Un-Conventional Feeders :The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
We are all ]v[onster Fishkeepers right? So its safe to assume that at some point in out fishkeeping experience weve fed our ]v[onsters feeders. Either because they wouldnt accept anything else, or for the joy of the hunt, or many other reasons. But chances are that those feeders were either rosy reds, goldfish, guppies, or even insects. But what about the other sometimes unthinkable feeders. I mean frogs, lizards, mice, crustaceans, turtles and anything else that comes to mind. In order to better understand why a hobbyist would consider these creatures as food for their pet fish, one must recognize the benefits, and down sides from an unbiased and sometimes, in-human standpoint.
So why feed a fish any kind of feeder? Heres my opinion: Many fish, such as peacock bass and datnoids, are notoriously hard to get onto prepared food. Often refusing to switch over. Meaning they can only be fed feeders, which doesnt allow much room for variety. Thats when unconventional feeders come into play. Using frogs, turtles, lizards, crayfish and perhaps even mice as supplements for a diet consisting on healthy feeder fish as a staple allows a vast variety of different proteins, vitamins and minerals. Though still not even close to the variety of items the fish would consume in the wild, it is better than one kind of feeder that may or may not contain the essential vitamins and minerals that a fish needs to thrive.
Even if your fish accept non-live food, adding a variety of live items can still be very beneficial. Animals should be allowed to be animals, in my humble opinion, and depriving a predatory ]v[onster Fish of the prey and a means to predate, is in my view heart-wrenching. Ya, I feed my fish the usual slew of prepared foods: Shrimp, squid, bloodworms, frozen silversides, and of course, a high quality flake/pellet food. But in addition I provide my fish with several different prey items, from African clawed frogs, to guppies, nightcrawlers, crickets, and eventually pinky mice. I believe that to deprive an animal on outlet for its natural instincts is horribly wrong. I always feel ashamed when I see my precious ]v[onsters stoop to eating pellets, though I recognize it as a necessity and necessary evil in our great hobby. Also, I highly doubt there is any turtle proteins in Hikaris pellets. This being said, feeding even a fish that readily accepts prepared items a few unconventional feeders on occasion most defiantly benefits them.
And theres of course the concern of the feeders possibility to harm the fish its intended to be fed to. I see this as a non issue. My response to this is always: Why on earth would you feed your fish something potentially harmful!?!?!?!. If the fish in question may even remotely have any trouble handling the unconventional feeder, why on earth would you consider feeding it to them! Its common sense, and im sad to say, there is definitely a lack of it in our hobby. I also seem to get a lot of Too much mammal/reptile/amphibian fats and other indigestible materials is bad for the fish. This is true, however, too much are the key terms there. In moderation the benefits out way the negative effects. That being said, I would not feed my fish more than 1 or 2 unconventional feeders each, monthly, or even bi-monthly.
And of course, some ignorant fool always has to bring in ethics. I myself prefer to keep ethics out of fishkeeping entirely, it just doesnt belong. Riddle me this, what is ethical about keeping a huge fish in a glass box, huh? Also, regardless of ethics, if something benefits my fish im gonna do it for them, I dont care who tells me otherwise.
For me, I think of the title of ]v[onster Fishkeeper, as to not only applying to the fish we keep, but the attitude with which we keep them. Out title implies that we go to lengths and expenses for out fish that other, garden variety fish keepers would never even consider. To me that means fish first, everything else second. I myself, just opted to purchase a Polypterus Ansorgii over my first car. Everything I do is fish, fishing, fish keeping, and my goal for education is a marine biology degree. Trust me, if there were feeder ducks available, id be feeding my gar them.
]v[FK Forever!
We are all ]v[onster Fishkeepers right? So its safe to assume that at some point in out fishkeeping experience weve fed our ]v[onsters feeders. Either because they wouldnt accept anything else, or for the joy of the hunt, or many other reasons. But chances are that those feeders were either rosy reds, goldfish, guppies, or even insects. But what about the other sometimes unthinkable feeders. I mean frogs, lizards, mice, crustaceans, turtles and anything else that comes to mind. In order to better understand why a hobbyist would consider these creatures as food for their pet fish, one must recognize the benefits, and down sides from an unbiased and sometimes, in-human standpoint.
So why feed a fish any kind of feeder? Heres my opinion: Many fish, such as peacock bass and datnoids, are notoriously hard to get onto prepared food. Often refusing to switch over. Meaning they can only be fed feeders, which doesnt allow much room for variety. Thats when unconventional feeders come into play. Using frogs, turtles, lizards, crayfish and perhaps even mice as supplements for a diet consisting on healthy feeder fish as a staple allows a vast variety of different proteins, vitamins and minerals. Though still not even close to the variety of items the fish would consume in the wild, it is better than one kind of feeder that may or may not contain the essential vitamins and minerals that a fish needs to thrive.
Even if your fish accept non-live food, adding a variety of live items can still be very beneficial. Animals should be allowed to be animals, in my humble opinion, and depriving a predatory ]v[onster Fish of the prey and a means to predate, is in my view heart-wrenching. Ya, I feed my fish the usual slew of prepared foods: Shrimp, squid, bloodworms, frozen silversides, and of course, a high quality flake/pellet food. But in addition I provide my fish with several different prey items, from African clawed frogs, to guppies, nightcrawlers, crickets, and eventually pinky mice. I believe that to deprive an animal on outlet for its natural instincts is horribly wrong. I always feel ashamed when I see my precious ]v[onsters stoop to eating pellets, though I recognize it as a necessity and necessary evil in our great hobby. Also, I highly doubt there is any turtle proteins in Hikaris pellets. This being said, feeding even a fish that readily accepts prepared items a few unconventional feeders on occasion most defiantly benefits them.
And theres of course the concern of the feeders possibility to harm the fish its intended to be fed to. I see this as a non issue. My response to this is always: Why on earth would you feed your fish something potentially harmful!?!?!?!. If the fish in question may even remotely have any trouble handling the unconventional feeder, why on earth would you consider feeding it to them! Its common sense, and im sad to say, there is definitely a lack of it in our hobby. I also seem to get a lot of Too much mammal/reptile/amphibian fats and other indigestible materials is bad for the fish. This is true, however, too much are the key terms there. In moderation the benefits out way the negative effects. That being said, I would not feed my fish more than 1 or 2 unconventional feeders each, monthly, or even bi-monthly.
And of course, some ignorant fool always has to bring in ethics. I myself prefer to keep ethics out of fishkeeping entirely, it just doesnt belong. Riddle me this, what is ethical about keeping a huge fish in a glass box, huh? Also, regardless of ethics, if something benefits my fish im gonna do it for them, I dont care who tells me otherwise.
For me, I think of the title of ]v[onster Fishkeeper, as to not only applying to the fish we keep, but the attitude with which we keep them. Out title implies that we go to lengths and expenses for out fish that other, garden variety fish keepers would never even consider. To me that means fish first, everything else second. I myself, just opted to purchase a Polypterus Ansorgii over my first car. Everything I do is fish, fishing, fish keeping, and my goal for education is a marine biology degree. Trust me, if there were feeder ducks available, id be feeding my gar them.
]v[FK Forever!
