Water Louse - Asellus

[bumpylemon]

alrighty a kid i work with likes to catch things in his stream. he has been catching water louse and feeding him to his crayfish. i got to thinking i wonder if my cichlids and birchirs could eat these little guys...i know that water lice are bad....but these are not parasitic like the water lice that come on fish..i didnt know if anyone else fed these or dragonfly nymphs. i thought it would be a fun and free way to feedmy lil guys...

 

[Noto]

Nice isopod! It'll be fine as a feeder. My fish love those guys, and scuds too. The isopods are unrelated to fish lice.

By the way, American Asellus have now been transferred to the genus Caecidotea. However, I believe your bug is a species of Lirceus.

 

[bumpylemon]

thanks alot..i was scared hahah now i have an endless supply of fish food

 

[bumpylemon]

Anyone know anything about feeding fish caddisfly larve and dragonfly nymphs. Are these ok to feed. They seem like they are fighters

 

[Noto]

They're not really fighters; they're devastating to small prey, but can't do much when they are attacked themselves. If your fish are big enough to take down the bugs in a gulp, then go for it.