View Full Version : Raising catfish without using feeder fish?
steelshade
08-17-2009, 5:14 PM
Is it realisticly feasible to raise a red tail or tiger shovelnose catfish on a good varied diet that does not include live feeder fish?
BIGguppy
08-17-2009, 5:20 PM
hell yeah... ive had both and i feed them freze dried krill, carnavor pellet's,and small piece's on meat
steelshade
08-17-2009, 5:23 PM
hell yeah... ive had both and i feed them freze dried krill, carnavor pellet's,and small piece's on meat
That's good to hear because I was worried that continued use of feeder fish might lead to a parasitic infection.
jaytech33
08-17-2009, 6:32 PM
raw shrimp, raw fillets. massivore delite, even some fruits. Mine will eat just about anything. Just don't overfeed or let uneaten food sit in the tank too long. 300 gallon water changes are not fun!!!!
Wet Whiskers
08-17-2009, 6:46 PM
My big guys have never been fed feeders (unless you count two stolen rainbow fish from when these guys were absolutely tiny). Mine have grown from 3.5" to 23" in one year, have beautiful color, have never been sick, and are super friendly. They live on massivore, sinking cichlid gold, market shrimp, krill, occasional earthworms (red wrigglers when they were little), tilapia, random algae waffers, etc. Good call on not wanting to feed live.
pacu22
08-17-2009, 6:49 PM
I grew out mine on nightcrawlers and raw shrimp
Queen Alien
08-22-2009, 1:10 PM
Live feeders can be risky. I originally fed my Lima Shovelnose live minnows, because he was really picky and refused anything else. After an encounter with Ich, I weaned him off of rosie reds and onto bloodworms. He looks much better.
I target feed with a tongs. Tilapia, shrimp, pellets, silversides.
Posted on mobile.monsterfishkeepers.com
sure is easy. I've got filamentosum cats off of goldfish onto silversides and have a wels catfish that takes filets, shrimp, and silversides
justonemoretank
08-22-2009, 10:58 PM
Tongs are okay, but why use them when you can train your cat to eat from your hand? What fun!
sbuse
08-22-2009, 11:08 PM
i am trying to get my 4" tsns off of live feeders to save money...one wont eat anything else the other two were easy infact the day i got them one ate hakari cichlid bio-gold and market shrimp...