Feeding Grocery Store Frozen Foods?

ChimolaFish · 10/25/2014, 06:03 AM

Hey, just bought a japanese dragon moray and I have 3 boxes of calamari which is his staple, which he loves. However, I need to supplement his diet. When he was at the store, we used silversides, but in terms of dietary supplements, those are like celery (no nutritional value). I figure I'll pick up some shrimp and some fish from my local grocery store, but I want to make sure I do everything correct. So my questions are

1) What type of fish would be best
2) It would be frozen, and I'd just thaw it when its time to feed, obviously. Someone mentioned its important to thaw it a certain way because of some sort of chemicals that we use in human food to preserve it longer? What's that all about? My squid I've never done any way special, just thawed it in tank water in a separate container.
3) Is there any sea foods I should avoid? Brands that are gross, certain preservatives, etc.

Thanks!

billdogg · 10/25/2014, 06:41 AM

I kept a Undulated Moray for ~ 25 years. What I did was become friendly with the people at the Kroger Seafood counter. I fed him pretty much whatever they had that was *just* past the "sell by" date. There was nothing wrong with it other than that. I could get quite a discount that way because otherwise they were just going to throw it away.

Just don't feed anything that isn't a marine creature - there are fatty acids in freshwater fish that cannot be digested by marine critters.
HTH

dkeller_nc · 10/25/2014, 06:54 AM

I'd think that silversides aren't exactly "junk food for fish". In a couple of ways, they're better than fish from the seafood market. Specifically, they're high in fatty acids and lipids (i.e., they're "oily"), and more importantly, they're whole, so they include all of the internal organs and gut contents.

That's critical for strict carnivores; most animals of this type get a lot of their nutritional requirements from the gut contents of their prey rather than the skeletal muscle flesh.

That said, your idea that you need to vary the moray's diet is a good one, so choosing animals that are whole would be best. So look for head-on shrimp if you can find them small enough, small whole squid, small whole octopus (available at many Asian supermarkets), and small whole crabs.

You might also consider adding a vitamin supplement specifically formulated for fish to the silversides and/or squid.

whosurcaddie · 10/25/2014, 07:53 AM

I feed my entire tank raw shrimp from the supermarket. I add a few things when I chop it up like cyclops and nori. You just want to make sure you rinse raw shrimp really well because it is sprayed with a phosphate material to keep ice crystals from forming.

Dmorty217 · 10/25/2014, 08:00 AM

White, wild caught fish meat only. Although Mahi is also ok. No tuna, or salmon or other fatty fish. Farm raised is also not recommended for obvious reasons. Shell on raw shrimp or shell off is also good.

dkeller_nc · 10/25/2014, 08:46 AM

FYI - Most wild-caught shrimp in the US isn't treated with sodium phosphate (also referred to as sodium tripolyposphate or STTP), it's provided fresh (if you're near the coast) or flash-frozen. Shelled scallops and certain kinds of frozen fish, however, sometimes are treated with this material as a cryo-preservative and bacterial growth inhibitor.

Farm-raised shrimp sourced from Asia, in particular, would be suspect. I would suggest that you avoid these shrimp both for your fish and for you, as farm practices for producing these shrimp can involve large doses of chloramphenicol and other antibiotics.

All this said, soaking the seafood you obtain for your fish from the grocery store or local fishmonger in a couple of changes of chlorinated tap water is a good practice, both to remove any potential STPP and to cut down on the bacterial load.

There is, btw, one producer of "all in one" frozen fish food that uses very fresh seafood that is wild-caught and untreated that I'm aware of - Larry's Reef Services (LRS) line of foods. Full disclosure - I know Larry (he's based in NC and has occasionally consulted with me on some technical topics), but don't have any business relationship with him or his company.

ChimolaFish · 10/25/2014, 10:15 AM

Not dissing silversides, but I was just worried about the excess fatts which for other fish are great, but I know eels can pack on fat rather quickly. I do plan on using vitachem. Thanks for all the info, guys. Btw, he is full grown, and its whole squid, sometimes two. A couple weeks ago he ate a squid and 5 silversides, so he eats well, haha

10/25/2014, 06:03 AM	#1
ChimolaFish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 560	Feeding Grocery Store Frozen Foods? Hey, just bought a japanese dragon moray and I have 3 boxes of calamari which is his staple, which he loves. However, I need to supplement his diet. When he was at the store, we used silversides, but in terms of dietary supplements, those are like celery (no nutritional value). I figure I'll pick up some shrimp and some fish from my local grocery store, but I want to make sure I do everything correct. So my questions are 1) What type of fish would be best 2) It would be frozen, and I'd just thaw it when its time to feed, obviously. Someone mentioned its important to thaw it a certain way because of some sort of chemicals that we use in human food to preserve it longer? What's that all about? My squid I've never done any way special, just thawed it in tank water in a separate container. 3) Is there any sea foods I should avoid? Brands that are gross, certain preservatives, etc. Thanks!

10/25/2014, 06:41 AM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I kept a Undulated Moray for ~ 25 years. What I did was become friendly with the people at the Kroger Seafood counter. I fed him pretty much whatever they had that was just past the "sell by" date. There was nothing wrong with it other than that. I could get quite a discount that way because otherwise they were just going to throw it away. Just don't feed anything that isn't a marine creature - there are fatty acids in freshwater fish that cannot be digested by marine critters. HTH __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

10/25/2014, 08:00 AM	#5
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	White, wild caught fish meat only. Although Mahi is also ok. No tuna, or salmon or other fatty fish. Farm raised is also not recommended for obvious reasons. Shell on raw shrimp or shell off is also good. __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

10/25/2014, 06:54 AM	#3
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	I'd think that silversides aren't exactly "junk food for fish". In a couple of ways, they're better than fish from the seafood market. Specifically, they're high in fatty acids and lipids (i.e., they're "oily"), and more importantly, they're whole, so they include all of the internal organs and gut contents. That's critical for strict carnivores; most animals of this type get a lot of their nutritional requirements from the gut contents of their prey rather than the skeletal muscle flesh. That said, your idea that you need to vary the moray's diet is a good one, so choosing animals that are whole would be best. So look for head-on shrimp if you can find them small enough, small whole squid, small whole octopus (available at many Asian supermarkets), and small whole crabs. You might also consider adding a vitamin supplement specifically formulated for fish to the silversides and/or squid.

10/25/2014, 07:53 AM	#4
whosurcaddie Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2,354	I feed my entire tank raw shrimp from the supermarket. I add a few things when I chop it up like cyclops and nori. You just want to make sure you rinse raw shrimp really well because it is sprayed with a phosphate material to keep ice crystals from forming.

10/25/2014, 08:46 AM	#6
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	FYI - Most wild-caught shrimp in the US isn't treated with sodium phosphate (also referred to as sodium tripolyposphate or STTP), it's provided fresh (if you're near the coast) or flash-frozen. Shelled scallops and certain kinds of frozen fish, however, sometimes are treated with this material as a cryo-preservative and bacterial growth inhibitor. Farm-raised shrimp sourced from Asia, in particular, would be suspect. I would suggest that you avoid these shrimp both for your fish and for you, as farm practices for producing these shrimp can involve large doses of chloramphenicol and other antibiotics. All this said, soaking the seafood you obtain for your fish from the grocery store or local fishmonger in a couple of changes of chlorinated tap water is a good practice, both to remove any potential STPP and to cut down on the bacterial load. There is, btw, one producer of "all in one" frozen fish food that uses very fresh seafood that is wild-caught and untreated that I'm aware of - Larry's Reef Services (LRS) line of foods. Full disclosure - I know Larry (he's based in NC and has occasionally consulted with me on some technical topics), but don't have any business relationship with him or his company.

10/25/2014, 10:15 AM	#7
ChimolaFish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 560	Not dissing silversides, but I was just worried about the excess fatts which for other fish are great, but I know eels can pack on fat rather quickly. I do plan on using vitachem. Thanks for all the info, guys. Btw, he is full grown, and its whole squid, sometimes two. A couple weeks ago he ate a squid and 5 silversides, so he eats well, haha