Are tilapia fillets unhealthy for large catfish or can it be a staple diet?

[that_fish_Guy]

people always are saying tilapia is unhealthy and it has too much mercury for human consumption is this true for fish too or is tilapia safe to feed to large cats like RTC and TSN I've been feeding tilapia for two weeks now


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[thebiggerthebetter]

people always are saying tilapia is unhealthy and it has too much mercury for human consumption ...

I guess we mingle in different circles Seriously though, I've never heard of this (does not mean it is not true). Mercury is usually a concern in wild marine fish like sharks, swordfish, tuna, salmon, etc., and mostly in fish that are near the food chain apex. Tilapia feeds on plant matter, farm-raised, and is commonly sold for human consumption and I have not encountered tilapia consumption limits that are imposed/suggested for fish that are known to be polluted. MonsterMinis would know since she said being pregnant she is up to speed on all she can and cannot eat.

... is tilapia safe to feed to large cats like RTC and TSN I've been feeding tilapia for two weeks now

For many it is a staple but it is just flesh, too little vitamins, minerals, and other necessary nutrients. So, supplementation and diversification is always highly recommended. Or, as per your other thread - stuff pellets in the fillets or pre-soak them in Vita-chem - people say only good things about the latter.

 

[bassfisher91]

I catch a lot of what I feed my fish and I try to mix up whole fish and filets. One week I'll feed northern pike filets and the next I'll feed whole large chubs or sunfish or herring, whatever I can catch. I would feed strictly whole fish but it takes less time to catch a few larger ones compared to 25 smaller ones.

 

[Mount_Prion]

I'd be concerned about wc, unquarantined fish containing parasites/pathogens, first and foremost.

 

[Drstrangelove]

For carnivores, fillets that have been frozen (to kill pathogens) should be fine. It's low-ish on fat (16%), so other leaner foods need to be in the diet. Also, fillets by definition do not include calcium or vegetable matter, so you will have missing vitamins and some minerals if it's fed extensively.

As others have said, have a mixed diet, even with a seemingly high quality staple.

Freshly caught fish are simply too high a risk in terms of disease and parasites. I'd gut and freeze those before tossing them into my tank and if I wanted them live, I'd have a long quarantine with a broad based anti-pathogen.

 

[MonsterMinis]

depends what your definition of healthy is.. most farm raised fish is not good imo... and if you do abit of research into where/what swai/tilapia from other countries is raised/fed/exposed too... You probably wouldn't eat it either ( I don't feed my family farm raised anymore unless I know exactly where it comes from)

do I feed it to my cats and gar? yes, but as already pretty much summed up.. variety is key. I see no reason not to feed wild caught fish on line/reel... it is no more or less safe then anyother wild caught fish we buy from the store and lacks preservatives ect often used/seen. Knowing the lakes "cleanliness" level or suggested eating is also good to know... if you shouldn't be eating much fish from it.. maybe fish a better quality lake? where people get the idea wild caught fish are more likely to contain pathogens ect vs "farm raised" is beyond me since almost all of it outside the US is simply raised in river "corrals" imo its far more risky feeding my fish a farm raised from another country then my native one.

Hate to break it to some of you guys but those farm raised tilapia are fed human feces and loaded with tons of pesticides/herbicides being often downriver of major river hubs ( cheap/free food for the fish) is all of it? No. but enough of it to make me personally avoid it? yes.

My best advise... do some research on it and figure out where your personal feelings lie with it.

And yes I would agree native caught fish being frozen/QTed for 30-60 days to minimalize the risk of disease. but imo it's no more or less dangerous then feeding anything you buy from the market/grocery.