Why not whole prey items vs. prepped/pellet food?

[CTU2fan]

Feeding discussions around here generally end in a chorus of "get X on pellets" followed by another chorus of "it's better for the fish". But is it?

Leaving aside the issues surrounding live LFS feeders (parasites, poor nutrition)...shouldn't whole prey, be it insects, worms, whole fish be more nutritious? As a herper I can tell you that among herp keepers whole prey is strongly preferred to any prepped food, be it commercial pellets or homemade food like SD Zoo diet or whatever.

Pellets are simplest of course, and provided it's a good one without a bunch of wheat and various non-fish base I'm sure they're fine. But I can't see how feeding whole prey especially to dedicated carnivores/predators wouldn't be ideal health-wise.

 

[jworth]

fine point.

to me, its just that i know the prepared foods have good nutrition and is cheaper and much easier. Although i do feed frozen fish and shrimp which is close to what you are saying. I dont know which one is more nutritious but i know which is more cost effective and easier than constantly buying feeders. good post.

 

[EVAN YUNCK]

ive been feeding most all of my fish live food for years, to think that its normal or ok to feed apex preditors pellets is silly sure if they'll take feed it, but to deprive a hunter of a natural action of chasing and catching live food is not fair to the animal. and depending on where you live its not cheaper to buy market shrimp or somthing else. if you gut load live feeders with a quality flake or pellet there just the same as the preped foods if not better

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

I agree with everything said and this is a nice post. I only feed my predators live and thats all they will ever get. I really bothers me to see posts on here all the time about people buying these predator fish and then forcing them to eat something that is not natural. And then those are the same people that knock a wildly decorated tank and say it is not natural. I have no idea how some people can live with them selves after they have tortured and starved a fish long enough to get it to eat something that is not natural to it. And they act like we are bad for feeding our fish there natural food source.

 

[oscarcrazy]

ive been feeding most all of my fish live food for years, to think that its normal or ok to feed apex preditors pellets is silly sure if they'll take feed it, but to deprive a hunter of a natural action of chasing and catching live food is not fair to the animal. and depending on where you live its not cheaper to buy market shrimp or somthing else. if you gut load live feeders with a quality flake or pellet there just the same as the preped foods if not better

By this line of reasoning you should feed your dog elk.

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

I bet his dog would gladly eat elk meat. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Maybe he should starve and torture his dog until it will eat dirt as a staple diet. Dirt has all kinds vitamins and minerals and you could even sprinkle it with some protein powder to get that as well.

 

[DubaiPond]

I feed my Arowanas whole frozen prawns (minus the head and tail spike of course) and my oscars eat frozen cockles because pellet food dirties the water and costs way more. From time to time a chuck a platy/guppy or two into the arows as those little buggers breed like rabbits in my pond and that gives my beasts the chance to do what they are supposed to.
Another problem i have with feeding large predatory fish pellets is that they are big fish with big mouths, so how can they eat floating pellets? It would be like try to eat a bowl of rice one grain at a time...

 

[andyjs]

And by that logic you guys keep you fish with larger predator species like herons and eagles too right?

In some cases, like feeding, safety of the fish and ease come before "nature." We're keeping fish in glass (or wood or plastic or whatever) boxes. It can only be so natural.

 

[bongko]

I have a solution to your dilemna! For my jardini I gutload crickets with carrots, and then I shove a hikari pellet into the abdomen area and then feed! Great results so far!

 

[flyin lizard]

I feed my 3 sa cats the large 9mm pellet from kens, along with live earthworms ,frozen shrimp,silversides and scallopes. I plan on trying bluegills and the like that I catch this summer after they have been frozen.
My tsn eats bloodworms and silversides and has grown 5 inches in 6 weeks. Also I will be setting up a 20 gallon with some platys and will use them as snacks/treats to chase just for good measure..