# A Varied Diet



## Malladus (Jul 1, 2013)

We all hear about feeding a varied diet, but what really constitutes a varied diet?

I've recently really mixed it up with my RBP's, I mainly feed my fish NLS pellets or market shrimp if they won't take the pellets, but I've started feeding chicken heart, mixture of cheap fish from the market (sardines etc.), live feeders, squid, octopus, salmon etc. Anything I can buy fresh and freeze that they'll eat is used. I'm hoping to see if it'll change them in anyway compared to a pure only pellets diet. It's been a month or so and I haven't noticed anything yet.

What are your opinion on it? What constitutes as a |varied diet| to you?


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

basically what you just said...a little bit of everything or at least several different things as main staples...


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

ive always fed all my fish (piranha and cichlids alike) a similar diet. pellets tend to be the bulk of my cichlids and are more of a treat for piranha. but the mainstays tend to be krill and silversides and when im at the grocery store i almost always come across inexpensive shrimp, various white fish and have gone as far as picking up some chicken liver from the deli. 
to some of you who havent, its always worth asking a butcher or meat market if they have any. they usually toss most of the stuff meat eating fish not only love but will greatly benefit from often at no charge to you. you might get a funny look asking for chicken innards but whatever, free good food is free good food.

i rarely ever feed 'feeder fish'. they tend to put fish at risk of disease and most dont offer any nutritional benefits


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

My main thing with feeding is time... pellets have so much nutrient wise in a little package (if you buy quality NLS or Hikari, not KOI pellets or dogfood) that its hard to compare to individual fillets or seafoods. Especially when it takes seconds for me to count em out and dump them in the tank vs thawing and rising fish or shrimp.

Feeders are a no go unless I have quarantined them for 30 days, or bred them in a tank thats safe. As I have said before, I watched several thousand $$ of saltwater fish get flushed because of a premature introduction... not worth risking my fish for a few seconds of gore or entertainment.

What constitutes a variety? Anything more than "I use 10 feeders a week from petsmart"... My current "varied diet" is mostly pellets, one or two days a week I feed what comes home from the restaurant fresh... trout, salmon, beef heart, tiger prawns, you name it.

Honestly I would consider most high end pellets a varied diet, because they contain everything you would get from feeding several different fishes or foods.


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## Malladus (Jul 1, 2013)

Agree on quarantining feeders, I buy my feeders from a LFS I trust (they use there own feeders too to feed aro's, rays, etc. so I know it's highly unlikely I'll pick up a bad untreated batch).

I also consider high quality pellets as a varied diet, I've posted about it before on other forums. Most high quality pellets have everything your fish would need and more, anything you give on top of pellets is just supplementing an already awesome diet.

I'll update in a couple months with any changes on the new diet.


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

I never have used Hikari gold pellets but everybody swears by them!...I just might give them a shot with my 8 inch Manny and 11.5 - 12 inch rhom!...


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

those pellets are great. only brand ive bought for years until i found omega. omega are a lot cheaper and it seems my fish eats them up just as quick.


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

I might have to give it a shot, Mike!..My rhom is a pig!..he eats 2 - 3 smelt every other day!...I remember when a whole bag would last me a month!...







...My Manny on the other hand, eats just one smelt every 3 or 4 days...


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

worth it. you can buy a decent sized container thatll last you a few months for around $4
comes in all sizes....speaking of your manny you never officially told me if you got him back and if so how he was??? make a new thread on him if you got him and if i missed it somewhere my bad lol


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Hey guys I'm trying to do the same, silversides w pellets inside, tetras or small cichlids, and krill. I read krill had thiaminase though. Thoughs??


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## Malladus (Jul 1, 2013)

As long as you're giving them a good diet with plenty vit B I wouldn't worry about it.


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

Bobbyd123 said:


> Hey guys I'm trying to do the same, silversides w pellets inside, tetras or small cichlids, and krill. I read krill had thiaminase though. Thoughs??










heartless









but on a serious note about the krill...krill has been my go to meat source for many many years on all my fish. ive had nothing but great benefits from it. at larger size whole shrimp will even do (shell on). the reason a varied diet is so important is because its varied...you wont neglect your fish of anything OR overwhelm them of anything either.


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## rusty13 (Feb 22, 2013)

I ussually use Tilapia and shrimp!Recently ive started feeding Swai,Cod and Catfish fillets!I also have fed them Shad a easy bait fish to catch here and yes Night crawlers that I get from the yard!I think growth if thats what you mean on difference in fish is mainly threw scheduled feedings and water changes mine are religously every week!!


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

yep the more the merrier is the name of the game. i think hands down the worst thing you could do is buy a bag of something and feed exclusivly that. ive known more then a few people who fed their fish one thing and one thing only for years because its convinent to throw pellets or whatever in the tank. world of difference when you take the same fish and spend a few extra minutes preparing various meals day to day. not a lotta work and not at all a lot of money


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## rusty13 (Feb 22, 2013)

Ocellatus2000 said:


> yep the more the merrier is the name of the game. i think hands down the worst thing you could do is buy a bag of something and feed exclusivly that. ive known more then a few people who fed their fish one thing and one thing only for years because its convinent to throw pellets or whatever in the tank. world of difference when you take the same fish and spend a few extra minutes preparing various meals day to day. not a lotta work and not at all a lot of money


Agreed I actually enjoy the variety because a fillet atracts them to one area verses throwing shrimp sends them all scattering.Ive actually thought about adding salmon fillets to their diet.I actually spend 6 dollars for a 2 pound bag of fillets which last almost 2 monthes.I spend twice as much to feed my 3 foot Iguana.


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

you should post a video of that









i prefer white fish. i find oily fish tends to leave the water surface a little messy after they eat


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

Ocellatus2000 said:


> worth it. you can buy a decent sized container thatll last you a few months for around $4
> comes in all sizes....speaking of your manny you never officially told me if you got him back and if so how he was??? make a new thread on him if you got him and if i missed it somewhere my bad lol


Yeah, I got him back and a 11.5 - 12 inch rhom!...the Manny developed a huge chimple since I sold him last year...I wasn't too happy about that but I really don't let chimples bother me especially when we are talking about an 8 inch Manny!...otherwise, he's in great condition with excellent coloring!...and doing great!...and so is the rhom!..I will post pics when I get a camera...which I plan on doing within the next several weeks!...


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

good to hear manny
i actually thin chimples look kinda cool. i mean i would prefer my fish chimple free but when a larger size piranha has one it just makes him look meaner


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## rusty13 (Feb 22, 2013)

Ocellatus2000 said:


> you should post a video of that
> 
> 
> 
> ...


As far as the calories and fat in the fillet they are high but as a variety treat plus the omegas in the salmon if they are good for our heart why not my fish.I always clean a day after I feed!Ive fed chicken livers before and that was way to messy!I will try to post a video soon!!


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

Ocellatus2000 said:


> good to hear manny
> i actually thin chimples look kinda cool. i mean i would prefer my fish chimple free but when a larger size piranha has one it just makes him look meaner


yeah, just fed my guys!...the Manny ate half a smelt (three days since his last feeding) and my big rhom ate 2.5 smelts!...He's a greedy SOB!...


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## Ahmed (Jun 23, 2007)

I've had my Juvi P's for about 6 weeks now, their growth has been mainly dependant on their diet, and subsequently... quality of water! I do regular water changes and have them on current for at least 5 hours a day. It doesn't stress them at all, it actually improves their body mass!

I fee them 3 times a day, mornings blood worms, lunch frozen seafoos ( shrimps, octapus, clamari, squid and clams ) and then blood worms for dinner!

Check out my videos on the "Pianha Pictures and Videos" section. Growth rate is spectacular! And they look healthy and happy and very "in your face"


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