Problem with feeder fish!

[IndigoBug1987]

So many questions! Anyway.

All my minnows keep dying. I havn't had a chance to go buy fillet fish from the store, so i've been freezing the minnows that died. They keep getting freezer burn. I havn't given any to my snake except live and freshly dead minnows. (which she takes pretty quickly) What do i do to keep them good and is it ok to thaw and feed those with freezer burn to my snake??

ps nothing is wrong with the minnows only that i bought too many and they were stressed out. :(

Now that half the minnows are dead i havn't had any die in days. Out of two dozen, half died. I feel horrible, I mean i know when i bought them that they were food but still, they should live happily until the end. I'm not buying anymore live fish after these are gone, they arn't healthy for Slithers anyways.

[infernalis]

To prevent freezer burn just place the dead ones in a zip lock bag with a small splash of water.

Completely thaw and serve:D If slithers is interested, the freezer burned fish will not cause harm.

Live fish is perfectly healthy for slithers, as long as they are not Rosy reds or goldfish.

Guppies are the common feeder, and rather cheap if you can find the "not fancy" feeder variety.

You may ask all the questions you would like, We would rather see you ask questions and succeed than not ask questions and fail.

Providing assistance is our passion at Thamnophis.com;)

[IndigoBug1987]

mine are rosys. I didn't know any better and its all i have right now. :( why are rosys so bad? are they toxic?

[infernalis]

Rosey reds contain an enzyme called thiaminase that blocks vitamin absorption.

My own personal experience has been bad with these, are they from PETCO??

Read this thread, Please excuse the red "X" box where the photos belong, my server is down at the moment.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/3972-bad-feeder-fish.html

[Jack Neary]

Wayne,
Do you know who sells Feeder Guppies? I've been to PetsMart and Petland and all they sell are Goldfish and Rosy Reds...
Regards,
Jack

[Lori P]

You usually have to go to a private fish or pet store to find feeder guppies here. At least, that's been my experience.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

There is a reason for feeder guppy scarcity among most chain stores. We don't carry them at my store either, and it's for good reason. Feeder guppies cost us even more than rosies per fish, even though they are half the size. THe reason for this is that its NOTHING for a supplier to walk into their warehouse and find that an entire tub of feeder guppies has died over night. Thy are very prone to spontaneously dying. The stress of being moved around and what not takes it's toll and water changes take an even bigger one. The loss with feeder guppies is so much more than with rosies, that it makes them cost more, and we have to sell them at the same price. We tried having feeder guppies once before... never again. Half of them were dead by the next day. Most stores will choose the convienience of rosy reds for these reasons.

[infernalis]

This all makes me wonder if it may be worth a try to FARM dace minnows.

They are rugged as a rock, safe for the garters and I can scoop them out of a creek that is freezing, and drop them in a water bowl that has warm water in it, and they seldom die until the garter eats them.

I could have a goldmine and not even know it:D

[Sitting_duck]

Wayne, I would think the huge, sudden change in water temperatures might kill them. Even if it is getting warmer.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

haha well I am sure if wayne was to farm them he would be more cautious about temperature shock :D

he's just talking about when he feeds them to his snakes.

I have the blacknose dace here also... they are quite hardy. I had some as pets for a while in my fish tank!

[Sitting_duck]

Oh, I see. =)

[snakeman]

I always have problems with rosys dying.Feeders guppies have always lasted forever for me.I can put them in crappy water and they thrive no problem.The roseys die if the bag is a little overcrowded from the pet store.

[infernalis]

Austin, I fill my bucket with creek water, and let it set next to the fish tank for a couple hours before I transfer them.

Shannon is right on target, I was referring to putting them in the snakes water bowl, They don't last long there anyhow.;)

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I always have problems with rosys dying.Feeders guppies have always lasted forever for me.I can put them in crappy water and they thrive no problem.The roseys die if the bag is a little overcrowded from the pet store.

well, from a store's perspective, it is the exact opposite. When provided with what they need, guppies seem much more prone to dying than rosies. Rosies of course will die if left unfiltered in a bag. They need constant running water to thrive. But if you overcrown a bag of guppies, the same thing will happen. Lack of oxygen kills any living thing.

[Sitting_duck]

How long does it normally take your snakes from the moment you put in food to eat?
I know a little OT, but Im trying to feed my snake for the first time, and I don't really know a good way to do it.

[Lori P]

It varies from time to time. Sometimes they dive right in... sometimes it can take them hours to go eat. Since yours is so new, he might not eat at all this time, or he might need quiet time before he'll come out to eat.

[Sitting_duck]

I put a small bowl with a little water near by him. In it there is 1 pinky, and 3 guppies.

[IndigoBug1987]

My snake has a great appetite. She eats as many fish as i put in her tank.

[Sitting_duck]

My snake (keelback) just seems mad that I'm trying to feed him. He sort of just trys to get away from me if I try to tong feed. So i guess I'll just leave the food in there.

[Lori P]

Austin, that's great. I'd leave it overnight and see what happens. :-)

[Sitting_duck]

Will do.

It's 1:53pm here. Should I still leave it? If I took it out tommorrow morning, that means it'd be in the tank for about....14 hours.

[Lori P]

He might not feel secure enought to come out and eat until night time. So, altho I always feel bad for the fish, yeah, I'd leave it all overnight.

[Sitting_duck]

Ok, thanks.

[IndigoBug1987]

Ok so i bought some pinkies today! How often should slithers eat? She has been eating everyday, though i still don't know if i've been overfeeding. Anyway I have enough pinkies to feed everyday if thats ok. Those things were super expensive! Like 4.49 for three.

[IndigoBug1987]

oh also i posted a new pic of slithers in her tank. Its in my album. I added a rock to climb around on. Does anyone else think the tank is too small now?? thanks

[Stefan-A]

1-2 times per week, depending on the snake's age/size.

[jitami]

Slithers is a decent sized, but not huge, adult. I'd start with two pinkies once a week and see how that goes. Actually, I'd start with one scented with fish and if she takes that then I'd begin the two pinkies once a week schedule :)

[infernalis]

Just wondering how the feeding went?

[IndigoBug1987]

Ok she wouldn't take the pinky at first. I dunno, she would grab hold of it then spit it out. Anyway later that day i rubbed the pinky on some minnows and she snapped it right up. At first i thought it was too big but after a bit she got it down. I think it was the legs she wasn't used to or something. Couldn't get it turned around in her mouth maybe? I was wondering should i feed her two pinkies at once or like once on monday then on thursday?

[IndigoBug1987]

OMG when i went to petco to buy pinkies they had these little orange cornsnakes! They were only as thick as a pencil and soo cute!

[infernalis]

That happened to me once:eek:

His name is CY and he's a year old now.

Only one of my snakes I EVER bought at petco. (Correction, bought for me at petco)