Frozen Silversides - Some answers

[ConcinusMan]

The problems I run into with silversides is the confusion on proper ID. There are fish they commonly call silversides which are actually smelt & also silversides that aren't smelt. Pond smelt are fine but other smelt aren't... So to be safe I've avoided them so far. One of the grocers here gets in nice big cheap bags of whole small silversides & smelt (with no species labeled) but without knowing exactly what species they are I don't want to risk it. There's too much overlap with the common names

There has been much talk lately about frozen fish sold as "silversides" and the question as to the identity of these fish.

I have received a response from one of the companies that sell silversides. Ocean Nutrition, one of the brands commonly sold at Petco and other pet stores recently responded to my inquiry. I asked them for the latin name of the fish they sell.

Their answer:

Hypomesus olidus


Apparently, that fish is also known as "Pond Smelt" and from what I hear, they are safe for our garter snakes as they contain only traces of, or no thiaminase at all. I can't confirm that but maybe someone else can.

I am still awaiting a response from San Fransisco Brand which sells "Sally's silversides" also found at Petco but from what I've seen, it's the same fish, only bigger and fresher.

In the process of my inquiries I found out that Hikari frozen silversides are

Pseudohemiculter dispar.