What's your opinion on Feeder Fish?

[sharkie1025]

I've been reading up a lot on the safety and ethics of using feeder fish (Comets, Rosy Reds) and I have really mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I do believe that it is more natural for some fish to hunt down their prey, and can improve the mental health of the fish. However, using actual fish vs organisms such as Daphnia or Brine Shrimp is still kind of iffy to me. Also, the conditions feeder fish are kept in are horrific and unethical. What do you guys think? Also, what solutions do you propose to end the controversy?

 

[PB_Smith]

I didn't realize there was a "controversy".
IMO using feeder fish is fine and in terms of life and ethical behavior, is it any more ethical to use other living organisms as food?

Feeder fish provide great protein and essential oils often not found in other food sources.
The best way to employ using feeder fish is to set-up a tank or vessel specifically for the feeders. Then you can basically quarantine them, fatten them up with the specific foods you choose to increase their nutritional value and or treat them for disease or parasites.
One big plus is that you can gut load them just before feeding them to your other fish and that way really control the administration of vitamins and medications.
If you need to use medicated food, just feed it to the feeders right before use.

The biggest risk is the introduction of parasites or disease.

You could also just begin breeding your own using guppies or other live-bearers, then you control everything related to them.

 

[Laeris]

True story! When the family had corn snakes, we kept three cages for mice breeding-one for adults, one for we'ens, one for hoppers.

 

[Tropical Aquarist]

I agree with the above, I personally would never feed them because like you said they are raised in very poor conditions, and are a pretty sure way to get disease in your tank or the fish your planning to feed them to....

If you want to go through the pain of quarantining them, go ahead, but I would rather go with brine shrimp, or frozen fish....

 

[The_Desacrator]

Yeah i was on the fence about but I hadn't thought about it the way PB_Smith put it. My only issue is that the fish suffers while it's being digested.

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[Tropical Aquarist]

True but live brine shrimp go through the same process, plus in the wild it's like that too.... I wouldn't worry about it!

 

[The_Desacrator]

Yeah but you are forcing the feeder fish to die where as in the wild the feeder might be able to evade a predator.

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[Tropical Aquarist]

Yeah but you are forcing the feeder fish to die where as in the wild the feeder might be able to evade a predator.

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Lol, you're over complicating it a bit? Just maybe???

 

[libertybelle]

Lol, you're over complicating it a bit? Just maybe???

lol no kidding.

If it bothers you, don't do it. But in both the wild and in our tanks big fish eat small fish. That's not going to stop anytime soon!

 

[bigsea]

Feeder fish are kept in horrific conditions and often die in their captive homes labeled "feeders".

I think using feeder fish is but a noble death bestowed upon thine chosen few.


- St Charles Almendras Geraldizo

 

[Laeris]

Everything dies. I think I'd prefer being eaten to a wasting death of disease. I've witnessed the latter. Hard pass.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

I have a tank of platys to serve as a breeding population for my angels when they get bigger. Biggest objection to feeders is risk of disease. Best way to mitigate is to breed your own. Second best would be to find someone local who breeds feeders and you know they'll be clean. Moral/ethical about using live fish isn't much debate, either you're okay with it or you're not. If you aren't you may want to look into being vegetarian.

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[bigsea]

I have a tank of platys to serve as a breeding population for my angels when they get bigger. Biggest objection to feeders is risk of disease. Best way to mitigate is to breed your own. Second best would be to find someone local who breeds feeders and you know they'll be clean. Moral/ethical about using live fish isn't much debate, either you're okay with it or you're not. If you aren't you may want to look into being vegetarian.

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HAHAHAHA


- St Charles Almendras Geraldizo

 

[Fishguy1111]

I would not recommend using goldfish for feeders, they are very fattening for the predator. Livebearers are more economical and better IMHO

 

[snailpufferguy]

Well you make the choice to feed live fish when you chose the fish you know will need to eat them so it's really your call

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[The_Desacrator]

Well I have never been in that position. I have never had a tank big enough to house a fish large enough to eat other fish.

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[Exigenn]

when i wanted to start breeding guppies i put the female in my community tank for 8 months with no other guppies so all of the fry got eaten by other fish lol. Just so i could pick which male she mated with next without having undesirable offspring =s.

Agree with aboves store feeders = dead fish/other pets

Breed your own if you need feeders of any kind.