Smelt & silversides

[nekura]

Can you post pictures of the true non-dangerous ones? I buy the frozen at pet-smart. Its the San Fransisco Bay brand called Sally's 100% Natural Silversides
.

[kimbosaur]

Diagrams from Wikipedia:

Silverside	Smelt

From the original post:

The visual differences being that the menidia (silverside) lacks the adipose fin of the smelt as well as the fact that the menidia has two dorsal fins - one spiny and one soft - while the true smelt only has one soft dorsal fin.

I feel like it would be really hard to see the difference visually on a frozen fish at the supermarket, but apparently the Sally's brand are safe so you should be good.

[nekura]

Okay, thanks =)

[ConcinusMan]

Sally's and SF Bay brand have both been confirmed to be the right kind. Pond smelt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I wrote both companies and got a reply indicating the Latin species name. They are farm raised and so, no mixing of species. They are thiaminase free Arctic Pond Smelt Hypomesus olidus. Not a true smelt. A freshwater fish that inhabits the arctic. They are very high in fat compared to rodents, but other than that, they are very good for your garters. "silversides" from the grocery store, are often in fact, true smelt, which contain thiaminase.

I prefer the Sally's because they are packed in water, and are much fresher. The SF Bay brand are vacuum sealed, and tend to lose vacuum and dry out and/or freezer burn before you even buy them. Check the package to make sure it has a good seal. You shouldn't see air pockets or frost buildup on them. After opening, I suggest you refreeze them in water to keep them fresher, longer.

[kimbosaur]

So I've just heard back from the company (Omega One):

Hi Kim,

I apologize for the delayed response. Brachyrostralis is the species name for the Silversides we use.
Have a great day!

Best Fishes,


Allison

Customer Care

Omega One

When I google Brachyrostralis, barely anything comes up. What's the deal?

[ConcinusMan]

They must mean Hemisalanx brachyrostralis . Like I said, the common name for "silversides" is often applied to any small fish with silvery colored sides, including some species of smelt. Hemisalanx are related to true smelts. Some smelts have thiaminase. Some do not.

SF Bay Brand and Sally's are the only brands that I could confirm as being Hypomesus olidus, which is a species that does not contain thiaminase.

[kimbosaur]

Arghhh, I can't find any other brands. I guess I'll just have to keep looking. Also, aren't SF Bay and Sally's the same thing?

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, sorry 'bout that. I meant Ocean Nutrition, and SF Bay Brand. They're both Hypomesus olidus. Other brands could be thiaminase containing smelt.

Ocean Nutrition adds supplements and aren't very fresh. SF Bay Brand "sally's" don't have added supplements and are much fresher.

Oh, and BTW, this is the correct illustration/pics for Hypomesus olidus.




I stated earlier that they are not a "true" smelt. That's incorrect. It's the other "silverside", pictured in posts above, that is not a smelt. Anyway, even though they are a smelt, the species Hypomesus olidus, / Arctic Pond Smelt, lacks thiaminase.

[kimbosaur]

Oh, I was going by the original post:

Dear Craig,

Thank you for your interest in San Francisco Bay Brand. The species of silverside is the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia. If I can be of further assistance please let me know.

The visual differences being that the menidia (silverside) lacks the adipose fin of the smelt as well as the fact that the menidia has two dorsal fins - one spiny and one soft - while the true smelt only has one soft dorsal fin.

[ConcinusMan]

You know what's funny about that is that I wrote them too and they gave me a different answer. They told me they were Arctic Pond Smelt. Hypomesus olidus. And by looking at the fish in the package I had, and comparing I.D. keys in the internet, they were definitely not menidia. And Ocean Nutrition also told me they were Hypomesus olidus. Either way, niether species contains thiaminase. That particular species of smelt doesn't contain thiaminase according to info I could find.