I checked the info and just want to verify something. I can't get two of my lents to eat anything except feeders and shrimp. This means they aren't getting the vitamins they need. In order to prevent them from getting lateral line disease,would I have to soak the shrimp in vitamins? Does anyone have any experience with pikes and lateral line and preventive measures?
Lents and lateral line. Nutrition?
- Thread starter Anderman
- Start date
tman;1097550; said:
I have found with pikes that water quality is vastly more important that diet in preventing HLLE. I've had pikes that eat everything including high quality pellets still develop HLLE. Stay on top of the water quality and you should be fine.
It's a pain but you can gut load the feeders if your concerned about their diet.
I agree. I think pikes kept with run-through system of RO based water (ie lots of fresh good water) and no gravel have very little chance of getting HITH. I have seen pikes that are skinny as hell-clearly under-nourished- in LFS that have no HITH. I am 100% in agreement with scato that water conditions are the big issue.
You should be able to get any pike onto prepared foods, be it shrimp, mysis, pellets, stuff like that. All you need is a good dose of patience and determination. Haven't kept a pike yet that I wasn't able to change over to prepared foods. I'm sure there are tons here that have much the same success story. Its just healthier for them to get a varied diet, with as much nutrients as possible. Gut loading is probably what you are gonna have to do. Puree the food, suck it up in a seringe, and inject it into the feeders. kinda weird doing it, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
What quality is of utmost importance, as it was stated. Definately keep your water as clean as possible. Another thing noted is that pikes (or cichlids in general) kept in HARD water seem to be less prone to HITH. I mean, how many african cichlids do you know of that have HITH? I've always had hard water, here and in Nebraska, kinda sucks for breeding, but it is great for keeping the HITH away.
What quality is of utmost importance, as it was stated. Definately keep your water as clean as possible. Another thing noted is that pikes (or cichlids in general) kept in HARD water seem to be less prone to HITH. I mean, how many african cichlids do you know of that have HITH? I've always had hard water, here and in Nebraska, kinda sucks for breeding, but it is great for keeping the HITH away.