# feeding frozen pinkys and chicks



## ada (Jun 28, 2005)

i have three twelve month old red bellys in a 55 gallon tank up to press they have been content with there enviroment could anybody give advise with regards to introducing pinkies and frozen chicks to there diet as at the moment i breed and feed them mollies , beefheart and krill fish your help would be very greatfull


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

First of all welcome to the Fury









As far as feeding pinkies/chicks: you can do it if you want to (just throw one in to see what happens), but it doesn't really serve a purpose, as these items don't really add anything extra to the diet, as a diverse diet consisting of pellets, fish, shrimp, krill, mussels, frozen foods and earth worms, or some of these things, is enough to give your piranha's all nutrients and vitamins they ever need.
So basically only the entertainment factor remains.

If you want to do it, go ahead and give it a try: it certainly won't kill your fish - make sure to remove all hair and feathers first (to avoid creating a huge mess).

*_Moved to Feeding and Nutrition_*


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Yeah... I would recommend sticking with more of a "Fishy diet" as the staple...
Tilapia, catfish fillets or nuggets, shrimp, scallops, krill... and the occasional "Red meat" thrown in.

I definitely recommend feeding SOME red meat... and believe it's a mistake to totally omit it from their diet.

I give a feeding of steak once per month.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Piranha_man said:


> I definitely recommend feeding SOME red meat... *and believe it's a mistake to totally omit it from their diet.*


Just wondering: why?
I never ever fed my Redbellies red meat in the 3,5 years I have them - yet they are as colorful as wild fish, are perfectly healthy and have a normal growth rate.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Because I try to replicate their natural diet as much as possible, while simultaneously greatly increasing their nutritional intake way beyond what which nature could possibly provide.


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## JYUB (Dec 19, 2003)

Piranha_man said:


> Because I try to replicate their natural diet as much as possible, while simultaneously greatly increasing their nutritional intake way beyond what which nature could possibly provide.


hmmm , not sure I agree with that, but I think definately a feeding of live fish would do nicely on they diet..


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

JYUB said:


> Because I try to replicate their natural diet as much as possible, while simultaneously greatly increasing their nutritional intake way beyond what which nature could possibly provide.


hmmm , not sure I agree with that, but I think definately a feeding of live fish would do nicely on they diet..
[/quote]

I don't believe you understood the discussion...
It was not regarding the feeding of live fish, but of the feeding of red meat.
In the wild, the diet of piranhas contains some degree of red meat.


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

Piranha_man said:


> Because I try to replicate their natural diet as much as possible, while simultaneously greatly increasing their nutritional intake way beyond what which nature could possibly provide.


hmmm , not sure I agree with that, but I think definately a feeding of live fish would do nicely on they diet..
[/quote]

I don't believe you understood the discussion...
It was not regarding the feeding of live fish, but of the feeding of red meat.
In the wild, the diet of piranhas contains some degree of red meat.








[/quote]

Very little though. For piranhas to eat any land based mammals it would have to die in the water, and considering these are land based animals, they don't often turn up dead in piranha infested waterways.

Whatever works for you works for you, and all the better for it, but I wouldn't consider it natural myself.


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## Ex0dus (Jun 29, 2005)

farm raised cattle isnt 'natural'.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

elTwitcho said:


> farm raised cattle isnt 'natural'.


Okay, and what IS natural then... "Oceanic shrimp??"


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

(Besides, I don't have any capybara farmers in the area).


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## Zoo_Keeper (Aug 31, 2005)

I would thaw them first in warm water. I feed them live, good to eat living cells. I feed my Pacus and Oscars whatever pinkys are left from snakes. They love them.


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## ada (Jun 28, 2005)

Zoo_Keeper said:


> I would thaw them first in warm water. I feed them live, good to eat living cells. I feed my Pacus and Oscars whatever pinkys are left from snakes. They love them.


 all i would just like to say thanks for the coments.


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