Pellets vs Blackworms vs Fish Roe vs Clams vs Frozen

[theMeat]

Interesting discussion.
Wouldn't copepods be a source of live bacteria?
I feed NLS mostly, but mix it up with frozen mysis, clams, reef frenzy, angel formula, plankton, cyclopeze, and just about everything. I go a few weeks where one is favored, and sometimes a few days when only one is fed. I also do live blackworms once or twice a month..
Figure that's how it happens in nature for many creatures, and my dog's vet once told me to switch foods every few months, so what one food is lacking, another is not, and it all comes around.

 

[Paul B]

Charlie, I have been saying that for a couple of years now and get a lot of flack from it. I can't even mention it on some sites. Thanks for that link. While in Viet Nam I ate C Rations almost every meal for a year. They were sterile because they were put in the can before I was born. But we had no sanitation and little water so plenty of dirt and disease organisms got into my system like that and from getting bit by the numerous mosquitoes' and other bugs. I never got sick the entire year. That got me thinking which is why I dump mud into my tank from the sea whenever I can and feed live foods.

 

[BKLYNREEF123]

Paul,

When feeding my fish clams as per your suggestion some time ago to freeze them and then slice thin and chop size according to what your fish can handle. I have been doing this for some time. My fish thank you for giving me the inspiration. They will accept lots of different sized morsels. I notice there are a few pieces regardless of size that they seem to turn their fishy heads away from. I was wondering if your fish were as spoiled as mine, or if you have observed anything similar?

 

[Paul B]

Yes my fish are very spoiled and think as I do that clams are probably the best food for fish. But don't tell anyone.

 

[BKLYNREEF123]

Do they eat all the parts of the clam though? It seems like mine will pick and choose what pieces they like.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[oh207]

After reading Paul's other thread I placed the entire clam in the tank. :thrash:

Its completely gone within 3 hours.

 

[Paul B]

I will probably go collecting on this beautiful Father's day after we visit my Mother N Law who is near the end of her life and in a nursing home.
My tank has been without fresh mud all winter and I think it needs a new infusion. I will also collect amphipods, worms, mussels, snails and anything else that looks muddy, dirty or full of life. I realize many people cringe at the thought of putting that type of stuff in their tank, but the majority of those sterile tanks have fish with a very weak, or missing immune system which is the reason for all the disease and getting out of the hobby threads. It is the bacteria, specifically the gut bacteria that keeps our fish (and us) disease free.
The "inside the box" thinking is to try to keep fish away from disease. My thinking is to encourage these bacteria and parasites to live in my tank so the fishes immune system can recognize them and destroy, or at least ignore these things. I don't think most aquarists will ever fully grasp this theory so we will keep having disease threads suck as :My fish have ich, what can I do"? We all know that is the most posted question and IMO there is no need for it.
Soon I will be gone and I fear that this theory will also diminish leaving all those fish prone to un necessary diseases.
Just my opinion of course.
https://www.army.mil/article/161643/Army_s_Research_Institute_conducts_MRE_study_to_im prove_gut_health/