Crushing snails (live food)

[skjl47]

Hello; To avoid taking over a thread, I will dedicate this to feeding live foods in general and crushing snails in particular. It has always seemed to me that most fish benefit from fresh or live food. The problem is how to have live food around.

Live foods I have feed to fish include fruit flies, brine shrimp, minnows, daphnia, earth worms, house flies, tadpoles (not a good idea) crickets and aquarium snails. There may have been others, but I do not recall. I have also sliced bits of raw fish flesh from a filet of catfish or salmon. Except for the tadpoles and to a degree earthworms, they all make good food for a fish capable of eating them.

To feed the fish in our tanks some animal must be slaughtered. Most of the dry processed foods that line the shelves of a fish store contain a lot of protein. That protein comes from animals. The image of my crushing a snail and dropping the bloody carcass into a tank may not be appealing, but how do you suppose they get the animals processed and into those colorful plastic containers?

Perhaps it is a point of view similar to that of folks that would never slaughter a cow or even be willing to see it happen, but happily munch a hamburger. That you do not see it happen does not change the fact that to get a hamburger or a can of fish food a slaughter in some fashion takes place.

Feel free to condemn me as for crushing the excess snails if you wish. My childhood experiences prepared me. Beginning around age six one of my chores was to catch two hens and cut their heads off with a hatchet. They became especially tasty meals.

What is this thread about? How about the pros and cons of live food and methods of keeping live things on hand for feeding.

 

[IThinkTherefore]

... Has anyone actually expressed concerns over crushed snails?



Other than that, the only concerns would be nutritional deficiencies (from feeding the wrong live food or not providing a balanced diet, ie not providing some plant matter for omnivores) or parasite/pest introduction to the tank. Neither of which are a big concern with most live foods when proper care is taken

 

[skjl47]

Hello; Yes, in another members thread I mentioned controlling excess snail population by crushing them with pliers and feeding them to my fish. Another member took exception to the practice in a response.
To your other points, the potential introduction of parasites or disease is a concern especially in wild collected live foods. The types of live foods that can be cultured form clean stock reduce this. I have kept cultures of the vestigial winged drosophila melonogaster (fruit flies) many times. They are very good for top feeders such as the bettas. I used to especially enjoy an emperor tetra suddenly streak up to take them from the surface. They can be kept in small plastic vials. I have kept cultures going for a year of more at a time. Best thing is that they cannot fly, so they do not swarm all over the house like the wild type. When using the prepared drosophila culture medium they sell, the smell is not bad. Now that I am moved, it is time to order a new starter culture from one of the biological supply houses. (Wards; Carolina Biological Supply)
The other point about variety is spot on. I try to keep a variety of processed foods on hand and stagger the use of them. I also feed some uncooked garden peas and bits of fish flesh from time to time.

I have read about cultures of other live foods. Perhaps someone has some pointers or will share experiences.

 

[Lotus]

I personally don't have a problem with crushing snails and feeding them to fish. The only thing to beware of is to rinse shell pieces off the snails and to avoid getting spiked by a piece of snail shell (you can get a nasty infection).

I used to culture grindal worms, which are excellent for most smaller fish. The cultures are easy to do and not too messy/gross. I tried microworms, but managed to kill the culture. I've hatched brine shrimp, of course, which are always a good food for smaller fish.

I occasionally buy blackworms from the store, but culturing them is too much work for me to bother with.

Someone on the forum used to have a tagline that said something like: Fish food is made from sunshine and smiles.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; I crushed snails with my fingers is the past and indeed did get cut by the shell. That is why I now use a tool.

 

[aakaakaak]

I think I crushed about 10 snails last night.

Since it's just food you can grow a whole host of things in a 5-10 gallon plastic container with a sponge filter and cheap strip light. I've even grown leopard danios in one.