# Is BEEFHEART a good food for piranhas?



## jameson_43 (Feb 12, 2006)

Is Beefheart okay for Red Bellies? That would be excellent becuz I can get all I want for free. Also, what about Pork Liver? Any suggestions? All of this is uncooked, non-spiced, and frozen. And would I unfreeze the meat before feeding?


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## JuN_SpeK (Oct 6, 2005)

hmm as a treat it is fine.. but do not feed it everyday.. im not sure about pork liver..


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

It can be fed, but it is not supposed to be digested very well by them as their digestive system is not set up for mammalian meat but rather for more fish and shrimp and foods of that sort.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

therizman1 said:


> It can be fed, but it is not supposed to be digested very well by them as their digestive system is not set up for mammalian meat but rather for more fish and shrimp and foods of that sort.


Exactly








Feeding beef heart is fine, as an occasional treat, next to staple food items like fish (frozen whole or fillet), shrimp, mussels, earth worms, crickets and pellets: I wouldn't feed heart more frequently than 1 or 2 times per month.
Also, imo. beef heart shouldn't be fed to juvenile fish (don't know how big your fish are): their still developing digestive systems have a much harder time processing the stuff than adults have.

The same as above applies to all types of mamalian meat (including organs) and all types of poultry.


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## black_piranha (Jan 12, 2006)

how u gettin beef heart for free? u work at a meat factory?


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## Piranha King (Nov 28, 2002)

i've never had a problem feeding beefheart.
wes


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## Zirca (Jan 21, 2006)

Beef heart is bad? Almost every "what do you feed your p" thread in here has beefheart listed. I thought it was good for colour enhancement, etc.


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## evermore (Oct 7, 2003)

i feed mine beef liver once a week. i never had any problems. i think it is important to feed them a wide variety of foods from live baby bullheads silversider minnows worms crayfish to frozen shrimp,trout catfish,pollock, chicken liver and pellets,ect not just feeding them the same (so called healthy) food everyday. my fish eat like this on a monthly basis and are very active and healthy and don't leave leftovers for me to clean


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Zirca said:


> Beef heart is bad? Almost every "what do you feed your p" thread in here has beefheart listed. I thought it was good for colour enhancement, etc.


Beef heart is not bad if it is fed as an occasional treat.
If it is fed as a staple, it is bad, however (see my previous post why).


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## Eating Machine (Jan 27, 2006)

I think when talking about a scavenger fish that regularly eats dead and dying mammals, something like beef heart is not going to hinder them at all.

I feed mine beef liver, always have, and am currently looking for some beef heart in my area, as well.

But that's just me.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Eating Machine said:


> I think when talking about a scavenger fish that regularly eats dead and dying mammals, something like beef heart is not going to hinder them at all.


About 90-95% of a wild Piranha's diet is made up of fish, insects, small invertibrates, fruits, seeds and nuts. The rest is mamalian or poultry meat.
In other words, even in the wild piranha's rarely eat mamalian meat - and even if they'd eat it frequently in the wild, the fact remains that their digestive track isn't designed to process frequent portions of mamalian meat. So why knowingly give them food that may lead to digestive or health issues and obesit/or obesity if there are much more healthy and nutricious alternatives available (even for less money)???


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