Anyone tried frozen bait as food?

[Logan487]

I've done this many times, never had a problem. In my area at least, frozen baitfish are available either salted or not; I would use only the plain ones.

If you plan on using this as a major portion of your fishes' diet, you also need to be aware of the thiaminase issue. Some of the literature even claims that thiaminase levels are increased in frozen vs fresh fish. I would research the species of frozen fish that is available to you carefully.gearing

Is this true for all frozen or just bait specifically? I'd planned if I did to keep using silversides just a different source.

Is this accurate?

Thiaminase- What is it & Which Fish Contain It

www.hannahra.com

 

[Logan487]

This is confusing as hell lol. If I understand it right Thiaminase helps with absorption of B1 in the animal, however when that animal is then fed to another it can cause a B1 deficiency

Meanwhile... Liquid vitamin supplements for aquariums have B1 in them...

 

[dmyersWv]

I stick to balance try to give mostly pellets with some other options supplimented. I think you would only have an issue if you feed 1 item exclusively unless it's the balanced pellet. Same as us with cake. 1 piece a week and we'll be ok. Only cake and we have issues.

 

[Logan487]

I stick to balance try to give mostly pellets with some other options supplimented. I think you would only have an issue if you feed 1 item exclusively unless it's the balanced pellet. Same as us with cake. 1 piece a week and we'll be ok. Only cake and we have issues.

I supplement well with pellets, but the problem I am looking at is my wallago who is the centerpiece of this tank will only eat silversides (or other frozen) and frozen krill. I've even tried holding out on the food and offering him massivore but he will take a single pellet then proceed to harass all the other fish by following them around relentlessly eyeballing them even though they are way too big to eat. Most notably the wife's giant gourami that despite being too big will still run from his mouth bumping.

If I added liquid vitamin to the water or their food soak though this would solve the issue?

 

[dmyersWv]

Could try some garlic or try filling bottom of bowl with pellets and let frozen thawon top of it. That has worked for me to pellet train some more difficult fish. Good luck.

 

[dmyersWv]

Did a little research and they are listed as very territorial. Not recommended with tankmates. Hopefully someone here has more experience with this species.

 

[Logan487]

I've had pretty decent success with him in a mixed setting, just need to provide adequate territory and an ample food supply...Which is the problem when trying to break him into pellets lol. I'll try the that method though, hopefully the pellets don't disintegrate due to the moisture.

I got him around 4" and raised him to about 10" on F/T but if there is a thiamine issue potentially down the road I would like to figure out a solution as I planned on moving him to another fish when he grows larger.

 

[Logan487]

It wont let me edit, but I will say if anyone has looked at this species he is one of the more peaceful cats in the tank, the only issue being is he can swallow anything that will fit into his mouth. Aside from that even his "Im hungry" behavior is more just following mid to top swimmers around at a slow meandering pace that almost comes off more as trolling the other fish than anything else (I worry though because wife's giant redtail gourami seems to be the more nervous sort). As far as other cats they dont (or at least mine) really even seem willing to dispute cave territories as they just get up and move if someone else nudges him out.

 

[jjohnwm]

Is this true for all frozen or just bait specifically? I'd planned if I did to keep using silversides just a different source.

Is this accurate?

Thiaminase- What is it & Which Fish Contain It

www.hannahra.com

Beats me; I don't know if it's true at all. If it is, then I would assume it holds true for all types of frozen fish...but is it true?

Is that listing of thiaminase fish accurate? Again...who knows?

I do know that virtually every type of fish that I have considered using in quantity is listed on somebody's "Don't Do It!" list. Emerald shiners...Rosy Reds/Fatheads...Goldfish...Smelt...they're all killers! Just about the only "safe" fish that are available in worthwhile quantities, assuming you are willing to breed them, is various cichlids like Convicts, etc.

Sure, Tilapia is safe...but I much prefer feeding whole fish as opposed to just fillets. If feeding fillets, I usually just use Northern Pike caught by angling. But the only way that I feel confident that my fish are obtaining proper nutrition, aside from feeding nothing but pellets, is by using as wide a variety of foods as possible. Doing so also reduces the risk of getting a fish that is so addicted to and spoiled by a certain food that it is reluctant to eat anything else; if that particular food then becomes unavailable, you may have a problem.

 

[Logan487]

I have always went with whole fish so they have the nutrition from the guts, brain, etc. So I guess another question would be if I supplement with vitamins does that remove the danger, or can thiaminase completely prevent the absorption of B1? As long as it doesn't completely prevent or lead to poisoning I suppose treating food with vitamins would be sufficient? @.@

I'd actually considered breeding convicts, but for the amount he eats I would need several setups at least just to support him, and that's not counting the Tiger Shovel or Lima that have also yet to take pelletized foods.