Live vs Prepared vs Pellet

KillaFish

Feeder Fish
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Aug 4, 2010
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The City That Never Sleeps
Since I am still new in the world of monster fishes, I have been doing very little posting and a whole lot of reading on this board. One of the things that I've noticed is many people have threads proclaiming that their gars are finally eating pellets or prepared whole foods instead of feeders. However, my question is, which would be better in terms of allowing your gar maximum potential in growth? My gar is currently being fed minnows and he is one voraciously little demon LOL. He will kill the feeders even after he has eaten his fill. However, I would like to provide the most nutritious of diet possible so I am wondering, which of the three would be best? Various live feeders including fish, inverts, and amphibs, prepared fish slices such as tilapia and shrimp, or pellets?
 

Lepisosteus platyrhincus

Polypterus
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Nov 9, 2008
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a large variety is best, wether it be a variety of live or prepared or a combination of the 2
 

ballinouttacntrol

Polypterus
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Aug 20, 2009
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i agree, mix up all 3, don't settle into a rut of the same thing. Even with things that aren't good for the fish, you'll be safe by mixing it up as long as they don't contract parasites
 

malfunkshun

Jack Dempsey
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Apr 2, 2007
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Live food contains mostly water and not so much nutrition (protein, fat, fiber and so on).

I think that pellets are the best way to feed a fish. No risk for disease or parasites and way more nutrition.
 

Lepisosteus platyrhincus

Polypterus
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Nov 9, 2008
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malfunkshun;4357434; said:
Live food contains mostly water and not so much nutrition (protein, fat, fiber and so on).

I think that pellets are the best way to feed a fish. No risk for disease or parasites and way more nutrition.
ur right. live is so bad. thats why in the wild they eat live right? i mean wild caught specimens are just so un healthy:screwy:

prepared is better than pellets IMO. not processed, cooked, freeze dried or anything else pellets are. Wild is my fav but prepared is easyer and cheaper but my gar still get live on occation
 

Conner

Fire Eel
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Dec 27, 2008
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ballinouttacntrol;4356860; said:
i agree, mix up all 3, don't settle into a rut of the same thing. Even with things that aren't good for the fish, you'll be safe by mixing it up as long as they don't contract parasites
+1. Mine eat a combination of live, prepared, and pellet food and are very healthy.

You just want to avoid feeding them the same exact food exclusively, as this can lead to malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.

malfunkshun;4357434; said:
Live food contains mostly water and not so much nutrition (protein, fat, fiber and so on).

I think that pellets are the best way to feed a fish. No risk for disease or parasites and way more nutrition.
What? Seriously? You do know that in the wild, fish don't have access to this perfect pellet food, right? And you can get feeders that have very low risk for disease or parasites, and they will actually be more complete nutrition vs pellet food alone. :screwy:

Besides, gar are very resistant to diseases and parasites from feeders. Not saying that you should feed them just anything, but its worth the small risk to provide them with a complete, balanced nutritional diet.
 

ringoyam

Feeder Fish
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Aug 5, 2010
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victoria b.c.
ur decision
 

malfunkshun

Jack Dempsey
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Apr 2, 2007
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Lepisosteus platyrhincus;4357561; said:
ur right. live is so bad. thats why in the wild they eat live right? i mean wild caught specimens are just so un healthy:screwy:

prepared is better than pellets IMO. not processed, cooked, freeze dried or anything else pellets are. Wild is my fav but prepared is easyer and cheaper but my gar still get live on occation

Not exactly what I meant. I know for a fact that store bought fish are more likely to carry disease than fish in the wild.
The problem is when fish are bred in superfarms aroud the world (Asia mostly) they are exposed to more diseases than wild fish. Some grow resistant to this but still carries it. They look fine and healthy but are carriers and other fish get infected that are not immune to the bacteria/virus that they are exposed to.

Wild caught fish used as feeders is no problem if they have been kept in quarantine first.
But I would avoid feeding my fish with store bought fish.

Prepared foods are fine. But just not for my picky eaters at home :)
 

ballinouttacntrol

Polypterus
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Aug 20, 2009
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malfunkshun;4357434; said:
Live food contains mostly water and not so much nutrition (protein, fat, fiber and so on).

I think that pellets are the best way to feed a fish. No risk for disease or parasites and way more nutrition.
malfunkshun;4357598; said:
Not exactly what I meant. I know for a fact that store bought fish are more likely to carry disease than fish in the wild.
The problem is when fish are bred in superfarms aroud the world (Asia mostly) they are exposed to more diseases than wild fish. Some grow resistant to this but still carries it. They look fine and healthy but are carriers and other fish get infected that are not immune to the bacteria/virus that they are exposed to.

Wild caught fish used as feeders is no problem if they have been kept in quarantine first.
But I would avoid feeding my fish with store bought fish.

Prepared foods are fine. But just not for my picky eaters at home :)

I think you missed the part where you said "live food contains mostly water and not so much nutrition" Asia mostly? Most places oversea don't use goldfish and rosey red minnows for feeders like we do here in the U.S.
 

malfunkshun

Jack Dempsey
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Why are people so quick to jump on the hater train?

Living organisms contain a large amount of water. It's a fact. Water contains no nutrients. It's a fact.
Take a goldfish or whatever you feed your other fish and then compare the nutritional value of that fish to pellets of the same weight you will find out that the pellets will contain more nutrition.


No, we don't have any rosy reds here, but we use goldfish as feeders just as much as people do in the U.S. Almost all fish here are imported from Asia except those caught wild in Africa/S. America and other places.
These fishfarms produce fish at a high rate to supply the world with a lot of fish at a low price.
Even if gars are more resistant to parasites and other nasty stuff than other fishes there is always a risk.

I'm not saying that it's bad to use feeders. Just that pellets and similar foods contains more nutrients. And I am not saying that fish in the wild are unhealthy either just because they eat other fish.


You can continue the :screwy: if you like now.
 
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