Ask Patty

By Patty Moncrief

How to get the bugs out of your fish food

Can the food we feed our fish infect the tank with parasites? If you make your own food or feed foods that are "unconventional"... Yes, it can. So many products are shipped from places all over the world, from so many environments and conditions that there is no telling what little critters, bacteria, etc. are hitchhiking along.

We have often heard that live foods will introduce parasites into the tank. Even the classic brine shrimp (Artemia salina) and rotifers are often contaminated with bacteria. But, today, more than more of the live foods available to the aquarist are now cultured in vats, boxes and tanks and are not taken from the wild. Providing your fish live food that is bred in more sanitary conditions definitely lessens the chance that "farm-raised" live food will harbor parasites. Always strain and wash live foods with clean, dechlorinated water and NEVER keep them in the water you bought them.

Some fish keepers like to use natural foods like chopped fish, crab, scallops or bait shrimp to feed their gains. Most of these are still harvested from the wild. Marine foods often harbor Vibrio bacteria. Freezing does not kill the parasites. But, 5 seconds in the microwave may! That short of time will not even start to cook the food, but it can be a life saver for the fish. Start using the microwave if you're using marine shellfish to feed your fish. Killing off a percentage of the parasites just might prevent bigger problems from starting. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Until, next month, keep those questions coming and keep those fish happy.

Originally published in the Newsletter of the Tampa Bay Aquarium Society, February 1997