Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Understanding that crocodilians need fish within their diet, is fish caught from a state park lake or something a good item? Has anyone experienced any problems doing this? I am wondering whether there are any parasites that the fish may harbor that can possibly have an ill effect on a crocodilians (captive) health.

Any guesses, ideas, or just jabber on this subject?

Thanks,

Chris

I worry about mercury levels in wild fish now. I would check your local mercury advisories. They say the larger the fish the more mercury it probably has in it's system.

If you want to really get fish into their diet I think a safer way would be to make a deal with a local fish farmer or fish market. I used to feed my gators fish from a trout farm in Wisconsin. I think farm raised fish are fine. Fish parts a huge favorite of alligators in FL. People clean their fish and throw the guts in the water. And that alligator farm in Colorado used to be a fish farm and a couple little gators were just the garbage disposals.
-----

1.1 Womas, 1.0 Australian Olive Python, 1.0 Centralian Carpet Python, 1.1 Cape York Spotted Pythons, 1.0 Australian Water Python, 1.0 Albino Green Burmese, 1.1 Loxocemus bicolor (New World "Pythons" ), 1.2 Peruvian Red-Tail Boas, 2.1 Hog Island Boas, 0.1 Belem Brazilian Red- Tail Boa, 0.0.1 North American Wood Turtle, 0.0.2 European Pond Turtles, 1.0 Leucistic Alligator Snapper, 0.0.1 FL Red Belly, 0.0.1 Concentric Diamondback Terrapin, 1.1 Crested Geckos, 1.0 Yellow Ackie, 1.0 Yellow Bearded Dragon

You just have to be aware of what species you are feeding to your animals, and be sure to limit the amount of those that contain thiaminase as well as (as was previously suggested) understanding the water quality that the fish are from.

Carps and members of that family (such as goldfish), suckers, catfish and a number of others contain thiaminase (see link). Does that mean you can't feed those species you your animal? no. It means that you don't want to make them a steady diet.

There are more and more lakes and rivers that have human fish intake advisories - I would heed that advise regarding your animals too.

Thiaminase is a problem among many commercial animal breeders, not just reptiles, and not just crocs and turtles. Attached is a list that was published as an aid to mink and fox farmers to advise them which species of fish are known to contain thiaminase, and a list of some species that do not.

Keep in mind that thiaminase concentrations increase in frozen fishes.

Bill
Thaiminase tables

>>You just have to be aware of what species you are feeding to your animals, and be sure to limit the amount of those that contain thiaminase as well as (as was previously suggested) understanding the water quality that the fish are from.

So would this possibly indicate that private fish farms and so forth would be much safer than a state park lake?
>>
>>Carps and members of that family (such as goldfish), suckers, catfish and a number of others contain thiaminase (see link). Does that mean you can't feed those species you your animal? no. It means that you don't want to make them a steady diet.

Ok good, because from time to time I do plan to go catfishing, and thought that some of my catch can go towards filling my gators bellies. One of the more common fish will probably be bluegill or something of that sort.
>>
>>There are more and more lakes and rivers that have human fish intake advisories - I would heed that advise regarding your animals too.

Point well made! I dont eat fish that much (other than from LongJohn Silvers ), and I dont go fishing a whole lot, but figured, from time to time, I might be able to catch a meal for my gators.
>>
>>Thiaminase is a problem among many commercial animal breeders, not just reptiles, and not just crocs and turtles. Attached is a list that was published as an aid to mink and fox farmers to advise them which species of fish are known to contain thiaminase, and a list of some species that do not.

Thanks a ton for the article! That will certainly be helpful.
>>
>>Keep in mind that thiaminase concentrations increase in frozen fishes.

Ok, it can increase with frozen fish, so does it decrease with heated fish?- Sorry if this is an ignorant question, just thought it was worth asking.
>>
>>Bill
>>Thaiminase tables

>>You just have to be aware of what species you are feeding to your animals, and be sure to limit the amount of those that contain thiaminase as well as (as was previously suggested) understanding the water quality that the fish are from.

So would this possibly indicate that private fish farms and so forth would be much safer than a state park lake?

I don't know if the water in a fish farm is better or not. The farms are not necessarily interested in the long-term health of the fish, just how fast they can get them up to size. I think one of the reasons goldfish are so sickly is the intense concentrations in which they are raised.
>>

>>Keep in mind that thiaminase concentrations increase in frozen fishes.

Ok, it can increase with frozen fish, so does it decrease with heated fish?- Sorry if this is an ignorant question, just thought it was worth asking.

Not dumb at all - cooking destroys thiaminase.
30 seconds in the microwave should do it for those goldfish (j/k)

Bill