Stroke of genius, or just kind of dumb?

[Bio Teacher]

From what I've read, freshwater foods don't provide optimal nutrition for an octopus (although I've also read there's no significant difference).

So here's what I've been doing before dropping live freshwater ghost shrimp into the tank.

First, I float the bag for a 15 minutes or so, then start a slow acclimation drip from the octo tank. While they're slowly acclimating to saltwater, I drop Spectrum marine pellets and high-quality marine flakes into the bag.

The ghost shrimp go crazy on this stuff, and because they're completely transparent, you can see their guts completely loaded with marine food.

I'm thinking that this process produces the equivalent of an octo multivitamin that's more nutritional than just the ghost shrimp alone. Also, the acclimation process allows the shrimp to live in the saltwater for about a week (if they can avoid being eaten).

Thoughts?

-Dustan

 

[cthulhu77]

Not a bad idea, gut loading. The biggest problem with freshwater food items is that they are regularily dosed with copper/metals...with the shrimp, this shouldn't be as much of an issue, but you would want to be careful to not overdo it.

 

[Paradox]

I believe an important difference in freshwater vs marine was freshwater organisms lacked the omega 3 fatty acids. In a talk on marine nutrition given by REEF NUTRITION Reef Nutrition | Best Aquarium Food for a Healthy Spectacular Tank I asked a similar question. I asked if they were aware of any studies that showed detrimental affects from feeding marine animals, fresh water organisms. He mentioned fisheries that had batches result in a higher percentage of developmental defects and even sterilization.

I dont have any literature to show this, but only my recollection of the discussion that we had. I guess the point is, to ensure you are including omega 3 fatty acids to the gut loading of your feeders.

For a long time now, Ive been wanting to raise two batches of cuttlefish, using two diets to observe any possible differences. Since Im just a hobbyist, Im usually limited by time, space, and $$$.

 

[DWhatley]

There is also the consideration that your gut loading is only effective until the food is digested ...

 

[Bio Teacher]

Great feedback,...

In the long run, it's probably best just to feed them what they typically eat in their natural environments.

Paradox,...I'll check the marine food for ingredients that might contain omega 3.

Good advice/thoughts cthulhu and D....

Thanks,

-D

 

[gholland]

Rob Toonen from Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine discusses the saltwater/freshwater issue including the Omega-3s in these two articles:
Nutritional Value of Live Foods for the Coral Reef Aquarium, Part 1
Nutritional Value of Live Foods for the Coral Reef Aquarium, Part 2

 

[Jean]

Those two articles are great, BUT I would never feed freshwater food, enriched or not, unless it was a dire emergency. It's very hard to get the balances correct. Of course we're very lucky as the aquarium sits right on the sea, so we have a good source of food on the doorstep (unless a southerly blows up ). The article states that FW crustaceans are nutritionally close to SW, IMO that's not close enough and on the odd occasion ( fortnight of southerlies and we couldn't get the boats out) when we've had to feed out enriched FW crusts we've noticed weight loss and increased lethargy in our marine critters (especially the octopus) and increased moult death syndrome in our crustaceans, not good at all.


So to conclude my rant; if at all possible don't feed FW anything to marine anything (and vice versa) as a staple diet (maybe OK as a "treat").

Climbing down off my soapbox now

J

 

[gholland]

Good to know Jean! It seems that many of the frozen foods marketed at my LFS for saltwater carnivores are actually FW species. Also, I know that alot of the frozen seafood at the supermarket has added preservatives... any issue with those? And are the non-packaged items at the seafood counter safe, or do they have additives as well?

And just out of curiosity, when you HAVE to resort to enriched FW crusts, do you increase the amount fed to account for the lower caloric content?

 

[Jean]

Good to know Jean! It seems that many of the frozen foods marketed at my LFS for saltwater carnivores are actually FW species. Also, I know that alot of the frozen seafood at the supermarket has added preservatives... any issue with those? And are the non-packaged items at the seafood counter safe, or do they have additives as well?

And just out of curiosity, when you HAVE to resort to enriched FW crusts, do you increase the amount fed to account for the lower caloric content?

Not sure about the seafood counter, I would assume not as it's for human consumption but you could ask. I don't know how it is in the States but in NZ a list of additives etc MUST (legal requirement) be available to the consumer so the staff on the seafood counter should be able to tell you!

When we have to feed enriched FW crusts we do increase the amount for the Horses and the Cephs, but not for anyone else as they simply won't eat any extra and that adds to the cleaning (). Horses and Cephs will pretty much eat all the time, horses more than cephs!

J