Alright MFK, who has some truth on feeder fish?

[Red Devil]

Everybody I know whose fish got ick from feeders, keeps a constant supply of feeders in their tanks.

Everytime my tanks get ick, it's from old fish beating up brand new fish.

I would rather my fish not live to be 20, but be able to eat live foods. A lot of customers who feed their piscavore fish strictly pellet/frozen food diets that trade their fish into our store have very weird fish who tend to sulk 90% of the time and do not act personable.

maybe they are sulking and non personable because they are stressing from abandoment... they do not take to change very well especially to LFS store.. where tanks are small and lights are on all the time and people and movement constantly..think how you would feel. And granted...fish who are fighting and under stress tend to get ick .. only because the ick was there.. ick has to be in the tank for fish to get it.. and weakened fish will get it sooner and more often..

 

[soul_assassin]

Thiaminase.

IMHO this ^^^^ is the second biggest danger to feeding feeders behind pathogens

 

[floridagar]

yes.. if you are collecting earthworms from a area that uses pestisides, insectisides etc .. then very bad.. if you are buying from a person who raises earth worms or you are raising yourself then they are good..and lots of nutrition

haha looks like im starting a new earthworm farm.... wasn't there a thread about starting an earthworm farm???

I always bought them from like bait shops and petco since they were in the little boxes.

 

[Red Devil]

haha looks like im starting a new earthworm farm.... wasn't there a thread about starting an earthworm farm???

I always bought them from like bait shops and petco since they were in the little boxes.

if you bought them they are probably okay... they come from wormfarms.. they raise them..only the ones you hunt up yourself are risky..due to soil contaminants.

 

[PostalPenguin]

I raise my own feeders for occasional treats. Convicts and platties. I feed them the same pellets that the fish eat so I imagine the feeder is full of the same nutrients.

 

[crisper]

If you gonna use feeders for your fish I would suggest raising your own. Convicts are so easy to breed and much better for your fish than goldies.

 

[Bearbear]

Can get a few 30g ( or smaller ) rubbermaid tubs for convicts and let them do their thing. Just need sponge filters and a heater. They are entertaining to watch them raise their fry though, so setting them up their own tank would be better.
But given a choice of a few rubbermaid tubs in the garage (or a closet if space is tight ) or using store bought feeders the choice seems simple.