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View Full Version : Feeding shad to corals,fish, anemone?


Bellaru
09/20/2013, 10:17 AM
I have a bunch of thread fin shad I catch in the spring at my local river. I freeze them in baggies for fishing throughout the year. Can I feed these to my tank if cut up or blended? Would there be a risk of introducing something harmful or any nutrient value?

MondoBongo
09/20/2013, 10:32 AM
so i don't know how similar thread fin shad is to gizzard shad, but there have been some major negative impacts on wild life due to the thiaminase content of the latter in both alligators, and species of salmon in the great lakes.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20218498
http://www2.dnr.cornell.edu/cek7/Publications/Lepak_et_al_2008.pdf
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_1/thiaminase.htm

cloak
09/20/2013, 10:39 AM
If you wouldn't have any problem eating these fish, I don't see how it would be bad for the inhabitants of your tank. ;)

MondoBongo
09/20/2013, 10:50 AM
If you wouldn't have any problem eating these fish, I don't see how it would be bad for the inhabitants of your tank. ;)

well i don't know that is a good rationale to use.

even look at the case of many freshwater fish like goldfish who are used as common feeder fish. they can lead to nutritional problems and health issues such as fatty liver disease in marine fish because of their lack of HUFAs and bad fat contents.

plus there's a lot of things i eat that i wouldn't dump in my tank. i doubt my reef would appreciate chocolate milk and beer. :)

cloak
09/20/2013, 11:06 AM
well i don't know that is a good rationale to use.

even look at the case of many freshwater fish like goldfish who are used as common feeder fish. they can lead to nutritional problems and health issues such as fatty liver disease in marine fish because of their lack of HUFAs and bad fat contents.

plus there's a lot of things i eat that i wouldn't dump in my tank. i doubt my reef would appreciate chocolate milk and beer. :)

but you wouldn't eat those goldfish... Chocolate milk & beer, are you kidding me? Don't overthink it...

MondoBongo
09/20/2013, 11:09 AM
but you wouldn't eat those goldfish... Chocolate milk & beer, are you kidding me? Don't overthink it...

goldfish are just carp. you certainly could eat them if you were so inclined.

i'm not trying to start an argument, but why invest all the time and energy in to keeping a saltwater aquarium, and then roll the dice on sub par food?

at the end of the day it's your tank so it's your decision, but i just don't think it's worth it to save a few bucks or be slightly more convenient.

Bellaru
09/20/2013, 12:06 PM
Good point to the last. It's easy to over look how much time, money and effort you put into your tank and then try to cut corners and DIY. But also, how much different could it be to silver sides that you have no clue where they come from or how they are prepared.