Question About Feeding GSP's

[I.Puff.Too]

Can I feed my GSP'S wild caught fiddler crabs? I live in Charleston, SC and have an abundance of fiddler crabs. I am a little worried about disease and parasites, but I don't know if i should be.

[briguy44]

I personally would never feed anything wild caught. I am pretty sure that crabs and such are notorious for having parasites. Not worth the risk in my opinion.

[I.Puff.Too]

Thanks for the response, does anybody else have some insight?

[greenspottedlover]

I think wild caught is fine. Only because where do you think captive live feeder come from originally. I always caught insects when I kept reptiles and amphibians, despite what people said and NEVER had a problem, however I cannot promise this would be your experience, so you might be better off not catching feeders.

[Arny]

I'm sure people catch wild Crayfish/crabs and the quarentine them for a week in a seperate tank. Either that of catch them, kill them and freeze them for the next week

[Pufferpunk]

GSP, Why do you think so many of us have to treat our wild-caught puffers for IPs? NIMFT! You could QT the crabs for a month & then feed them to your puffers.

[greenspottedlover]

GSP, Why do you think so many of us have to treat our wild-caught puffers for IPs? NIMFT! You could QT the crabs for a month & then feed them to your puffers.

So I should kill and freeze my crays before a feeding?

[Pufferpunk]

Most crays bought at the LFS are farm-raised. If caught from a lake/river, then yes.

[I.Puff.Too]

So QT them for a month? I caught about 10 of 'em and I got them in a 5G tank, sloped sand bed with full marine water at the bottom. So if they're alive in a month then all is well? lol Sorry, not so knowledgeable about wild caught food!

[Pufferpunk]

I think the bioload is too high for 10 in a 5g. Maybe a 10g. Did they come from SW? Be sure to gutload them with good foods.

[greenspottedlover]

Most crays bought at the LFS are farm-raised. If caught from a lake/river, then yes.

I catch the crays at the lake near my house.

[I.Puff.Too]

Unfortunately my 10G is being used by my three 1.5" Puffer's..I know, way to small..my 55G is cycling and I know that's too small as well but not while they're less than two inches...I'll be getting a tank around 150G before too long..I didn't realize fiddler's had that much of a bio load! And yes, the fiddlers came from full salt water, a river close enough to the beach to be able to throw rocks to!

And only like 3 out of the 10 fiddler's are big, the rest are small enough to feed the 1.5" puffers now.

[J-P]

I am not 100% certain regarding live caught.. freezing WILL kill some nasties that come along with them.

There are other concerns also: Bacteria and viruses that I am not so sure that freezing will solve the issue. West Nile from bird feces in the water getting on you?

As far as parasites go.. it is a good question especially concerning SG levels. Would FW parasites infect a SW fish? Probably not, and in that case it may be ok to feed wild caught.

[trekenk]

Unfortunately my 10G is being used by my three 1.5" Puffer's..I know, way to small..my 55G is cycling and I know that's too small as well but not while they're less than two inches...I'll be getting a tank around 150G before too long..I didn't realize fiddler's had that much of a bio load! And yes, the fiddlers came from full salt water, a river close enough to the beach to be able to throw rocks to!

And only like 3 out of the 10 fiddler's are big, the rest are small enough to feed the 1.5" puffers now.

I wouldn't worry about cycling your 55G i would get your GSP's into that tank ASAP.

Great link
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

[Pufferpunk]

I agree, the dilution of the water in the 55g, teamed with the bacteria moved over from your 10g, will support a single GSP.