Frozen Fish?

[benjamin]

My local pet store sells frozen minnows (about an inch and a quarter long), frozen fish fry in cubes of ice (similar to bloodworm cubes but larger), and frozen fish meat (again in cubes similar to bloodworm cubes). I was wondering if any of these would make good caudate food items.

 

[edward]

Frozen fish is okay as a occasionally treat because if it is a major part of the diet then the animals run the risk of thiamine deficiency unless the are also supplemented with thiamine.

Ed

 

[mel]

Hi, we're interested in this topic. Our aquarium specialises in axies and they put us onto frozen minnows as our axolotyl's only food source. She hasn't shown any negative signs so far and the guy suggested that it was a complete food. Can you tell us more about the thiamine deficiency in the fish please?

thanks, M & T

 

[edward]

It is a complete food with the exception of thiamine. Frozen thawed fish has been implicated in a large number of other species as a cause of thiamine deficiency when used as the sole or major diet. It does take time for the major symptoms of thiamine deficiency to appear.
This can be avoided by supplementing with thiamine in different food item (as digestion is slow in axolotls) such as a worm as this will prevent the thiaminase from degrading the thiamine until the axolotl can absorb it.

Ed

 

[mel]

Hi Ed,

thanks so much for this information. I think we are going to change Bubbles' diet completely. In the 'sick axie' thread we've been trying to resolve what we think is gastro-related 'hand stands' (her rear end is floating). Can you tell me the symptoms of thiamine deficiency?

thanks a lot, M