may consider getting a crayfish trap and catching your own. Even in the very cold, there are some crayfish species still active.

 

[DugOut]

OOOh-Yehhh! This fish loves crayfish. What a battle to behold. One time it ran into a sly one and it pinched onto its bottom lip. "Wow, what a fight". They darn near had everything turned upside down. Its pretty amazing how they work thier food in thier mouths. They will not swollow anything head first if they can help it. So if you watch closely, They will flip it around while in thier mouth and consume it tail first. Every once in awhile, a small feeder will use this to thier advantage and escape back out. Only to be taken again seconds later. Sometimes if its prey is to large to turn around, they will spit it out and catch it again in the escape. We catch crayfish fairly often. This meal last longer in thier digestive system and maintains thier appetite better. Plus, They are also amazing little working creatures that are fun to watch.

 

[greenmaji]

IF you were to breed your own feeders guppies dont have the size nessisary IMHO.. plain old black mollies would be my suggestion..
as for buying goldfish.. alot of tropical big fish get hole in the head from feeding this too often.. I would suggest you quit feeding your bass these..
the bait shop would be the best place to get your live food if you didnt breed your own IMHO.. nightcrawlers.. live crays.. shinners.. whatever you would buy to catch bass live bait wise would work just fine.. and yes crickets are not that tough to propogate at home.. acutally you could probibly find some good resorces on vermiculture to raise up big batches of nightcrawlers for feeding..

 

[DugOut]

What on earth would cause a hole in the head from eating goldfish. Now you got me worried! I checked and so far it seems to be fine but last night will be the last time I feed it feeders. Now feeders and gold fish, are they the same or within the same family? Either way, thats terrible.

 

[aoplayo]

I think it is just goldfish as feeders that give HITH. Feeders can be anything I suppose, such as guppies. I bet someone else here could help more.