Feeding Live

[RCFA]

Originally Posted by naesco

The original poster's intent was a poll about the ethics of feeding a predator live marine fish.
The feeding of a live starfish to a harlequin shrimp and a clownfish to a mantis were set at as examples.

I love watching a starfish fold itself around live rock as it searches for food. I love watching it's tiny suckers move the starfish up the glass in my aquarium.
I don't understand a hobbyist getting their rocks off watching a harlequin shrimp tearing it apart live.

I love watching a clownfish doing their waddle like swim, watching you with their cute bright eyes. I love watching it snuggle itself in it's anemone.
I idea of watching this cute little fish attacked by a mantis makes me wonder why someone would see joy in this for any reason.

My vote is that this is unethical.

Really not trying to personalize this issue, but where is the line drawn for people with similar opinions? That starfish was probbably curling around a crustsacean or mollusk that is still alive as it is slowly digested.

Anyways this discussion will always have opposing views but saying that individuals who feed live food do so for the purpose of "getting their rocks off" does not apply here. I don't even beleive you can classify this as an ethical debate. It's like trying to say you think hunting is unethical but you have no problem eating farmed cattle that is butchered for you. It's personal choice and a comfort issue. Both options are available and no one is forcing anyone to choose one or the other.

I do however agree with fishytime about trying to avoid using wildcaught reef fish as a consistent food source for your predators. When living in Houston, I bought live silversides and other baitfish to feed to my lions and would do so again if I had a cheap source for them here. I beleive these fish are much more prolific and may be considered renewable to some extent (please correct me if I am mistaken here).