Live feeder fish

**Yusrin Sr** · 1st Jan 2015, 15:58

Hi All, i would like to enquire how do you categorised live feeder fish such as Goldfish, Koi, Molly, Guppies etc? Are they deemed live feeders if they are unwanted or deformed fries? Or they are just like normal fishes? Also if purchase in bulk, eg goldfish, can it be kept and grow as normal fishes? Or better not as they might carry disease? Please advise. TIA.

**lucasjiang** · 2nd Jan 2015, 02:29

Originally Posted by Yusrin Sr

Hi All, i would like to enquire how do you categorised live feeder fish such as Goldfish, Koi, Molly, Guppies etc? Are they deemed live feeders if they are unwanted or deformed fries? Or they are just like normal fishes? Also if purchase in bulk, eg goldfish, can it be kept and grow as normal fishes? Or better not as they might carry disease? Please advise. TIA.

Sorry i don't quite get your first question. Yea if you feed the unwanted/deformed fry to your fish, then they can be considered live feeder fish too. For example, at c328, i know they sell unwanted betta juveniles as feeders.

Of course they can be kept as normal fish. However, you would have to quarantine them and observe them for a long time (definitely some will die off) and those that survive can be kept like normal fish. Personally i feel there's too much work needed, and its rather risky.

**Urban Aquaria** · 2nd Jan 2015, 16:35

Usually live feeder fishes are mainly those fishes that breed very easily and in large quantities (ie. guppies)... so the ones that are not considered "show" or "retail" quality would be packaged and sold off as feeders. Many of them are still nice specimens.

I've bought feeder endler hybrids for my kids to keep a while back (20-30 fishes for just $2) and many of them actually look surprisingly good. I'd say some are almost as nice as those that are sold at $1 a piece in shops, just that the feeder ones are in a mixed bag so you can't choose.

In theory, other than the obviously deformed ones, most feeder fishes should be as healthy as non-feeder ones (most come from the same breeding batch anyways, just that maybe their color not so nice or bright), but due to the way they are handled and packaged (all crowded in small bags), they tend to become very weak and get sick or die off more easily, hence their survival rate tends to be lower. They are meant to be eaten by other fishes anyways.

**takaco** · 8th Jan 2015, 17:13

Yes you can keep them but you need to quarantine them first, add in some aquarium salt or add in some general medicine for the feeder fishes, just in case they are sick.

Because you will never know the feeder fishes have virus or not so it's better to treat them first before adding them to the main tank.