Chicken and Bologna?

[MANSTER]

A couple said they have given their cichlid tank cooked chicken and raw bologna. Is this good? Dont seem to me that it could be, being they would never come across anything like this in their natural habitat. Also this same couple successfully battled ich in their tank (55 gal) using rid-ich, and thought they really liked the blue color the medicine made the water. What they wanted to know was if they could use food coloring to color the water. I have never come across either of these questions, so I present them to you. Can anyone help?

 

[QTOFFER]

I've read about people feeding their larger cichlids meaty foods like cooked chicken or hamburger. I guess it would be OK if done very infrequently. Too much of these rich treats could result in bloating and constipation. I'd stay away from lunchmeats like bologna completely, simply because of their high fat and salt content.

As far as the look of tidy-bowl water.... that's a crazy idea!
Any food coloring would no doubt alter the water chemistry and that can't possibly be good. Even nontoxic substances have a toxic dose if an animal is exposed to them for a long period of time.

Also, do they have any idea how much they would need to color a 55 gal tank - or that they would have to replenish it at every water change? The expense alone is a good reason not to even consider it. Tell them, if they want blue-tinted water, to wrap the outside of the tank with blue Saran Wrap.

 

[Menagerie]

What kind of cichlids are these? Not all cichlids can live on a high protein diet.

Check the ingredients on the food coloring; if it is invert, then it won't hurt. HOWEVER, I do not recommend altering your fish's environment to suit your needs. Taking these fish from the wild and breeding them for our enjoyment is bad enough. How would they like to wear blue tinted glasses ALL DAY for the rest of their lives??

 

[Devilishturtles]

Any kind a lunchmeat is loaded with sodium and all other kinds of things...I know that much. And isn't advisable to give you your pets.

Cooked chicken I don't know... And then, there is always the myth that feeding meat to your fish makes the more agressive..not sure if that has ever been proven or not?

I think this is all open for debate. Some will say it is good, some will say it is bad.

Sorry I can't help more

 

[dhs9831]

I used to feed my fish bologna... you might notice after doing so that your water becomes cloudy.. this is due to the oils in the bologna. Its okay once in a great while in very small amounts..... Just dont let them get sucked in your filter or youll make the problem worse. All in all, I dont reccommend it.

 

[spongebob69]

I think I read somewhere about a guy who used to give his oscar McDonald's hamburgers as a treat. NOt sure if it was a Big Mac or QP but either way that fish would have the SHitzz cuz McD's does the same thing to me.

 

[BrianNY]

What a great idea!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why bother feeding your fish any of the proven packaged products when you can just as easily use luncheon meat? Hmmm, next time I have poker night at my house, I'll treat my fish to pretzels and beer.

 

[deli_conker]

How would they like to wear blue tinted glasses ALL DAY for the rest of their lives??

That would be terrible in my tank. Having multiple males of the same species always ends up in fights. Sometimes a male of one mixes it up with another in my tank just because he kinda looks like he's the same species.

I think they should get rid of their fish and go to Target where they have fake fish in a container that you can shake up and watch move...

Hmmm, next time I have poker night at my house, I'll treat my fish to pretzels and beer.

I don't think that's a good idea, Brian. Everyone knows that pretzles are bad for fish. You should give them doritos instead. The beer is okay as long as it's not an import. Maybe they would like one of those trendy low carb brews?

I just can't see giving people food to fish. Here's how I rationalize it to my 4 year old daughter...

people food goes to people
cat food goes to cats
dog food goes to dogs

There is a pattern in the above example that you may want to try to explain to them. Sure I could give a hamburger to my cat and I'm sure he'd eat it. But the long term health effects simply don't justify satisfying his curiosity.

 

[bungle]

The beer is okay as long as it's not an import. Maybe they would like one of those trendy low carb brews?

Hmmm... and all this time i thought Guiness was okay.

 

[krap101]

any1 ever tried fish? because isnt fish what they eat in the wild?

 

[deli_conker]

That really depends on the type of fish. Most fish will eat just about anything you put in front of them regardless of how good or bad it is for them.

If I did put fish in there it would have to be raw fish and even then you run the risk of parasites (unless you freeze the fish first).

Fish food is fairly cheap. I would stick with that.