Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Safe way to treat feeder fish for parasites

  1. #1
    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    164

    Default Safe way to treat feeder fish for parasites

    First I need to say that this post does not cover goldfish or minnows.

    To treat live bearing feeder fish such as guppies, mollies, and platies, I actually acclimate them to full marine specific gravity (SG). I place the fish in a 5 gallon bucket with about one gallon of fresh water and an air stone.

    In a second 5 gallon bucket I prepare 5 gallons of marine water. I use the Instant Ocean marine salt since it is one of the less expensive brands. I measure the SG to 1.020, and allow the water to age for 12 hours.

    I set the aged saltwater on the counter and the fresh water bucket containing the feeder fish on the floor below the first bucket.

    Using airline tubing and a cheap valve, I start a drip line. I allow for one drop every 3 or 4 seconds. As the bottom bucket fills from the saltwater bucket above, its water slowly becomes more salty. About once an hour, I remove about 1/2 to 1 pint of water from the bottom bucket.

    In about 24 to 48 hours, the feeder fish are at full marine SG.

    I keep the feeders in a 10 gallon bare tank with saltwater for about 10 days. When I'm ready to feed, I reverse the process and take them back to fresh water (I use 1 gram salt per liter of water on my "fresh" tank).

    By bringing the feeder's internal salinity up, you kill most parasites, fungi, and bacteria.

    It does take up a bit of room, but not as much as a breeder tank of fish. There are normally a few weak fish that don't make it, but most do well.

    Again, this doesn't work for goldfish, minnows, rosy reds, etc..




    Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

  2. # ADS
    Circuit advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many
     

  3. #2
    Moderator Mentat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA USA
    Posts
    5,939
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Safe way to treat feeder fish for parasites

    That elaborate process will help with external pathogens; but internal parasites that live inside fish will probably survive it. Treating breeding pairs with protozoan and worm meds, raising fry, and then ensuring you do not contaminate the breeding pool should help against that .
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

  4. This member thanks Mentat for this post:


  5. #3
    100+ Post Member mpmistr's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Effingham, Illinois, United States
    Age
    45
    Posts
    1,045

    Default Re: Safe way to treat feeder fish for parasites

    Right it won't work on goldfish and rosies since they do not tolerate salt at all, and technically speaking, most livebearers are brackish water fish that can tolerate either salt or fresh water. Mollies actually do tend to develop parasites in freshwater and tend not to thrive at all in the long term, that's why I never recommend mollies as a community fish (also they're jerks to other fish, least the males are).

    Which frog are you breeding feeder fish for though exactly? No frog is really obligate piscivore, aquatic frogs actually eat few fish in the wild. In fact most try to avoid waters that contain any fish so they can more easily breed without being preyed upon. Also fish compete with them for food, so if an aquatic frog can avoid it, it's going to try to exist in a fish-free environment.

    That being said, the risks of parasites is pretty high with feeder fish. It could be done, but I think it would be far cheaper and less work to breed insects and worms for frogs and since aquatic frogs do best on diets of earthworms, insect larvae and adult insects it's the best way to go IMO.

  6. #4
    chibikaie
    Guest

    Default Re: Safe way to treat feeder fish for parasites

    I am insane and treat fish for parasites as part of quarantine regardless of signs.

  7. #5
    100+ Post Member mpmistr's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Effingham, Illinois, United States
    Age
    45
    Posts
    1,045

    Default Re: Safe way to treat feeder fish for parasites

    Quote Originally Posted by chibikaie View Post
    I am insane and treat fish for parasites as part of quarantine regardless of signs.
    You can.. but.. when you blindly treat animals (and even people) for diseases, viruses, parasites, you tend to wind up creating super bacteria, viruses, and parasites resistant to medication!

    It's one of the reasons why it's best to only treat when you absolutely need it, I know in my aquariums I would only use an antibacterial medication as a last resort.

  8. #6
    100+ Post Member celticstarb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    164

    Default Safe way to treat feeder fish for parasites

    I occasionally offer my ACF's a feeder fish.

    I do raise many different feeder insects for my bearded dragons. I only offer feeder insects to my ACF's as a treat since they die very quickly in water. I also think the chiton is too high as a regular food. Mostly I feed pellet foods such as Reptomin. Tho I am planning on trying the pellets from Xenopus Express.

    I agree 100% with not treating healthy animals. I use antibiotics only as a last resort. Even with my beardies, I only treat for worms right before brumation or if an anual fecal sample comes back positive.

    This is why I do the saltwater quarantine. It makes sure that parasites such as Ich and fungi are not transferred. I understand that many internal parasites may not be killed. But to be honest, most fish with high levels of internal parasites don't survive the stress caused by the change in osmoregulation processes a fish undergoes as it adapts to higher levels of ions in salt water. And it reduces cross contamination from one fish to another.


    Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Feeder Fish Treatment
    By ExoJoe in forum Food, Feeders, Live, Frozen, Culturing, etc
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: May 21st, 2014, 06:30 PM
  2. Feeder fish.
    By Bast3rd in forum Pacman Frogs
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: May 21st, 2014, 04:11 PM
  3. Feeder Fish
    By CinnamonPearl in forum Food, Feeders, Live, Frozen, Culturing, etc
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: September 11th, 2013, 06:08 PM
  4. Wat about frozen feeder fish?
    By Chinchilla527 in forum Pacman Frogs
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: October 24th, 2012, 12:57 AM
  5. New baby Ornate enjoying a nice fish treat
    By Maharg in forum Pacman Frogs
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: October 21st, 2012, 11:30 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •