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 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.

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[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/gene...eder-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

[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

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!