# Help With Frozen Food



## ACrowe25

Hello all,

I'd like to start by saying I have been browsing this forum for quite some time now. With the addition of my 6 baby RBP a few weeks ago, I've decided it was finally time to join.

My 6 P's are all about 1.5'' in length. At the moment they are being fed 2 times a day. Morning meal is sinking pelletes made by omega one (with color enhancement) and a night is 2 frozen cubes of either bloodworms or shrimp. The bloodworms/shrimp were bought when I purchased the fish at a pet store. They came in individual serving sizes. My P's eat right in front of me within seconds, so I look forward to the feeding times just as much as them.

So, now to my question... I have read that frozen fish bought at my local grocery store is safe for P feeding. But, I'm not sure what food is best for the size fish I have an also best overall?

From what I understand I could simply buy some fish which are not seasoned/salted/etc (1. What else must I make sure it does not contain?).
Then I would just defrost it enough to cut into a serving size, (2. 1 inch cube? for 6 P's? Would be feeding 2x a day.)
And then I was thinking about putting these cubes individually in cheap plastic bags and into the freezer so they don't stick hopefully.

Now for question 3. What type of fish is good? And is it okay just to get it out of the frozen section in the bags? I feel that would be the cheapest. I know whitefish is the best, but if you could name like 5 white fish which are great for them?

That pretty much covers it. Please, comment on my feeding amounts and anything else that you see flawed. You help me, help my P's. I do not want to feed live, simply due to the amount of things that can go wrong.

Thanks in advance, look forward to reading the help!


----------



## Guest

ACrowe25

The best diet is a varied diet







I feed Tilapia, smelts, sardines, mackeral, raw shrimp, ocean perch, small amounts of beef heart, chicken, earth worms etc.

I buy fresh fillets from the grocery store or fish market, dice them into small bite sized pieces and then divide them up into freezer bags. I also buy small bags of raw shrimp and just pull out and thaw what I need. If there isnt any white fish on sale I have also bought the fillets in the frozen packages









It is important to feed you juvies until they have nice full little bellies. I keep adding in small amounts and stop feeding when they lose interest. I then immediately clean up any unwanted food that is left in the tank. Feeding twice a day is enough but you can also throw in a 3rd feeding if you want.


----------



## ACrowe25

ksls said:


> ACrowe25
> 
> The best diet is a varied diet
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I feed Tilapia, smelts, sardines, mackeral, raw shrimp, ocean perch, small amounts of beef heart, chicken, earth worms etc.
> 
> I buy fresh fillets from the grocery store or fish market, dice them into small bite sized pieces and then divide them up into freezer bags. I also buy small bags of raw shrimp and just pull out and thaw what I need. If there isnt any white fish on sale I have also bought the fillets in the frozen packages
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is important to feed you juvies until they have nice full little bellies. I keep adding in small amounts and stop feeding when they lose interest. I then immediately clean up any unwanted food that is left in the tank. Feeding twice a day is enough but you can also throw in a 3rd feeding if you want.


Thank you!








Excellent, then I will beging to check fish prices. A pound or so whenever It's on sale should keep me varied. Also, I do sometimes feed my P's on the weekend 3 times. Also, is there any benefit to fresh over frozen? As I feel it will be much more cost effective, and being a full time college student... every dollar counts









/e Also, as "bite sized" pieces would nearly be as small as possible. Their mouths are only tiny!


----------



## Guest

Nope buy whatever you can afford







My piranha's fav is Tilapia, I usually buy that in individual frozen fillets. I think a bag is like $10 and it lasts forever.


----------



## ACrowe25

ksls said:


> Nope buy whatever you can afford
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My piranha's fav is Tilapia, I usually buy that in individual frozen fillets. I think a bag is like $10 and it lasts forever.


Cool, and when dicing up to bite sized pieces... Do I use the entire fish? As I know with fillets the middle is a bit darker the the outsides (where the spine was).

/e Also another question, When I am feeding as I was told earlier to just add slowly until they lose intrest/ belly full. If I unthawed some Tilipa, lets say, would I be able to refreeze it? Or would I then have to throw that out?


----------



## Guest

You can use the entire fillet









No you can keep it in the bag in the fridge for a few days no problem


----------



## ACrowe25

ksls said:


> You can use the entire fillet
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No you can keep it in the bag in the fridge for a few days no problem


Okay, so once it is dethawed (out of the freezer) I can not refreeze? Only store it in the refridgerator (spelling?).

Heres a picture of one of the little guys, which I just took.


----------



## Guest

Thats right, its not recommended to re-freeze.

Cute lil' bugger







What sized tank do you have them in currently?


----------



## ACrowe25

Currently they are in a 55g tank. With filtration for a 90 gallon.


----------



## pygocentrus da 3rd

ACrowe25 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I'd like to start by saying I have been browsing this forum for quite some time now. With the addition of my 6 baby RBP a few weeks ago, I've decided it was finally time to join.
> 
> My 6 P's are all about 1.5'' in length. At the moment they are being fed 2 times a day. Morning meal is sinking pelletes made by omega one (with color enhancement) and a night is 2 frozen cubes of either bloodworms or shrimp. The bloodworms/shrimp were bought when I purchased the fish at a pet store. They came in individual serving sizes. My P's eat right in front of me within seconds, so I look forward to the feeding times just as much as them.
> 
> So, now to my question... I have read that frozen fish bought at my local grocery store is safe for P feeding. But, I'm not sure what food is best for the size fish I have an also best overall?
> 
> From what I understand I could simply buy some fish which are not seasoned/salted/etc (1. What else must I make sure it does not contain?).
> Then I would just defrost it enough to cut into a serving size, (2. 1 inch cube? for 6 P's? Would be feeding 2x a day.)
> And then I was thinking about putting these cubes individually in cheap plastic bags and into the freezer so they don't stick hopefully.
> 
> Now for question 3. What type of fish is good? And is it okay just to get it out of the frozen section in the bags? I feel that would be the cheapest. I know whitefish is the best, but if you could name like 5 white fish which are great for them?
> 
> That pretty much covers it. Please, comment on my feeding amounts and anything else that you see flawed. You help me, help my P's. I do not want to feed live, simply due to the amount of things that can go wrong.
> 
> Thanks in advance, look forward to reading the help!


I would recommend tilapia,salmon any lean fish you find thats not too expensive..I found the best and most cost effective food source is jumbo silversides ..Go to a local bait store and ask for jumbo spearing(silversides)..You can be cut into chunks or feed whole..You get a ziplock bag full for like 5 bucks depending on your local bait store price..much cheaper then buy regular silversides from pet store..I think its nesessary to provide your piranhas with whole fish more often then not.


----------



## ScarsandCars

Very true about the whole fish imo the guts and bones and cartilage that dont come in pellets and fillets.

I buy the big bags of frozen tilapia fillets for around $10 and they forever whentheyre little. When theyre that small i always cut the tilapia or shrimps in long thin strips. Enough for them to bite off pieces but it seems easier for them. Its also easier to judge how much they need to eat. Id say the 2-3 a day feedings are good til about 3" then go to once a days, the at 4-5" every other day


----------

