Can you feed, predators

[Mike7744]

I have a predator Fowler tank, I'm having trouble keeping the fish happy feeding shrimp, and krill. They are not interested anymore. Could I start feeding haddock or salmon?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I have a predator Fowler tank, I'm having trouble keeping the fish happy feeding shrimp, and krill. They are not interested anymore. Could I start feeding haddock or salmon?

What fish are you keeping specifically?

I ask because feeding just shrimp and krill long-term seems like a surefire way to give the predators a Thiamin (Vitamin B1) deficiency that would end up killing them.

Haddock and salmon would be good choices to feed, yes (salmon, from what I've seen, is basically considered the gold-standard feed option, as it has a good amount of protein and healthy fats, as well as a low amount of Thiaminase, which breaks down Thiamin; I'm not very familiar with haddock's nutrition at this point, but I know it's low in thiaminase as well).

 

[Mike7744]

Porcupine puffer, spiny box puffer, snowflake eel

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Porcupine puffer, spiny box puffer, snowflake eel

A quick note before going into diets to feed below - basically, the fresher the food fed, the better, particularly with things like shrimp. Shrimp have a good amount of Vitamin B1 when fresh to counteract the thiaminase they contain, but the Vitamin B1 degrades over time while the thiaminase stays intact. So, the longer you wait to feed the shrimp (assuming dead shrimp, not live), then less healthy it will be for the fish. Again, fresh is generally best.

Now, for the snowflake eel (short version quoted below, long version linked below that; how often you should feed it depends on the eel's size):

For the specific diet, my recommendations would be:

-Salmon and/or mackerel

-Clam, mussel, and/or oyster (scallops should not be used)

-Squid and/or octopus

-Fresh/live whole shrimp

-Fresh crab


Other good additions include:

-Other high quality fish meats (high in healthy fats and protein; low in thiaminase)

-Live brackish/saltwater feeder fish (such as guppies and/or mollies; freshwater feeder fish like rosies and goldfish should not be used)

-High quality feeds like those quoted below (which I would suggest feeding to feeder animals before offering the animals to a predator)

Personally, my suggested feeds would be as follows (I apologize, I haven't looked into frozen algae-heavy feeds enough to have one that I would suggest at this point; I'll have to remedy that):
Frozen (Meaty) - LRS Reef Frenzy, Hikari Mega Marine, then Rod's Original.

Pellets (Meaty) - Otohime, then TDO Chromaboost.
Pellets (Algal) - NLS Marine Fish Pellets (has 8 types of algae and one terrestrial plant).

(Some of the other NLS feed lines are good as well, so I may need to update my list.)

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/u...niatus-grouper-pairing.1037099/#post-12849071Puffers are a bit a weak point of mine, but the food above should be good for them as well. To quote Jay for some more direction on puffers though:

Feeding

Puffers are omnivorous and, therefore, should be offered a variety of both meaty and plant-based foods. Fresh clams, fish, scallops, shrimp, mussels, oysters, and frozen herbivore formulations are all excellent food items to introduce. To minimize the impact of these messy feeders on water quality, feed small portions two or three times daily rather than one large portion once a day. Promptly siphon or net out any portions of food left uneaten. Frequent partial water changes and vigorous protein skimming are also essential.

Puffers are notorious for “guilting” their owners into overfeeding by putting on a most endearing “hunger display” whenever the food provider (whom they quickly learn to recognize) comes into view. However, no matter how irresistible this begging behavior might be, aquarists must adamantly resist overfeeding lest they ultimately kill their puffers with kindness.

Hand feeding of puffers, though it might be tempting given their puppy-like demeanor, is also to be avoided as they may unwittingly “bite the hand that feeds them” in the process.


My, What Big Teeth You’ve Got!

One interesting aspect of puffer husbandry is the fact that the dental plates of some species grow continuously and must be worn down lest they impair the fishes’ ability to feed properly. This can be achieved by routinely offering mollusks and crustaceans that are still in the shell, which allows puffers to feed in a more natural fashion (after all, no one peels shrimp and “shucks” clams for them in the wild!). If this approach is not successful, however, it may be necessary for the aquarist to wear the puffer’s teeth down by hand using a file.