+1
I used to feed my saltwater fish occasional goldfish with no issues
Live saltwater feeder fish
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I used to feed my saltwater fish occasional goldfish with no issues
I keep Frogfishes and his food are variation of damsel species, and chromis too.
My point here that if it can catch those damsels then damsels become its food, it's nature eco-system I wanted for my marine tank. I don't feed fresh water feeder fish species to marine species.
My point here that if it can catch those damsels then damsels become its food, it's nature eco-system I wanted for my marine tank. I don't feed fresh water feeder fish species to marine species.
Frog fish are cool, I’ve kept a few. You’re right, but goldfish are 20 cents and damsels &5-$10 as well as the higher probability of introducing a disease
There're some interesting write-ups on the web about feeding freshwater fish to saltwater predators. I believe the consensus is that freshwater fish might give saltwater fish cancer? And/or fatty liver disease.
I know there are like, saltwater minnows and killifish that are used as bait that people buy for saltwater fishing, those could work. As previously mentioned, mollies acclimated to saltwater make decent feeders and they also reproduce fast. People tend to buy damselfish because they're the cheapest saltwater feeders. In theory, any fish could be a feeder fish depending on the species you're feeding it to. For example, a moorish idol for whitetip reef sharks [it's on a video somewhere on youtube, it was one of the big nature documentaries too like blue planet].
Something rare, would be finding a fish breeder and purchasing their culls. Think culled clownfish, culled blennies, etc. The breeder at least makes some of their money back, so it's a win win for everybody in the hobby.
I know there are like, saltwater minnows and killifish that are used as bait that people buy for saltwater fishing, those could work. As previously mentioned, mollies acclimated to saltwater make decent feeders and they also reproduce fast. People tend to buy damselfish because they're the cheapest saltwater feeders. In theory, any fish could be a feeder fish depending on the species you're feeding it to. For example, a moorish idol for whitetip reef sharks [it's on a video somewhere on youtube, it was one of the big nature documentaries too like blue planet].
Something rare, would be finding a fish breeder and purchasing their culls. Think culled clownfish, culled blennies, etc. The breeder at least makes some of their money back, so it's a win win for everybody in the hobby.
Id go with molies. They dont need acclimation and if they reproduce in your tank, its just more free food.
I put my clown culls in my nps tank or with my bamboo cats if they were large enough. When I say large enough usually meant they survived my rhyzos long enough to grow a bit. Even with their ability to host anemones that doesn't work on rhyzos or larger dendros. Tbh I didn't need to cull all that many, maybe my mind is a bit foggy it was quite a bit of time ago.
I've never had mollies. I've heard they don't reproduce as prolifically in saltwater.
I eat fresh ocean fish a couple times per week that are caught just off shore (mackerel, snapper, to spiny lobsters) on the island where i live, and after being cleaned by the local fishermen, usually need a little extra trimming from me .
Some of the locals also bring me an occasional bucket of freshwater shrimp that live in the forest. Large trimmings go to the cats, small pieces my fish, skeletons to the buzzards.
There are no pet stores on the island so these become a major part of my fishes diet.
I also grow algae in sumps that my cichlids chow down on.
If I get to the mainland I can usually pick up prepared foods where there are a few pet stores.
Above Andinoacara cichlids eating lobster roe, below, chowing down on a clump of hair algae, grown in an algae scrubber/sump .
Due to our being remote and somewhat out of the mainstream of the modern world, nothing is wasted here, but.....by using raw, wild foods, it is undenyable, there are some risks, and the possibility of wiping an entire tank of fish from an introduced parasite is also always a grudgingly accepted possibility.
Some of the locals also bring me an occasional bucket of freshwater shrimp that live in the forest. Large trimmings go to the cats, small pieces my fish, skeletons to the buzzards.
There are no pet stores on the island so these become a major part of my fishes diet.
I also grow algae in sumps that my cichlids chow down on.
If I get to the mainland I can usually pick up prepared foods where there are a few pet stores.
Above Andinoacara cichlids eating lobster roe, below, chowing down on a clump of hair algae, grown in an algae scrubber/sump .
Due to our being remote and somewhat out of the mainstream of the modern world, nothing is wasted here, but.....by using raw, wild foods, it is undenyable, there are some risks, and the possibility of wiping an entire tank of fish from an introduced parasite is also always a grudgingly accepted possibility.
