| a Giant Snakehead requires a lot of food and live | | | | potential to cause serious health issues in your Giant |
| feeder fish have been a staple out of convenience | | | | Snakehead. |
| and cost management. This does not go for just Giant | | | | 2)Nutritional Content — Feeder Goldfish are |
| Snakeheads, but any other predatory fish. Over the | | | | surprisingly low in protein and very high in fat. This is |
| years there has been a lot of debate at the actual | | | | probably due to the fact they spend their entire life |
| value of using live fish as feed for your predatory | | | | sitting in an overcrowded tank with very little |
| underwater pets. The concerns rise from issues with | | | | movement. To top it off the lack variety in their diets |
| the nutritional value of live feed, the potential health | | | | leave them with very little in the way of mineral and |
| concerns related to feeder fish and even reasons | | | | vitamins. |
| stemming to the humane treatment of the feeders. | | | | 3)Contamination Concerns — The living |
| Lets begin by comparing the Pro's and Con's of live | | | | conditions for feeder Goldfish are miserable at best. |
| feeder fish as food and how it directly affects the | | | | Always living in a cramped, unclean tank will create the |
| Giant Snakehead. | | | | potential for disease to occur within the Goldfish. The |
| The Pro's of Live Feed --- | | | | Giant Snakehead is a hardy fish, but this does not |
| 1)Cost — Right off the bat, live feed is probably | | | | make him immune to disease from ingesting sick |
| one of the most economically sound ways of keeping | | | | feeder fish. |
| your Giant Snakehead full. Other alternatives tend to | | | | So what should you do? Obviously you can opt to not |
| have higher costs, such as using live caught fish meat | | | | use feeder fish at all and stick to using other sources |
| from the market. | | | | of food such as fresh caught market fish or as I have |
| 2)Maintenance — The convenience factor of | | | | on occasion thawed frozen fish like shrimp and |
| using live feed is probably the single best reason to | | | | scallops. Raw meat from beef cuts is also another |
| use them, especially for a highly aggressive predatory | | | | option, but your Snakehead may not take to them. If |
| fish such as the Giant Snakehead. Odds are he will eat | | | | your looking to keep using live feeder fish as I do I |
| every living thing you put into his tank, so the cleanup | | | | would suggest the following: When you bring your |
| tends to be minimal. | | | | feeders home, have a separate, clean, filtered tank for |
| 3)Builds aggression — If you are working to | | | | them. The water needs to be slightly higher then |
| have a highly aggressive Giant Snakehead, live feed is | | | | normal temperature, say about 70-72C for Goldfish to |
| really the only way to go. Forcing him to actively hunt | | | | help kill of any disease. Normally high temperatures for |
| not only gives him exercise, it helps raise his | | | | Goldfish lower their life expectancy, but these guys |
| aggression levels. | | | | won't be around for long. The use of medicated food |
| The Con's of Live Feed --- | | | | and regular quality fish food is also a good idea as it |
| 1)Health Concerns — This is the primary | | | | aids in improving the health and nutritional value of your |
| concern of using live feeder fish. Generally most Giant | | | | feeders. After about a week you Goldfish should be |
| Snakehead owners will use feeder Goldfish, which are | | | | healthier then they were when you brought them from |
| naturally very high in an enzyme called Thiaminase. | | | | the pet store. |
| This enzyme is well known to cause Thiamine (or | | | | On a final note: I have used feeder fish exclusively for |
| Vitamin B1) to breakdown into two separate parts, | | | | my Giant Snakehead and he has never suffered from |
| causing a deficiency in Vitamin B1 to occur. Without | | | | any diseases over the past two years. |
| getting into the ugly chemistry of it, this has the | | | | |