Potential Cichlid food?

[Jjordan16]

Hey everyone! I was wondering if it dangerous to feed your fish mosquito larva that are living in a rain barrel? And what kinds of insect and things, aquatic or not, are good food?
I usually just give them bloodworms or brine shrimp but just wanted to ask

 

[HUKIT]

Mosquito larvae are fine for fish, and you can add nightcrawlers, red worms, crickets, grasshoppers, ants, and just about any other insect you find.

 

[Malawi Freak]

What kind of cichlids do you have?

 

[Jjordan16]

Mosquito larvae are fine for fish, and you can add nightcrawlers, red worms, crickets, grasshoppers, ants, and just about any other insect you find.

Ok cool! But there are no dangers if parasites or bacteria?

 

[HUKIT]

I've been tossing insects in my tanks for decades, heck I've even fed large praying mantis's to my oscars. There is some speculation that insects could contain pesticides but I've never experienced any ill effects locally, now if you live in a farm enviornment that may use chemicals that to prevent insect damage to the crops I'd skip the bugs. What kind of fish are you looking to feed insects to?

 

[Malawi Freak]

I've been tossing insects in my tanks for decades, heck I've even fed large praying mantis's to my oscars. There is some speculation that insects could contain pesticides but I've never experienced any ill effects locally, now if you live in a farm enviornment that may use chemicals that to prevent insect damage to the crops I'd skip the bugs. What kind of fish are you looking to feed insects to?

I wouldn't talk to much about praying mantis's like that.....that's a federal offense.

 

[HUKIT]

I wouldn't talk to much about praying mantis's like that.....that's a federal offense.

If you believe that I have bridge to sell you, that's a old regurgitated myth.

True or False: It's Illegal to Kill a Praying Mantis

 

[Paxlerod]

Your able to buy praying mantis eggs on line through natural gardening sites. For infestation control, they eat aphids. Thus avoiding pesticides.

 

[Jjordan16]

Praying mantises are my favorite things ever! I used to raise them from egg sacks! Don't kill them! lol but thanks for the useful advice tho!

 

[Jjordan16]

Oh forgot to mention they are cichlids! But I also have guppies,

 

[Maxkolbe]

Are they African or SA because I don't think mbuna would be able to deal with all the protein.

 

[BillD]

Mosquito larvae are not particularly high in protein, as they are mostly water, and their exoskeleton acts as bulk. I have never had a problem feeding them to mbuna.

 

[DragonFish71]

I just run the mosquito larvae under some water. I catch them in a brine shrimp net, rinse, feed.

 

[Jjordan16]

They are mbuna. Thanks a lot!