Ok I've decided to post this tutorial up for people with the same problem as me and because I am having the worst case of Insomnia.
*DISCLAIMER*
If you are a frog lover, STOP! Do not read any further as the content may seem offensive to you. You have been warned!
Storyline
We all know that sinking pellets is the greatest food for bottom dwellers such as polypterus and stingray. However I believe that too much of a good thing is a bad thing. So I decided to include variety to my fish's diet, mainly live feeders. I choose frogs as they are much less of a disease-package as fish feeders. So I happily paid the LFS for a bag of frogs and went home to feed my fishes.
Problems
As soon as I got home and added the frogs into the tank, I realise that it is not going to work out.
End up, only the most active fish (Senegal Bichir) munched on the frogs. So I did some brainstorming and thought of a simple solution.
What you need
Solution
I couldn't possibly net my fish up to the surface and make them do surface feeding. So the only way was to deliver the frogs down to them. How?
2 problems I have to tackle. Buoyancy of the frog and the frog's natural instinct to stay at the surface.
To do that, first I have to kill the frog, and then somehow remove the air in the stomach to prevent the carcass from floating in the tank
(kind of beat the purpose of killing the frog).
To kill the frog in the most humane way possible, I took the forceps and gently grab the frog. Then I dealt a swift (and fatal) blow to the head of the frog by smacking it into a hard object (In this case, the side of my 5g feeder tank). To remove the air from carcass (warning for those with weak stomach), I apply pressure on top the stomach using the forceps. This would remove most of the air from the carcass.
Afterwards, just drop the carcass into the water and watch as it sinks down to the bottom of the tank, and into the mouth of your fishes.
I hope this tutorial help those who are keeping bottom dwellers who refuse to do surface feeding and want to add some live variety to their diet.
*DISCLAIMER*
If you are a frog lover, STOP! Do not read any further as the content may seem offensive to you. You have been warned!
Storyline
We all know that sinking pellets is the greatest food for bottom dwellers such as polypterus and stingray. However I believe that too much of a good thing is a bad thing. So I decided to include variety to my fish's diet, mainly live feeders. I choose frogs as they are much less of a disease-package as fish feeders. So I happily paid the LFS for a bag of frogs and went home to feed my fishes.
Problems
As soon as I got home and added the frogs into the tank, I realise that it is not going to work out.
- I have a tall (2.5') tank
- Feeder frogs always venture on the surface
- My fishes are too used to sinking pellets (told ya) and refuses to do surface feeding
End up, only the most active fish (Senegal Bichir) munched on the frogs. So I did some brainstorming and thought of a simple solution.
What you need
- A tank for keeping those feeders (I'm sure most of you have one)
- Forceps (You can get them at LFS, under planting tools)
- Guts (Frog lovers, last warning, leave now)
Solution
I couldn't possibly net my fish up to the surface and make them do surface feeding. So the only way was to deliver the frogs down to them. How?
2 problems I have to tackle. Buoyancy of the frog and the frog's natural instinct to stay at the surface.
To do that, first I have to kill the frog, and then somehow remove the air in the stomach to prevent the carcass from floating in the tank
(kind of beat the purpose of killing the frog).
To kill the frog in the most humane way possible, I took the forceps and gently grab the frog. Then I dealt a swift (and fatal) blow to the head of the frog by smacking it into a hard object (In this case, the side of my 5g feeder tank). To remove the air from carcass (warning for those with weak stomach), I apply pressure on top the stomach using the forceps. This would remove most of the air from the carcass.
Afterwards, just drop the carcass into the water and watch as it sinks down to the bottom of the tank, and into the mouth of your fishes.
I hope this tutorial help those who are keeping bottom dwellers who refuse to do surface feeding and want to add some live variety to their diet.