How do you take care of a feeder fish?
Care Taking & Tips
- Check the water parameters just as you would your predator tank.
- Do 50% water changes at least twice a month.
- Make sure to feed your feeder fish first (gut load) before offering those fish to your predator.
How often do you feed feeder fish?
How Often Should I Feed My Fish? For the most part, feeding your fish once or twice a day is sufficient. Some hobbyists even fast their fish one or two days a week to allow them to clear their digestive systems. Larger, more sedentary fish can go longer between meals than smaller, more active fish.
How long does feeder fish live?
As others have said, if you’re talking about the little common or comet goldfish that are commonly sold as “feeders,” they can potentially live 20 years or more—IF they don’t succumb to diseases or toxicity or parasites from the horrific conditions they’re bred and kept in, and IF they’re provided with lots and lots …
Should you use feeder fish?
If you absolutely have to use live feeder fish, then the important thing is to avoid using the cheap, feeder-quality, goldfish and guppies often recommended because of the risk of introducing parasites. The only safe approach is to breed your own livebearers, such as mollies and guppies, and use their offspring.
Do feeder fish carry diseases?
Also, if you are looking to get a fish to add to an existing tank, the feeder fish are prone to be carrying diseases and parasites, which can infect your other fish, not only resulting in the loss of your new fish, but possibly decimation of your entire fish tank.
What kind of food should I Feed my feeder fish?
If you do have a fish that really needs live foods, your best option is to set up a breeding program so that you can breed healthy live foods that you raised yourself. This will give you confidence that your feeder fish are healthy and are a good food source for your predatory fish.
What kind of animal is a feeder fish?
In some cases, species of predatory animals, typically large fish such as catfish and cichlids, but sometimes also animals such as freshwater turtles, are provided with feeder fish, because they accept them more readily than alternatives.
What happens if you feed a feeder fish?
Also, these fish are generally malnourished. Not only does this result in a number of physiological issues (again including suppressed immunity and stunted growth), but this also means that the fish have little to no nutritional value to the larger fish you are feeding them to. i.e.
What kind of food do fish eat in an aquarium?
Depending on the water column that the fish occupies (top, middle or bottom) you should consider different dried foods. For example flakes are great for most fish, but especially those who eat at the top of the aquarium, whereas discs are typically a sinking food and suit bottom feeders.
If you do have a fish that really needs live foods, your best option is to set up a breeding program so that you can breed healthy live foods that you raised yourself. This will give you confidence that your feeder fish are healthy and are a good food source for your predatory fish.
In some cases, species of predatory animals, typically large fish such as catfish and cichlids, but sometimes also animals such as freshwater turtles, are provided with feeder fish, because they accept them more readily than alternatives.
Also, these fish are generally malnourished. Not only does this result in a number of physiological issues (again including suppressed immunity and stunted growth), but this also means that the fish have little to no nutritional value to the larger fish you are feeding them to. i.e.
What do you need to know about feeding fish?
Find out how your fish eat. Different kinds of fish like their food at different levels of the tank. Their mouths are designed to approach food in a certain way, so you’ll need to know their preferred way of feeding. Look at your fish’s mouth to determine where it likes to eat its food.
Care Taking & Tips Their housing might not be a show worthy aquarium, feeder fish are still your pets in away. Check the water parameters just as you would your predator tank. Do 50% water changes at least twice a month. Make sure to feed your feeder fish first (gut load) before offering those fish to your predator.
How big does a feeder fish get?
They can (and will) grow up to 2 feet long. Some of my sister’s goldfish (also started as feeder fish) are 18 to 20 inches long.
How often do feeder fish eat?
Why do feeder Goldfish die easily?
Poor Water Quality. The number one reason most Goldfish die quickly is due to poor water quality. There are many possible issues with water quality that could lead to mass die-offs.
