Feeding Beef Heart

[blue acara]

I have read in magazines and forums that beef heart is bad for fish- that it not fully digestible and it can damage a fishes organs, leading to a premature death. At the same time many (particularly Discus keepers) use it and say it is good for their fish, promoting fast growth etc.

Is there any science backing up either view?

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

This is going to be an interesting topic. I dont know of any scientific view for it and i feed all of my fish beefheart mixes.

Chris

 

[raptorrex]

it seems that this is for truly carnivorous fish, being high in protein and fat. we all know that even herbivorous fish will eat meat, however the fat and excess of protean will, over time, cause omnivorous and herbivorous fish problems. well that's how i see it anyway.

 

[Bignose]

The issue at hand here is that fish digestive systems are designed to handle their natural foods. Specifically other aquatic proteins and fats and plant matter. Aquatic proteins and fats are different than terrestrial proteins and fats. The digestive systems are well designed in that if the food is of a protein that can be put to use, the digestive system won't break it down only to put it back together later. It will be put to use immediately. This is primarily because breaking down food is an energy cost, and generates a lot of waste (because it is stuff that can't be used). This is exactly what happens to terrestrial proteins and fats. Because they aren't useful to the fish's body, they have to be broken down. proteins are made of amino acids, which from it's name you can tell have lots of nitrogen in them. The fish when breaking these non-native foods down make a lot more nitrogenous waste (ammonia), making the fish's kidneys and liver work harder than they would otherwise have had. Once in a while working harder isn't bad for the liver and kidneys, but having to constantly work harder means those organs will fail prematurely. This is the primary reason against terrestrial food like beef hearts.

I have never seen a good reason for, though I am open to suggestion. It is pretty cheap, and high in protein so it can spur fast growth. But that growth is at the expense of the kidneys and liver working much harder than normal.

 

[Tolak]

You will find most experienced breeders who feed beefheart will not feed pure beefheart, it is mixed with a variety of vegetables, vitamins, enriched flake foods, seafoods, the combinations are endless. I'll get together a couple times yearly with local aquarists to make a batch, I don't think we've used the same recipe twice. I do know it is close to half non-beefheart.

Beefheart is tough to digest, Bignose posted the science behind it, which I never knew. I don't know of any breeders who feed pure beefheart exclusively, or even beefheart mix.

 

[jourdy288]

That, and, unless you buy organic, beefheart could have hormones, antibiotics, etc.

 

[Tolak]

That, and, unless you buy organic, beefheart could have hormones, antibiotics, etc.

True, just like any other commercially available meat. I have heard of folks using deer heart, I imagine a larger or constant supply could be hard to come by depending on where you live.