Silversides? Worthless food?

[Jerm0007]

I have heard that silversides are not a very nutritious food for a carpet anemone and that I would be better off feeding him krill and PE mysis ( which I feed him now ) Is there any value to adding silversides to my carpet's diet? Thanks!

 

[Jerm0007]

I have a green hadoni who is about 9 inches across when fully open. I would like to encourage growth as he has plenty of room to spread out and grow.

 

[D-Nak]

I think mysis and krill should be fine, and if you want to vary the diet, try salmon and clams instead. Though I have not experienced it myself since I don't feed my anemone silversides, I have heard stories of folks losing their anemones and attributing it to bad silversides. Rather than risk it, I feed my anemone wild salmon soaked in Selcon. I also don't feed shrimp from the grocery store since it contains a sodium additive. It could be harmless, but again, I don't feel there is a need to take a risk.

 

[Jerm0007]

Perfect. Thank you. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't a benefit I was unaware of.

 

[OrionN]

I feed my anemone human grade food because spoil food can kill anemone. Frozen fish food just do not get the care it need sometime.
Feeding anemone silverside is like playing Russian Roulette their life.

 

[haftafish]

I thought I had read here that it had something to do with the scales. I have been feeding mine small chunks of fresh fish fillet. Caught by me so i know its fresh.

 

[Jerm0007]

Thanks! Orion, I have seen pictures of your beautiful anemone and am curious, when you say Human grade food, what is that? Maybe an example of what you feed yours? Thanks again!

 

[phender]

By human grade food, he means food that was purchased at a grocery store meant for human consumption. Silversides are actually very nutritious, it is just that since they are not meant for humans, they don't need to meet FDA standards. You don't know how long they were dead before packaging, how many times they have been thawed and refrozen, etc.

Some stores will have a seafood medley bag that contains, shrimp, scallops, squid and mussels or clams. You can figure out what your anemone likes best and then eat the rest yourself.

 

[OrionN]

I cannot state it any better than did phender above ^^^

I just get food at the grocery store. Shrimp, squid, fish, clams, scalops what ever as long as they are from the sea and no preservative added to the seafood. It is a lot better, safer, and cheaper.

I believe in feeding a variety of food to the animal. Shrimp (or any seafood) all the time without change would unlikely give the animal what they need. However a mixture of food is what we, or any other complex animal needed to stay healthy.

 

[sail33]

I just bought a dozen small scallops for $0.55 for my Condi. That should last a month. So cheap I might be able to get another nem.

 

[Jerm0007]

Excellent. Thank you all! I am looking forward to my carpet staying healthy and happy and growing big! also looking forward to installing my own water system in a week or two. I've been told that the best thing you can do for your reef is to make your own water.

 

[OrionN]

.... I've been told that the best thing you can do for your reef is to make your own water.

Yep, it is expensive to buy all those bottle water or get water from the LFS

 

[Jerm0007]

Plus, when making my own water I will know that it is pure. Who knows that last time the LFS changed their filters... lol. Thanks again everyone.

 

[sqwat]

Siversides are excellent food protien frommuscle and fat.calcium from bones and vitamins from omega 3 oil.who ever told u that doesn't no what he is talking about.the fresher the better make sure they are not dried out or freezers burnt if you buy frozen.I catch my own andget amazing results andhappy nems

 

[Jerm0007]

Interesting...

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

I agree with sqwat about the nutritional part,but like what has already been mentioned is if the silversides have been frozen then thawed to the point of spoiling and being refrozen,Then that is where the problem begins.I use to feed silversides to my rbtas,but now have switched to mysis and krill.

 

[sqwat]

yes frozen silversides are a hit or miss u just dont no till you open the bag.i am spoiled living at the ocean i have plenty of fresh foods avail for free all you need is a butterfly net.i wish there was a way i could get some out to people fresh maybe on dry ice or something this time of yearhere are millions of them i would get them for everyone for free.we takes the and cut the heads off coat in flower and olbay seasoning and fryem they come out like french fries!yum

 

[sqwat]

snakemanvet are you from trenton nj

 

[OrionN]

Siversides are excellent food protien frommuscle and fat.calcium from bones and vitamins from omega 3 oil.who ever told u that doesn't no what he is talking about.the fresher the better make sure they are not dried out or freezers burnt if you buy frozen.I catch my own andget amazing results andhappy nems

The problem with Silverside is that they are market for pets and will not be care for as if it is for human consumption. Nutritionally they are fine, but quality wise, the problem is to ensure that they are fresh and unspoilt. Fresh seafood should not smell, silverside are smelly because most of them are not fresh, if not outright spoil. Tiny fish with a full gut frozen. The gut will spoil the fish very quickly if there is even any hint of thaw out.

The other point is the expense. Expensive seafood about 10-12 dollars a pound. Susi grade fish maybe double that (there are much more expensive susi but let not discuss that). Pound for pound, Silverside, a spoiled smelly tiny fish, is more expensive that susi grade seafood. What is the mater with very fresh food for human use? Why would anyone want to spend more for inferior spoiled food?

Why people insist in doing this and put their anemone's life in danger is beyond me.

 

[EnV]

I feed silversides like some of the members here, I personally have never had a problem.
So far nems love it, feed them every other day give or take.