Feeding Fish Bugs

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T

toweraquaticservices

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 11, 2011
138
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Florida
I came home this morning (I work nights) to my outside porch light on. And as I looked up at it, I noticed all the dead bugs that I need to clean out.
I live in Florida, so it gets bad. So I was wondering if I could feed my cichlids the bugs? They are dead and dried out, different species of flying
insects, I guess the same as fish would get in the wild. What do you think?
 
Wouldn't risk it. Even if they didn't die from pesticide, they might harbor the chemical in non-lethal doses which your fish will collectively ingest.
 
I wouldnt since you dont know why they died.
I recently saw Zoomed came out with a product for catching bugs for the purpose of feeding to fish and reptiles. It is basically an electric bug zapper that doesnt kill them, they get attracted to the light and then get trapped in a holding container.
 
You should assume any insect food you may find in the wild is not safe for your fish. While of course wild animals eat wild insect food, and the risk may be minimal, you just never know, so why risk it? But theoretically you could raise your own insect food, and that way you'd know its safe. :)
 
In the urban environment, people spray for bugs all the time. You don't if that bug had contact with pesticide previously. I know some people have monthly service for spraying in their yard.
 
Cool, I dont spray for bugs around the house. I just keep standing water to a minimum and it helps ALOT.
The bugs are inside a light globe on the porches, I have 3 total. I seriously doubt they died from pesticides, just the heat and lack
of an exit
 
The danger of feeding random bugs to your fish is an internet fish forum meme right up there with the danger of garden hoses, gray PVC, rocks falling through the base of your tank and tanks falling though your floor. All BS.

If you don't use pesticide, feeding a random live or fried bug is a nice, high protein treat. Just like filling my tanks with a garden hose, I've done it for many, many years without incident. Crickets are favorites. Some fish even eat stink bugs.

Even if you do use pesticides, it would take longer than 99.9% of aquarists keep their fish for enough of it to bio-accumulate to kill the fish, especially if you give the bugs a quick rinse before feeding them.

Matt
 
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