You are what you eat??

[Joey822]

Well the title is basically what this thread about! Go figure But I have a question that I have been wanting to know for a while. Ok so I got a ipatinga kelberi from one of the best vendors on MFK! He/she is about 3" now. I was feeding him live food (minnows) that I have in a 20 gallon tank with a sponge filter, that I treat with chemicals so there are no internal or external parasites that can transfer into him. But the minnows I feed spiralina pellets to the minnows. I wait a little bit, 5-10 mins then catch some minnows, I then drop them in a small container with crushed up massivors in it so the minnow gets covered in massivors, so the minnows taste as if they were massivors. But my question is, I know that spiralina give fish a green color and that's what I'm trying to get out of the kel, so will the spiralina from the minnow transfer to the kel, the same way as if he/she actually ate a spiralina pellets? And get the green coloration. Hope I explained it well!

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[krichardson]

It may work,kind of how some fish get their coloring from eating crabs and shrimp.But then,in this case maybe not since the spiralina has already been digested and processed by the minnows.

 

[xraycer]

What you're talking about is referred to as gut-loading. That's how carnivores essentially get their vegetables. No idea how much spirulina gutted minnows your cichla would have to consume to have the colors come through. I know that flamingos get their pink color from eating certain type of shrimps.

 

[brich999]

Gut loading is relatively common and can help add nutrients normally deficient in a regular diet, like veggie matter in this case

 

[Joey822]

So basically I should try and feed the minnows quicker after they eat the spiralina so it's not completely digested. But basically this is true he is getting spiralina in his system

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[brich999]

5 min or so after feeding the feeders is when I feed them to the big fish and yes he is getting some of what you are feeding the feeders.

 

[xraycer]

So basically I should try and feed the minnows quicker after they eat the spiralina so it's not completely digested. But basically this is true he is getting spiralina in his system

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Not convinced that you have to feed the minnows right away after gut-loading. The spirulina's nutrients should be within the minnows' system even after digestion, so the cichla should still benefit. Not certain, but just my theory.

 

[Joey822]

Not convinced that you have to feed the minnows right away after gut-loading. The spirulina's nutrients should be within the minnows' system even after digestion, so the cichla should still benefit. Not certain, but just my theory.

Ok. Well what u can do it feed them the spiralina to the minnows, but sence I crush up the massivors I can just crush up spiralina in with it so the minnows have both massivors and spiralina on them. Ill just do that. Thanks guys

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[rlane]

Once the minnow ingests whatever it is you are feeding it, those nutrients are in the fish's system. If the food hasn't been digested, when the bass eats the minnow and the minnow gets digested, the food in the minnows stomach will get digested just like the bass ate it itself. Overall though I don't the minimal amounts of spirolina that you are feeding the minnows is going to make any difference. Once your bass puts some size, it will eat anything that hits the water. Feed it varied diet and your bass will live a long healthy life.