Just fed my triggers guppies!

[robbytt]

They aren't old enough to take down the county fair gold fish yet but man did they enjoy those guppies Don't worry, this is a once and a while deal but I'm looking to vary their diet more. It currently consists of only krill and silversides (both frozen) Any ideas? Also I like the idea of live food because it better simulates their natural enviornment in which they must hunt for food
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RobbyTT

 

[pufferlover]

Frankly I do not feed live but that is not based on any other reason then I don't believe in it. But back to your question. My Triggers all eat Formula 1 & 2 cubes cut up, live brine, frozen brine, frozen mysis shrimp and the bigger one likes his frozen krill and squid. So there are many products they will eat and they seem not to be fussy about what they want. Oh yes also live Blackworms.

 

[grouperhead]

my picasso eats silversides, krill(frozen and freeze dried), brine, mysis, squid, formula 1, and maybe once a month i will feed him either live red minnows or river shrimp. later, bo
ps pl, whats the difference b/w black worms and blood worms? my lfs never has blacks, but always bloods, maybe i could give him some of these?

 

[pufferlover]

I don't think there is a major difference other then what is available to your lfs. I have read bloodworms can be a bit dirtier then blacks but over the years all the stores around here I use only carry the live blackworms and frozen bloodworms.

 

[robbytt]

Thanks...
Pufferlover - Why no live food? Stimulate aggresion, unethical -- I give? (You do say you feed live brine and worms tho.)

 

[dlight692000]

no live food for me because of the risk your taken with disease in the live animal and plus a guppie is a freshwater fish with a whole different body chemistry then the triggers. my clown will only eat dry pellet stuff and silversides, clams, squid

 

[dgs174]

Mr. TT,
I have a feeling a hesitance to feed live food for some people comes from the fact that by feeding the dozen or so guppies to your triggerfish, you unmercifully killed a dozen or so of god's creatures just for your private amusement.
Dan

 

[lionfish]

LionFish says......
Quite frankly, I don't think any of you can say that you don't find feeding live food to be entertaining. I know I do. But, it is wrong to do it for entertainment. Dgs- hope ya don't take offense to this but I feed 10 dozen guppies to my freshwater Archers and cichlids every week. Thats 120 that were used for feeding, not private entertainment. I think Robby was only doing it once. But why is it wrong to feed live food? Simply because freshwater feeders have no nutritional value whatsoever. So that means by overfeeding live food you give your fish a bad diet and they die from malnutrition. Thats the reason it is bad to use them. If it was a once in awhile thing than its fine. I give my lions a few goldfish every week or 2. Never hurt em. But dont make a habit of feeding too much because then they will only a feeders. People, if you got into the hobby with aggresive fish you have to deal with the fact that these fish eat all kinds of live fish in the wild. That aint for private enertainment, its just a way of life. If you find it gruesome then aggressive fish aren't your kinda fish.

 

[dgs174]

Lionfish:
I do not think that you understood my position. But let me preface my remarks by saying that I too feed my cichlids minnows, ghost shrimp, and any other live fish that I think they would eat. I have also been known to throw in minnows to my trigger tanks (they are still small). Sadly that is one of the reasons I got into aggressive tanks.
Now that my preface is over, I was only playing devils advocate as to why some would not feed live animals. Robby asked, so I tried to explain. I never stated anywhere in my response that I did not feed live fish. In fact, today while at my lfs I asked if I could throw one of the hamsters into the shark pond.......j/k.
Dan

 

[pufferlover]

dgs174; I gotta love you for the last post lol. In explanation to my statement it is because I just find it wrong for me to feed live fish to other fish. Yes I do worms and live brine but frankly I justify that by saying that is the extent of live food and I hope they get what they need from live off of it. I do not bash anyone who feeds live anymore then someone who does not eat meat. It is my preference for no other reason then I have that choice and choose not to do it. Please understand I do not feel anyone who feeds live is less of a hobbiest then one who doesn't. I really can't explain it any better but dgs hit on it pretty well and in less words.

 

[robbytt]

Hehehehe - Live feeding and aggression was ALSO the reason I got into salt water tanks Dan!
As far as the guppies being fresh water and containing no real nutritional value -- I'm aware of that. I'm not trying to give my fish tons of fatty deposits on their liver but everything in moderation, right?
Dan - what LFS has a shark pond. I'd be willing to meet up with you there and split the price of a bunny or something to throw in the shark pond...I'll even take video and post it here with my digicam...ok?
I'm dead serious!

 

[dgs174]

Email me because I cannot post the name here.

Dan

 

[robbytt]

Dan actually I'm joking
BTW, you've got mail wink

 

[moruti]

i'll probably get lots of strange comments but for a while, i fed our Picasso trigger regular old flake food when we didn't have any "live" meat, & it gobbled that down just as easily as the "regular" food.

 

[pufferlover]

My Triggers will all flakes as well as the good stuff I get for just them. They are very easy fish to feed and I think that is one reason they are so popular their hardiness and easy of keeping.

 

[triggerfish2001]

My Niger Triggerfish eats everything!Flakes, frozen, and live, he eats it all.

 

[nicescallop]

man what are you talking about trey? My freshwater elephant fish would eat nothing BUT frozen blood worms (untill it dissapeared) and my golden gourami will fight other fish for them...

 

[preditor]

Dgs, no offence but 12 guppies isnt a whole lot, its not makeing a indent on the population or anything. and triggers eating live fish is just part of natural selection and some triggers have needs wher they requiar live fish, i have one that i rescuded from another hobbyiest from malnutrition and all he will eat is live