# What is the CHEAPEST but HEALTHIEST way to feed Red Bellies?



## jameson_43 (Feb 12, 2006)

What is the CHEAPEST but HEALTHIEST way to feed Red Bellies? I want to keep them healthy but don't have a lot of money at the same time. What would you recommend? I've heard lettuce is alright sometimes. And what about feeder goldfish and guppies? Healthy/Bad?


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

Get a big bag of smelt from the grocery store. I find it to be the cheapest, easiest and fairly healthy too. No goldfish becuase they are usually full of nasty stuff like disease and parasites and also contain a growth-inhibiting hormone.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

get some frozen foods from the grocery store like fish fillets (fish with white meat), mussels, shrimp, squid. Make sure it is uncooked and has no preservatives or other chemical additives. It's cheap and healthy


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## JuN_SpeK (Oct 6, 2005)

yes SMELT is the cheapest way.. i only feed my fish smelt and shrimps.. occasionally godlfish..


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## C0Rey (Jan 7, 2006)

boontje said:


> get some frozen foods from the grocery store like fish fillets (fish with white meat), mussels, shrimp, squid. Make sure it is uncooked and has no preservatives or other chemical additives. It's cheap and healthy


i feed my p's fozen cooked shrimp. the guys at the lfs says this is fine.


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

jameson_43 said:


> I've heard lettuce is alright sometimes.


Pygocentrus Piranhas (like Red Belly) mainly eat other fish. So that is the healthiest food for them. It is always a good practice to change the species you feed them regularly:
sometimes common fish meat (like Clupeids, Cyprinids, Cichlids)
sometimes white meat (cod and related species)
sometimes reddish meat (Coregonus, Salmo).
Pellets and alike are not needed, but you can occasionally try it if you wish.
But no vegetable food, Pygos do not even eat plants and surely there is no need to try that.

Regards,


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## PiranhaStein (Dec 30, 2005)

I'm adding carrots and peas to my gelatin mix. Along with Beef Blood, and some whole fish mackeral.


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## The Predator (Sep 28, 2005)

C0Rey said:


> i feed my p's fozen cooked shrimp. the guys at the lfs says this is fine.


i dont feed anything cooked but it might not be bad to try. just dont feed leftovers. my cous fed his fish leftover turkey and the tank got all dirty next morning of sauce and crap but his fish lived after a 50% water change. dont try that at home

I dont have RBPs but for cichlids i mix carrots, peas, beefheart and krill in a gelatin mix as well as some other goodies


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

The best way is to buy food on sale I buy shrimp smelt and Tilapia ahead of time when I find it on sale and keep in freezer. The tillapia I cut into serving sizes before freezing. I feed my fish earthworms too. It's a rare treat when I add anything live to the tank for food.


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## ITsPennywise (May 26, 2005)

Basically everyone named everything you should buy...You can also try to find cheap cichlid sticks from Tetra...Those are good for color and are healthy...but they can get a little messy.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

C0Rey said:


> get some frozen foods from the grocery store like fish fillets (fish with white meat), mussels, shrimp, squid. Make sure it is uncooked and has no preservatives or other chemical additives. It's cheap and healthy


i feed my p's fozen cooked shrimp. the guys at the lfs says this is fine.
[/quote]
feeding a lot of cooked food could cause problems in the long term because cooking removes certain vitamins


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## cory (Jan 31, 2006)

I have been buying shrimp for a dollar nine per bag at the local grocery store. One bag lasts about a week at the most with 4 7-10" P's


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## C0Rey (Jan 7, 2006)

boontje said:


> get some frozen foods from the grocery store like fish fillets (fish with white meat), mussels, shrimp, squid. Make sure it is uncooked and has no preservatives or other chemical additives. It's cheap and healthy


i feed my p's fozen cooked shrimp. the guys at the lfs says this is fine.
[/quote]
feeding a lot of cooked food could cause problems in the long term because cooking removes certain vitamins
[/quote]

ok . im getting some uncooked shrimp now. the thing is my lfs guys have mad skills and they say its no/prob they feed alot of theyr fish cooked shrimp.


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