Nutritional content of squid

[Mr31415]

What is the nutitional content of frozen squid heads (those baby squid with the tentacles on for human consumption)? I am feeding that to my puffer fish and sometimes to my Lionfish, Leaffish and Frogfish.

Is the nutritional content very high?

[Travis L. Stevens]

What does the ingredient and nutrition label say on it?

[Mr31415]

Nothing - it is from the local seafood shop. They do not formally add labels as such.

[Mr31415]

I got this but since I know nothing about nutrition and fish's needs it means nothing to me:

Squid, 3 oz. (85g) (raw)
Calories: 78
Protein: 13.2g
Carbohydrate: 2.62g
Total Fat: 1.2g
Fiber: 0.0g
*Excellent source of: Selenium (38mcg), Riboflavin (0.35), and Vitamin B12 (1.1mcg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source� of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source� of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Well, the more protein the better. You also have to look in to make sure that artificial preservatives aren't present or at a minimum. Make sure that it has a good amount of vitamins, etc.

FWIW, you'll probably never find a food that has everything that you need for your fish, so you won't be able to feed a single food for a long period of time. Instead, reading and understanding your food to make a selection of very nutrient rich and healthy that will be used for feeding. The feeding should be varied and changed often so your fish get all the correct nutrition found in different foods.

[Mr31415]

Cool - thanks. So if I feed krill, squid tentacles, silverside meat, mussles, LM prawns would that be sufficient for my predator fishes and puffer?

[Travis L. Stevens]

That sounds like a great little mix up there. You might want to occassionally soak some of the food in a vitamin supplement such as Selco or Super Selco to give them that added boost to their health. Most likely you already do, but make sure the puffers get some good, solid food sources to wear their teeth down on. Something like snails, hermits, or make sure that the mussels have the shell still on them.

[Mr31415]

Ah ok cool I did not know that... I used to "skin" the food when I give it to the puffer, thinking I am doing him a service. Seems I was wrong!

If I give the puffer snails, how do I do that? What kind of snail? I assume it needs to be small since the puffer is only about 13cm long...

[Travis L. Stevens]

It's up to you. Whatever it will eat. If it likes mussels, just stick with that. If worse comes to worse and the teeth become overgrown, a little dental work with a Dremel tool might be needed. Let me see if I can dig up that link to that article I'm thinking of. It's a really interesting read.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Here's that article. Fish Dentistry: Tooth Wear and Care in Predatory Fishes by Kelly Jedlicki and Anthony Calfo. It really gives me a sense of respect for the bravery of the dedicated puffer owners out there, but it's something that has to be done. Like shoeing a horse or milking a cow.

[Pico Keeper]

I have never seen that before! That is awesome, do they get a little laughing gas before they go under.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Beats me. I didn't get to read all of the article. I'm sure that they used a little Clove Oil to keep the fish sedated and fresh saltwater flowing over the gills. It's a pretty common thing to do any time a fish needs to be worked on outside of the water.