Something I found at the Asian grocery...

S

simontan

I've seen these in every Asian grocery store I've been in. They are labeled as "Silverfish" and sell for around $2.99 / lb. They are about the size and shape of a bean sprout (about 1/2" to 1") and look like really big mysis but when you look close they do have discernible fins and skelelon. I tossed a couple in the tank and my fish and BTAs went nuts for them, but then again I guess they go nuts for any food I throw in. These seem pretty substantial though and cheap, and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about them. They're already a nice size, so if they're relatvely nutritious, they'd be much easier than getting a "seafood mix" that you gotta chop up first.
 
I've seen these. I'm tempted to buy them but I haven't. I'm curious to see if others have used them.
 
I believe they're the same as silversides. I've bought all kinds of stuff at the Asian markets. Shrimp, crabs, fish, dumplings, women, lobster, some of it's for the tank and some goes to my dungeon.
 
@Drew wrote:
I believe they're the same as silversides. I've bought all kinds of stuff at the Asian markets. Shrimp said:
LOL!! I must say...that was funny with the women and dungeon!!
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i use those also but since they are farmed from fresh waters i still soak them with supplements before i throw them in just to fortify them
 
@SaltNewbie wrote:
i use those also but since they are farmed from fresh waters i still soak them with supplements before i throw them in just to fortify them said:
what supplements do you use?
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From what I found on a quick google search, these things are supposed to be a type of anchovy and are usually prepared by dusting with flour and fried up with hot peppers. The search results I came across said they are marine sourced. Someone on another reefkeeping forum made a comment that adding whole fish as food is generally bad for a reef tank because the skeletons add phosphates. Don't know how true that is but the skeletons and fins on these are barely perceptible compared to something like a silverside.
 
I supplement my food with seachems reef plus it has vitamins and amino acids and I also use garlic extreme. I always thought they were of fresh water origin. I'll have to check with the manufacture. I sell them at my store and I know the distributor. As far as the skeleton I don't think it would pose a problem since silverside have been used for years and the skeleten on that is a lot larger and harder then these fish. The texture of this fish is almost paste like.
 
@simontan wrote:
I've seen these in every Asian grocery store I've been in. They are labeled as "Silverfish" and sell for around $2.99 / lb. They are about the size and shape of a bean sprout (about 1/2" to 1") and look like really big mysis but when you look close they do have discernible fins and skelelon. I tossed a couple in the tank and my fish and BTAs went nuts for them said:
I dont know anything for sure, but the fish look like they are in their larval or juvenile stage. Larval and Juvenile stages of fish can be completely different from their grown counterpart.

Speaking of cheap food, when i was in college we seined the surf in Port Aransas to do a fish biodiversity study and caught something like 100,000 silversides! We counted how many fit in a 5 gallon bucket and then counted buckets.
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From what my distubutors tell me they are wild caught and are not larvals. They are also known as noodle fish. The ones I get are lake fished. If I they can they are going to see if they can find out which lake but since it's china I might take awhile.

My store is in Arlington off of arkansas and 360
 
Thinh, if you'll give me the store name and address, I'll add it to the food section of our LFS page.
 
No, I don't see it on there, but I'll get it added. Thanks.
 
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