View Full Version : Favorite feeders
How about letting me hear about what you like/don't like to feed your fish? When I kept red bellies my favorite was frogs because they would hit from behind and leave the feet slowly sinking to the bottom. Rats were not allowed because it really messes up the water. A friend had a couple of big aros in an indoor pond that he fed ducklings. That was pretty cool because first they would be swimming around and the, schop! they would be gone.
redtailfool
04-21-2005, 7:11 PM
One of the sickest ones ive heard is feeding asian arowanas cultured jumbo cockroaches. They sell those by the bottle.. .ALIVE!!
Im having goosebumps thinking about it.,
I love to feed common guppies to my fish. Its not too fatty and they are not mistreated as bad as feeder goldfish and minnows.
redtailfool
04-21-2005, 7:12 PM
Oh yeah i feed all my fish market shrimp almost exclusively.
They get fat like crazy , grow fast and generally look very healthy.
piranha45
04-21-2005, 7:19 PM
what's so messy about the rats, exactly? Their intestinal contents spilling out, or the blood, or the fur? and did you feed RATS or just mice? I love the ducklings idea, sounds awesome.
I feed my 200g and 55g cichlid tanks (the species comprise of a couple smaller CAs and a dozen or so african rift-lakers, and everythings in the 3"-9" size range) anything that moves. I feed them mummichog killifish, tetras of all types, smaller barbs of all types, danios, small gouramies, red claw crabs, ghost shrimp, small gobies, livebearers of all sorts, an oranda goldfish, and, well.. pretty much anything that's readily available at a LFS at a relatively inexpensive price :P
The faster fish species (tetras, danios, fathead minnows) are fun to watch because they are so fast; they make for awesome chases.
A certain LFS got some exodons in recently, selling em for 6 bucks apiece, I've been meaning to head over there and throw some of those guys in; everyone says they are greased lightning.
I'd like to buy some african dwarf frogs but those things cost 7-8 bucks everywhere, and being a mere college kid I do have my monetary limits for spending.
One recent spectacle I witnessed was my throwing a 3" male sailfin molly in the 200g. I had bought the molly, who was the dominant fish in its tank at the lfs, for 6 bucks, in the interest of keeping it as company for a 4" mummichog in a 10g. Those two fish battled one another for dominance for about 2 weeks, the victories going back and forth, and while the mummichog had the undisputed physical superiority, the molly just would NOT relent, and in the end the mummichog found itself unwilling to make full use of its physical capabilities, and relented to the molly for good. After seeing about a week of that, I decided to plop the molly in the 200g, since I was much more interested in the mummichog.
That molly made for quite a show; it only lasted about 1 minute for him, but that full minute was full of fascinating strife. Upon hitting the water, it raised its sail up and shook its body in defiance, but my 3"-5" africans sicc'ed upon it like a pack of hellhounds anyway! I mean that molly literally recieved bites from all sides at once. The africans fought amongst each other for this sail-up-pissy-looking molly like it was already a dead fish, and each african took turns taking the best jaw seizure and shaking/thrashing this molly up while the others desperately tried to seize control of the molly's body. Its big pretty sailfin was utterly nonexistent in about 20 seconds, and after a minute or so the molly was ravaged beyond all hope, and drifted about lifelessly while the struggle for its body endured. It can take my fish about 20-60 minutes to fully dismantle and consume a fish of this size; they're only cichlids after all, jaws aren't really designed to bite like a piranha.
I know first hand that cichlids love to eat insects, grapes and berries. Think about it. What do wild fish eat in their environment? Proably anything that hits the water.
pufferking
04-21-2005, 8:34 PM
love too feed feeder guppies
neoprodigy
04-21-2005, 9:22 PM
silk worms anyone?
Seven 8" red bellies vs one 8"(not conting tail) city black Rattus norwegicus, lots of bits and pieces, lots of blood, had to change the filter and kept finding bits on the intakes. As for cheaper frogs, ask at the science dept. of your college to see if they will loan you a educational supply catalogue. They ussually carry leopard and pikeral frogs cheaper than bait shops, I just caught my own on a small bright red bb head fly and a bamboo pole, it was a nice afternoon for a couple of dozen frogs.
piranha45
04-21-2005, 10:48 PM
That's amazing. Another fellow on a different forum tried feeding a similar-sized rat to 30 6-12" mixed pygos on another forum a while back (big tank, I think it was 360g), and the pygos all cowered in a corner while the rat swam about. He had to pull the rat out, and it was utterly untouched.
Daddyo72
04-21-2005, 11:00 PM
I like Rosie's for my Bichirs. They try to eat the same one and Deathroll. It's really neat to watch. My cats eat anything including the occasional dead feeder. Most of the time I feed shrimp, beefheart and bloodworms.
guppy
04-21-2005, 11:36 PM
I don't know why but these were very aggresive and only got fed a couple of times a week. I had a black sand bottom scattered with one ounce silver pieces, I would let people grab one and keep it if they dared. Several people tryed but only one got one without getting bit. another (larger 14") red belly was calm enough to hand feed, it was raised alone.
piranha45
04-21-2005, 11:53 PM
well guppy your piranha setup is only a dream for most people. The vast majority of people get pyogcentrus expecting that sort of behavior, but wind up with piranhas that will quail at the sight of anything larger than a goldfish. Can't say I'm not a bit envious :)
I thinkI've figured out why that tank was so aggressive. When I got the red bellies they were not much bigger than pennies and there were thirty of them in a 35g tank. They only got fed everyother day. I would feed them occasinal guppies but mainly crickets and grasshoppers that were at least as big as they were, I would only drop in one at a time and stop before all of them got full. Every time I lifted the lid they got at least one or two crickets. They learned that if they weren't quick they missed out. Only the most aggressive survived as the other would eat the ones that got weak. It did help that my starters were freebies. I got them from a LFS that couldn't sell than any more because of a recent ban.
piranha45
04-22-2005, 11:57 PM
now theres a brilliant idea for people who want rat-killing fish :D
rayman45
04-23-2005, 12:03 AM
i love feeding mice to my
gators
snakehead
ally snappers&common snappers
and my old p.'s
BigMOCats
04-23-2005, 1:07 AM
Hybrids!!!!! Hey, that my same answer in the least liked fish thread. When fh's show up in our auctions, we get to take them home for feeders! :D
Scott
Hybrids!!!!! Hey, that my same answer in the least liked fish thread. When fh's show up in our auctions, we get to take them home for feeders! :D
Scott
lol
Freshy
05-04-2005, 8:55 AM
Bull frog :cheers:
redtailfool
05-04-2005, 9:05 AM
Hybrids!!!!! Hey, that my same answer in the least liked fish thread. When fh's show up in our auctions, we get to take them home for feeders! :D
Scott
JU hurt mai feelings :cry:
I've got 10 x 4-6" red bellies that will DESTROY anything I put in. Last week it was a 6"(BODY) comet. I've got 2 small fellas with one bad eye each who are definetly the runts of the pack. When you drop one big feeder in, the runts are on it first trimming up the tail until the others figure out what's going on and then it's a ball of tails and scales floating.
Leopoldi
05-04-2005, 12:39 PM
I have fed my fish (mainly arrows) jerusulum beatles, which are sometimes reffered to as potato bugs. They are big insects that look like they are built for war, I dont think you can purchase them but I find them in my backyard from time to time.
a constant basis of worms
nightcralwers , trout worms , mealworms (rarely) , garden worms , black worms , frozen bloodworms , freeze dried bloodworms
my largest fish (6in pbass) LOVES the freeze dried bloodworms with a passin even thoguh he can take at least 50 at once
truman
05-07-2005, 12:45 AM
Crickets, Fish, Mice and anything that is exotic and definately clean enough for my arowana to gulp down :hitting:
bsplenden
05-07-2005, 9:16 AM
I love centipedes as feeders for my Arowana. Mine is a green arowana, and the centipede will not enhance the colour of my greenie much, but still I like to use it occasionally because it is really beautiful when the aro whack the centipede.
Grab one end of the centipede, pull it down, and try to drown it. After a while, the centipede gets weak and the arowana will proceed to swallow it.
rayman45
05-07-2005, 9:44 AM
can i add to my answer?
i put giant gold fish 6inch +
Kieranuk
05-07-2005, 10:31 AM
I am really envious of you putting on all of these big things for your fish as I just get away with micro mealworms :D. Bloodworms are another favourite of my fish. If I put in any of the larger things you were saying it would probably kill my fish. When I put mealworms in I try to get them down for my loaches but they mostly float and the odd ones sink. Why do you think this is any how can I get them all do sink? Also at a fish shop near me they had 1.5ft Pacu's in and 4ft aliigator fish which had massive fish and were really cool. Wonder what they fed them.....
guppy
05-07-2005, 10:39 AM
I have fed my fish (mainly arrows) jerusulum beatles, which are sometimes reffered to as potato bugs. They are big insects that look like they are built for war, I dont think you can purchase them but I find them in my backyard from time to time.
watch yuor fingers, those suckers draw blood.
guppy
05-07-2005, 10:42 AM
I've got 10 x 4-6" red bellies that will DESTROY anything I put in. Last week it was a 6"(BODY) comet. I've got 2 small fellas with one bad eye each who are definetly the runts of the pack. When you drop one big feeder in, the runts are on it first trimming up the tail until the others figure out what's going on and then it's a ball of tails and scales floating.
cool
Kieranuk
05-07-2005, 10:45 AM
Yeah I was warned when I saw some giant ones being fed to a nice Simease Tiger Fish. I think I will go and get the tiger fish when I get my new 100G tank as they seem to have quite a charecter :). Also how come they dont bite your fish but they can get your fingers? I accidently got one in my eye but it fell out :D.
rayman45
05-07-2005, 10:47 AM
ewwwww
b/c when the fish got them , the bug is trying to get out of the water
when u hold them there trying to get away from you
Kieranuk
05-07-2005, 11:11 AM
I was blowing the bits of skin off them out as it messes up my tank and blew a bit too hard so a little one went into my eye :). Do you think £75 ($140) is a good price for a quite big (5" +) simease tiger fish? I also so small ones for £45 ($85) which might be good to grow on.
Where are you? Thailand you can catch them and ship legal and cheap, serious bragging rights. Course you still have to pay for the vacation.
Yeah I was warned when I saw some giant ones being fed to a nice Simease Tiger Fish. I think I will go and get the tiger fish when I get my new 100G tank as they seem to have quite a charecter :). Also how come they dont bite your fish but they can get your fingers? I accidently got one in my eye but it fell out :D.
EWWWW, just clumsy I guess.
rayman45
05-07-2005, 1:08 PM
thats alot for a st
go catch one
they grow kinda slow
Kieranuk
05-07-2005, 6:58 PM
I live in the England in the UK. The rivers run cold so no nice fish in them :(.
piranha45
05-07-2005, 6:59 PM
you can still buy guppies cheap though cant you?
Kieranuk
05-07-2005, 7:03 PM
Guppies are $1.80 each which is quite expencive over a long time as it will build up. I have heard people setting up breeding tanks for guppies to feed to their fish as it's cheaper.
piranha45
05-07-2005, 7:11 PM
guppies and goldfish go for $.1 here. I pick up 50 of them for $5 every now and then to use as feeding treats. our government has alot problems, but yours does too clearly :P
Kieranuk
05-07-2005, 7:22 PM
I think this is because all off these do good people are against feeding feeder fishes so as a compromise the price went up to disencourage it. I think it's cruel to have a big fish which expects live fish and feed it on only man-made foods. I think I well have to set up a guppie breeding tank when I get these fish as it will work out costly if I don't. The extra-large meal worms look okey aswell but are not as good as the real live fish.
Daddyo72
05-07-2005, 8:18 PM
I am really looking foreword to my Pbass eating mice. Other than that I use feeders for now as I train them to eat prepped foods. The mice will be for pure entertainment value.
guppy
05-07-2005, 10:01 PM
I hart p.bass, wicked game fish. Untill I saw this site I never even thought about keeping one in a tank.
I like Rosie's for my Bichirs. They try to eat the same one and Deathroll. It's really neat to watch. My cats eat anything including the occasional dead feeder. Most of the time I feed shrimp, beefheart and bloodworms.
I have bichirs too, they do work great. It also makes a great show for friends!
piranha45
05-07-2005, 10:45 PM
I think this is because all off these do good people are against feeding feeder fishes so as a compromise the price went up to disencourage it. I think it's cruel to have a big fish which expects live fish and feed it on only man-made foods. I think I well have to set up a guppie breeding tank when I get these fish as it will work out costly if I don't. The extra-large meal worms look okey aswell but are not as good as the real live fish.
keep in mind that you will really need to look into something at least 55g to breed guppies on a reasonable scale... a 10g will get you a couple feeder fish once every 6 months, if even that.
piranha45
05-07-2005, 10:46 PM
I hart p.bass, wicked game fish. Untill I saw this site I never even thought about keeping one in a tank.
oh man they are all the rage on most fish boards.
What I'd like to see is a largemouth and peacock in a big tank. That would just be too awesome.
piranha45
05-07-2005, 10:47 PM
I am really looking foreword to my Pbass eating mice. Other than that I use feeders for now as I train them to eat prepped foods. The mice will be for pure entertainment value.
so refreshing to see people who have no problem with this. There's just too many ****ing ninny hippies on too many fish boards... :headbang2
Daddyo72
05-07-2005, 11:13 PM
I know that the LMB eats these as available in the wild. It can't be too far off the menu for Pbass. On a side note, there are way too many tree huggers out there. I deeply care for my fish. It can be a real obsession, but I do know where to draw the line. Bring on the mice! Besides, most mice in stores are bred to be food. When used in our aquariums, it puts on a hell of a show! Years ago I had a red line SH that occasionally would bite his food in half. Leaving the other half trying to swim. When watching the Pbass or the SH eat like this, it isn't to see how grizzly it can be but to admire the predatory nature of our fish. It's diversity to different food sources. It's only a secondary consequence that it is REALLY entertaining to watch. For this the tree huggers feel guilty and say it is wrong. It isn't wrong. We simply opt to watch nature at the top of the food chain instead of everything else that tries not to be eaten by them. It's all perspective and preference.
martinsane
05-08-2005, 11:07 AM
Nice thread. I will say the messiest feed I witnessed, was me dropping a softball sized salmon head in my Piranha tank. I think everyone could imagine the cloud of....
I fed my snakehead anything that moved. The pinkies always reminded me of the opening sequence in 2001 a Space odessy, with the womb shots all floating an what not.
She would eat everything though, allfish, even went through a tank divider to get at that Piranha. After multiply "escapes" I started keeping the water level about 6" down on my 65 gallon long, this was awosome for dropping in moths!! That fish would go cuckoo for em'
Not that I fed it to the Snakehead, but at the time I had a Goffins Cockatoo and that bird would sit, right in front of that tank and with a nut in ahnd mess/watch that fish for hours...and that Snakehead would do its best aggressive dancing trying to get tht bird...I think the bird was playing with her.
Thanks for reading.
aapl76
05-08-2005, 11:58 AM
my favourite feeder is feeder tigerbarbs cos they not only swim fast which make my fishes excercise more, it also helps to clean up the left over food in the tank.... :)
a word to those who really like large fast feeding fish
my lfs just got in 12in or so northern pikes (they told me over the phone) if anyone would like one picked up and shipped holler at me , theres no fish that feeds liek these
rayman45
05-08-2005, 9:10 PM
how much?
idk i gotta check it out tmw (ur in luck im cashign a check tmw)
do u have a phone i can call while im there zach?
rayman45
05-08-2005, 9:45 PM
good you got the check
917 559 4271 ill b out of school by 3
ya i forgot to tell you
muchos graciASS
lol
il call around 5 probably <3 rayman
froggyman
05-09-2005, 4:16 PM
i like feeding nightcrawlers
iheartfishies
05-09-2005, 4:53 PM
good you got the check
917 559 4271 ill b out of school by 3
I'm gonna text you naughty words. :grinno:
froggyman
05-09-2005, 6:02 PM
krill is also a favorite food for my fishes
gramskunk1
04-18-2009, 9:22 PM
i like to go catch carps,bass,pike ect in the river i just jump from rock to rock in a 2 feet deep area an net them as i see them...cheap and fun