I am trying to figure out feeding options for my TSN. He loves fish. I have heard that I can also feed him beef heart. Is this true? Also can he eat slices of other organs like kidneys? Can he just eat most types of meat? Thank you
All about tiger shovelnose catfish
- Thread starter artemis1
- Start date
Yes, you can feed beefheart, but it shouldn't be an everyday thing. I feed primarily tilapia, about 50%. Some shrimp 20%, scallops 20% with beefheart 10%. I think other organs would be fine, but mammal fats are harder for them to digest, so they should be fed sparingly.
Thank you for your quick reply. He does enjoy his fish. I hand feed him. He is my baby. I will save the mammal meats for an occasional treat. Thanks again.
IMHO, it's best to avoid any and all types of food that are not of aquatic origin, especially those coming from warm-blooded animals. This topic is controversial at best, most say it is a no go, some say it's ok if the meat is fat free and offered occasionally. Occasionally varies too, from a few times a year, which may be reasonable and mimic what occurs in the wild, to once or twice a week. There are even proponents of feeding hot dogs to their big catfish and Co. I think it's been shown pet fish don't last long on this diet.
A lot has been written on the topic and you can easily find relevant info online, including on MFK. One major concern is that fats of the warm-blooded animals turn into indigestible solids in cold-blooded animals, such as fish, and get deposited in the body cavity around organs causing them to malfunction.
Another point is that the amino acid make up of mammalian, avian, etc. meat is too different from that of fish, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, etc., which makes for an inefficient digestion, perhaps even harmful.
It appears it is always the best to mimic the animal's diet that it would get in the wild, in its proper, native habitat. Within reason and ability, most keepers can reach a compromise somewhere in between these extreme points.
A lot has been written on the topic and you can easily find relevant info online, including on MFK. One major concern is that fats of the warm-blooded animals turn into indigestible solids in cold-blooded animals, such as fish, and get deposited in the body cavity around organs causing them to malfunction.
Another point is that the amino acid make up of mammalian, avian, etc. meat is too different from that of fish, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, etc., which makes for an inefficient digestion, perhaps even harmful.
It appears it is always the best to mimic the animal's diet that it would get in the wild, in its proper, native habitat. Within reason and ability, most keepers can reach a compromise somewhere in between these extreme points.
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