IX.) Examples from the San Francisco Bay Brand (SFBB) Product Line:
a.) Bloodworms: Midge larvae, not mosquito larvae. Some people have a powerful allergic reaction to them. It’s my understanding they aren’t very nutritionally rounded & should be a minority player in the diet.
b.) Mosquito larvae: SFBB’s web site says they have a very high protein and fatty acid profile, triple that of blood worms. My turtles will eat these but seem to prefer shrimp-based foods like Krill better. I’m under the impression these aren’t very well-rounded nutritionally; I’d recommend use as occasional snacks, no more.
c.) Brine Shrimp: The famous ‘Sea Monkeys.’ Very small shrimp from such high salinity water (lakes) little else can live in it. There’s a concern here; high sodium. See how SFBB produces them at:
http://www.sfbb.com/FAQ/sfbbbrine.htm.
d.) Spirulina-enriched brine shrimp: Spirulina algae supposedly enhance immune system function in some fish. Whether gut-loading with this before freezing is preferable to the algae ‘normal’ brine shrimp would have instead, or how the relative amounts compare, I don’t know. I buy and use this.
e.) Omega-3 Fatty Acid-enriched brine shrimp: enriched but I believe it made a little oily film in my tank. Also, I believe it lowered the pH in my tank (I’m unsure; other factors may’ve been at work).
f.) Plankton: Looks like small shrimp, maybe 1 cm long. Different colored than brine shrimp or krill. Took my little guys awhile to warm up to, but they eat it now. SFBB says heavy β-Carotene that brings out color in fish..
g.) Krill: A shrimp harvested from Arctic waters. Contains high amounts of omega-e fatty acids. SFBB’s web site says contains astaxanthin, a carotenoid responsible for the vibrant colors of tropical fihs. Hot pink cubes. My guys love these.
h.) Mysis (Oppossum) shrimp: Small salt-water shrimp from Europe. In my experience gives off a large cloud of small particulates. Recommend feeding in separate container.
i.) Squid: White chunky meat. My turtles like it fine. Marketed for salt-water carnivores, so I’d think maybe high in sodium. Since squid’s relative the cuttlefish is used to produce cuttlebone, supposedly a calcium source offered to turtles, squid might be expected to have significant calcium as well. I have not confirmed this so don’t assume it.
j.) Beef Heart: Heart is largely composed of cardiac muscle; it doesn’t contain a G.I. tract, so it’s not gut-loaded to contain the vegetation-content one might find in while prey animal. I don’t know how far they’re willing to stretch the definition of ‘beef,’ but Encyclopaedia of Terrarium, page 55 states “Ox heart contains one hundred times more phosphorous than calcium, with only 2 mg calcium per 100 g (3 ½ oz) of meat. Heart also contains virtually no fiber but very high levels of proteins.” It recommends against feeding it to terrarium animals and notes liver has similar problems as well as high levels of waste matter. I would think ox heart would be equivalent to beef heart. Even San Francisco Bay Brand’s web site recommends it play a supplemental role to the primary diet (in fish).
k.) Emerald Entrée: In my experience, gives off a large cloud of small particulates & makes a mess. SFBB incorporates mysis shrimp as an attractant. Fortified with omega-e fatty acids. Designed for marine fish but marketed for fresh water also. Recommend feeding in separate container.
l.) Goldfish Food: SFBB makes using Anacharis, zucchini, spinach, carrots, romaine lettuce, brine shrimp and is fortified with stabilized Vitamin C and made to sink. Spinach and carrots are high in oxalic acid (Encyclopaedia of Terrarium, pages 56-57) which can bind up calcium so I wouldn’t use a lot of this for turtles.
m.) Freshwater Multipack: SFBB’s ‘combo. pack’ of Discus Delight, Emerald Entrée, Bloodworms and Spirulina-enriched Brine Shrimp.