Feeder Fish To Chiclids?

[FishFillet]

Is it safe to feed feeder fish to my cichlids? I have been feeding them minnows every month and they eat them and everything seems to be fine but i hear it is not a good thing to do... any facts?

 

[ZoddyZod]

Is it safe to feed feeder fish to my cichlids? I have been feeding them minnows every month and they eat them and everything seems to be fine but i hear it is not a good thing to do... any facts?

are you buying the minnows to feed as feeders? If so, not only is it morally questionable, but it is in fact illegal.

What cichlids do you have? Frankly I dont think there's any cichlid that wont take dried, frozen or vegetable based foods so use those instead.

 

[Louiseness]

are you buying the minnows to feed as feeders? If so, not only is it morally questionable, but it is in fact illegal.

it;s illegal here (the UK) but I think the OP is in the US.

Already replied in the other thread - minnows contain the same harmful chemicals as goldfish, there's no need to feed them at all.

 

[ZoddyZod]

it;s illegal here (the UK) but I think the OP is in the US.

ahhhh....fair point!

 

[fishguy2727]

There is no need for it unless you have a fish that will not take prepared foods (the only one I know of is needlenose gar). They will introduce pathogens sooner or later, are nutritionally incomplete and unbalanced, and can increase aggression.

I didn't know that was illegal over there. What if you have a fish that won't take pellets, like needlenose gar?

 

[ZoddyZod]

I didn't know that was illegal over there. What if you have a fish that won't take pellets, like needlenose gar?

doesn't matter what fish it is.....it's still illegal.

 

[fishguy2727]

Are you allowed to eat meat over there?

 

[Louiseness]

Are you allowed to eat meat over there?

Yes, but I'm not exactly sure what the rules are on chomping on a live cow or pig

 

[ZoddyZod]

Are you allowed to eat meat over there?

yes - but owning tracer round firing mini-guns is sadly off-limits.

 

[fishguy2727]

Are you allowed to eat meat over there?

yes - but owning tracer round firing mini-guns is sadly off-limits.

What does that have to do with anything?


I ask because it doesn't make sense to me to prohibit natural animals from eating natural foods in a natural manner, yet it is okay to unnecessarily slaughter factory produced animals for the unnatural consumption of unhealthy meat. It just seems odd that one can be found wrong, but the one that is arguably much more unnatural and cruel is perfectly fine.

 

[Louiseness]

I don't think there's anything stopping UK fishkeepers from feeding DEAD fish if they like - just live. Although obviously no shops here sell 'feeders' cheap so it'd be pretty expensive.

 

[ZoddyZod]

What does that have to do with anything?


I ask because it doesn't make sense to me to prohibit natural animals from eating natural foods in a natural manner, yet it is okay to unnecessarily slaughter factory produced animals for the unnatural consumption of unhealthy meat. It just seems odd that one can be found wrong, but the one that is arguably much more unnatural and cruel is perfectly fine.

it was in jest.

The argument that has been used here is that since you are taking the fish out of the 'natural' environment and placing them in a fabricated one, the rule of "that's what happens in nature" no longer applies.

I'm not advocating either side - just stating why it is the case.

 

[Louiseness]

Incidentally, I just checked this out of interest, and turns out it's not actually TECHNICALLY illegal, but the law is a bit iffy as to what you are and aren't allowed to do. It has a whole lot of statements to do with unnecessary suffering, duty of care, the intent behind the 'act of cruelty' if you go to court, etc etc.

Doesn't really clear anything up at all does it

 

[FishFillet]

I don't think there's anything stopping UK fishkeepers from feeding DEAD fish if they like - just live. Although obviously no shops here sell 'feeders' cheap so it'd be pretty expensive.

Here in the US it is LEGAL to sell and purchase live fish to feed to larger fish and can be bought for 13 cents each. I have no idea what the conversion is in pounds...

 

[Fishy friend2]

Here were I live they are sold as feeder fish and I live in the us