Due to their aggression and need to prey on other animals, carnivorous freshwater fish are always in high demand. Perhaps they invoke the primitive hunting instincts in humans, or perhaps people are simply humbled by the unemotional exchange of life and death. Regardless of what attracts people to these kinds of fish, it should be understood that keeping them poses its own challenges that should be thoroughly considered beforehand.
Researching Carnivorous Fish
The most critical responsibility of owning carnivorous fish is to first perform the necessary research and become well-informed regarding the fish’s needs. The result of a lack of research is bad husbandry: it is very likely that the aquarist will not meet all the needs of the fish, ultimately encountering problems such as growth and size issues, sickness, and even the death of the fish.
When performing research, be sure to determine the fish’s diet, maximum size, growth rate, and water parameters (including temperature, pH, and flow rate). Be sure to check with multiple sources, including people who have actually kept the fish and can provide information based on firsthand experience.
Feeding Carnivorous Fish
As their name implies, carnivorous fish are meat eaters. However, they cannot be fed just any type of meat. Many aquarists make the mistake of feeding foods such as beef, chicken, hotdogs, or other processed meats to their fish. In most cases, fish are unable to process the proteins or fats found in red meats, and the fish can develop health problems as a result.
When feeding these freshwater fish, focus instead on foods such as fish, shrimp, squid, crabs, clams, and insects. Be sure that any feeder fish are healthy and disease free before feeding them off. Make use of an isolation tank if necessary.
Most fish, even carnivorous fish, still need supplemental vegetable matter in their diet to support their immune system. They can be fed algae wafers, a high quality packaged food that contains vegetable matter, or feeder fish that have been gut loaded with vegetable matter.
Some fish are strictly piscivorous, meaning they will only eat other fish. If this is the case, make sure that all feeder fish are well fed and fed a balanced diet that is rich in vegetable matter.
Housing Carnivorous Fish
Since they prey on other fish, many carnivorous fish tend to be large, and large fish require large aquariums. While not all fish require large aquariums, as a general rule the more space provided the better. Perform the necessary research before obtaining the fish and choose an aquarium accordingly.
Due to the nature of their diet, carnivorous fish produce a large amount of waste. They can be messy when they kill, and even messier when they poop. Therefore it is essential to provide the fish with very clean water. This is best accomplished by conducting frequent water changes (30 percent change at least once a week) and proper filtration. If these needs are not met, there is an excellent chance that the health of the fish will deteriorate.
It is unlikely that many fish will be housed with an aggressive aquatic predator. Generally, the best tankmates for carnivorous fish are other large, aggressive fish. Anything small enough to fit in a carnivorous fish’s mouth will most likely end up there.
Many aquarists are captivated by the aggression and ferocity of carnivorous fish. But due to their aggression and diet, special care is required to keep them properly. Proper research and good husbandry are the keys to raising carnivorous fish successfully.
Aaron Guzman - Aaron Guzman currently lives in Eureka, California and works as a freelance writer. He spends his spare time writing fiction, playing ...
Join the Conversation