Now that we are all getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, work is slowing down as we get ready for company or traveling to visit with friends and family.
I know this video dates me, but it is a feel good bit that will make you laugh.
Don’t forget to feed your fish.
This is also a great time to give some attention to your tank. Remember not to overfeed.
There are all different kinds of frozen foods you can feed your salt water aquarium, and today I’m going to cover one of my favorites – Mysis Shrimp. But there are a few things you should know about how to do it and what not to do. Mysis shrimp is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein for your salt water fish. So here are a few things that you should know.
First off, before you feed mysis shrimp to your salt water aquarium, you need to rinse it (no matter the brand). When it is frozen, the liquid that the mysis shrimp are frozen in is loaded with juices, oils, proteins, etc. that you don’t want in your aquarium because it would significantly degrade your tank’s water quality. Specifically it would raise the phosphate, nitrates and organics. Rinsing can easily be done with a small fish net. I use the small brine shrimp nets, but any small net with a fine mesh will do. First, take the amount of frozen mysis shrimp that you are going to feed and thaw it out in a cup of saltwater (or you can let it thaw without water). In water, it takes about 5 minutes to thaw. You can also use warm tapwater. I’ve not noticed any difference between the two. When it is done thawing out, take a look at the water and ask yourself if this is something you’d want added to your aquarium water every time you feed. The answer is pretty clear. This stuff is a grey, oily, yucky syrup that would make you shreek if someone said they were going to poor it into your tank. You get the idea.
Second, check to see if the frozen mysis shrimp has not been thawed out and refrozen before. Ideally you want to check this when you are buying it in the stor. Unfortunately, over the years we have seen this happen occasionally (why – I have no idea). The way you can tell if the mysis shrimp has been previously thawed out and refrozen is if it has a tan/brown/yellow color to it. Good quality frozen mysis that has been properly frozen is a white/grey color. The best time to check for this is upon purchasing your mysis shrimp either at the store or when it arrives in the mail. If you ordered it online and it arrived by mail, then you can call the retailer you purchased it from to return it or have them ship you a new order.
And lastly, be sure to not overfeed frozen mysis shrimp to your salt water aquarium fish. Since it is so high in good fats, oils, and protein, it is great for putting weight on fish. This can be a double-edged sword if you over feed, so remember that less is better. The majority of most salt water fish species will eventually eat whatever is offered them, and the best kinds of foods to offer are primarily algae-based foods, such as nori (see brands such as SeaWeed Selects and Sea Veggies) and spirulina flake food (OSI Spirulina Flake).
The shrimp are bigger and plumper and are not all fragmented like with other poor quality brands. They are high in protein and good oils and fats and are great for overall growth and for helping fish put weight. It is also an excellent food for plankton eaters such as Anthias, Bangaii Cardinals and pretty much almost all fishes will readily eat frozen mysis shrimp.
Just remember to rinse it thoroughly and not to overfeed. Whatever amount you put into the aquarium should be completely consumed within two minutes.
Loading ...