Feeding Angelfish Fry
When to feed live nauplii,
decapsulated eggs, and dry food: growth rates,
economics.
I cannot
overemphasize the importance of feeding live artemia
nauplii for some time before feeding decapsulated
cysts. I have had great success with feeding live
nauplii for two weeks before switching. To me, it is
a mystery why the live artemia make such a
difference.
Those with
the ability to make the analyses claim that the
decapsulated cysts contain more essential ingredients
than the nauplii. I believe them, as some are
competitors and would not have any incentive to be
careless about such claims. Yet, when I have made
experiments by splitting a batch of fry and feeding
half decapsulated cysts only and the other half live
nauplii for two weeks and then switching to
decapsulated cysts, the former grew considerably
faster. Here are data on how fast I have been able to
get fry to a body size of a nickel. Time is from date
eggs were laid.
100% live nauplii,
with some dry food daily beginning when they
are dime size. 6 weeks to nickel size.
Live nauplii first
two weeks, then decapsulated cysts. Dry food
as above. 8 weeks to nickel size.
- 100%
decapsulated cysts. Dry food as above. 11
weeks to nickel size.
My theory
for the difference in growth rates is that the fry
eat more nauplii than decapsulated cysts. After
feeding, I like to see some nauplii still in the tank
after an hour. I believe that the fry fill themselves
up on live nauplii, stop feeding to digest some, and
then quickly resume feeding. I think that cycle
continues for as long as there is live nauplii in the
tank. As live nauplii live six to eight hours in
freshwater, no water fouling will occur as long as
they are eaten before they die.
When fed
decapsulated cysts, I think the fry are not so quick
to refill their stomachs as digestion continues and
that accounts for a slower growth rate.
With
decapsulated cysts at $6.25 a pound and cysts at
$25-$33 a pound (and up to $60 a pound from some
vendors), why do I feed 100% live nauplii? My
arithmetic says that at $40 a pound for artemia
cysts, the artemia cost per angel is just $.07 each
to raise to nickel size in six weeks. (From
conversations, I know Steve Rybicki figures about the
same cost.) As a serious breeder, there is a huge
money difference between having salable fish in six
weeks compared to eight weeks. That difference is
many times the potential cost savings by using
decapsulated cysts. For a hobbyist who is raising
angels for the challenge or to offset expenses, I
think using decapsulated cysts makes a lot of sense.
This is particularly the case if a hobbyist can then
turn off his nauplii hatchery. (I always have to have
nauplii hatching.)
Lloyd Spear
Sep 24, 1998
