Bichirs eating feeders?

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all my poly eat those feeders, but you should always quarantine those feeders before feeding them to your bichirs. Or else use frozen foods instead.
 
I feed mine feeders about twice a week
 
Polys will eat anything that will fit into their mouth. The polys that love feeders the most are ornates and congicus. They go nuts after loaches and feeders.
 
I don't recommend feeding fathead minnows (rosy red minnows are fathead minnows) or goldfish to really any fish. They're fatty, they've got thiaminase in them which is an enzyme that breaks down thiamine (vitamin b1) and persists in the body for a long time. It can cause a deficiency in reptiles, not sure about in our bichirs. I wouldn't risk it, though, especially since introducing feeders (or any live food) is also a sure way to introduce parasites and diseases.

All in all, I'm a pellet kind of guy. While watching a fish eat another fish might be novel once or twice, it gets old fast, its not particularly nice to the feeder,* and its not the best husbandry practice for your fish.

*Note: I'm not in peta or anything. I don't care what you do with feeders. Crush them under your boot, watch them flop around out of water for fun, see if I care. I just don't think they're a good way to feed fish.
 
If you are that into feeders, best to breed your own so you know they are healthy.

And if you do try to breed other fish besides, minnows and goldies. Best to breed/feed; guppies, convicts-etc. So you don't have to worry about parasites or thiamanese problems.
 
i ushually feed my fishes prepared food too but it was just really interesting to see him actually eat it. I keep my fat heads in a tank out back where they gorge on algae and QT themselves. i feed my datnoids feeders sometimes which is why i have them at all.

i tried breeding convicts but stray cats got to them >.<
 
what does thiamese do to fish?
 
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