slugs as food?

NancyD · Post by **NancyD** » Sat May 27, 2006 1:21 pm

I've just been out gardening & came across a small slug, the first of many I'm sure. Got to thinking aren't they just snails without shells & couldn't they be loach food? We don't use pesticides or anything. Has anyone tried this? Are there any drawbacks like parasites or something?
Nancy

Jim Powers · Post by **Jim Powers** » Sat May 27, 2006 4:14 pm

Yuk!!!
If you had ever stepped on one of the large versions BAREFOOT, you would not even think about it!!
In all seriousness, I would be concerned about parasites.

crazie.eddie · Post by **crazie.eddie** » Sat May 27, 2006 4:21 pm

Parasites, plus the chemicals it ingested from your garden.

NancyD · Post by **NancyD** » Sat May 27, 2006 7:13 pm

Thanks guys, I knew it was too good to be possible. Yes I've stepped on many a slug & squished 1 in my gloved hand on occaision but never the super-sized whitish ones bigger than golf balls. I don't think we have them here. Although my husband is a chemist, we are almost organic as far as our yard goes. So lots of bugs, weeds & wildlife.
Nancy

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:16 pm

My daughter tried to eat one of the giant's finger sized ones, once. bleeeurgh.

the aquatc snails loaches eat are pretty small when the loaches get to them; you'd have to chop big slugs up. and they, um, ooze. ew ew ew. I'm not convinced they could pass anythng nasty on to the fish, but I am inclined to think it would be a revolting experience. My garden's organic, and I'll happily feed ants' egss, small worms and stuff, but I'd draw the line at slugs - unless they were titchy. Try dropping a whole titchy one in and seeing what happens...

NancyD · Post by **NancyD** » Tue May 30, 2006 4:13 pm

Darn, Sophie, I wish I'd seen your post yesterday. Had a perfect 1/4 inch, 2 bite sized one between my toes after walking in the grass barefoot. Did your daughter suffer any ill effects from the slug sushi? I take it that your fish have never had any problems from your alternative foods? I saw the article on the dangers of feeding worms but as slugs eat plants...I'm still tempted -- fish treats & gardener's revenge, & I just received the levamisole I ordered so if there were parasites...hmm.
Nancy

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Tue May 30, 2006 7:34 pm

NancyD wrote:Darn, Sophie, I wish I'd seen your post yesterday. Had a perfect 1/4 inch, 2 bite sized one between my toes after walking in the grass barefoot. Did your daughter suffer any ill effects from the slug sushi? I take it that your fish have never had any problems from your alternative foods? I saw the article on the dangers of feeding worms but as slugs eat plants...I'm still tempted -- fish treats & gardener's revenge, & I just received the levamisole I ordered so if there were parasites...hmm.
Nancy

the fish are fine. like I said, the garden's organic and I tend to get the worms acctually out of the compost, so I know they haven't travelled far. The goldfish and weather loaches go absolutely nuts for ant eggs; I haven't tried them on the yoyos yet because they haven't been in season since I've had the fish. I do avoid feeding anything that actually lives in water (larvae etc) as I assume there's far more likelihood of introducing something that likes fish as a host.

my daughter's fine! I managed to prevent her from ever actually eating slugs - a close call on a few occasions, I still heave when I think about it - but she did once manage to consume a whole snail. No noticeable ill-effects - though you should bear in mind that as a smaller child beth ate whole eggshells, chocolate wrappers and pieces of a crisp packet, so she's obviously weird and weirdly hardy.

My compost bin (a worm system thing) grows tiny white worms in summer which the fish love to bits. I don't like feeding earthworms as the chopping them up thing is a bit icky. (I've killed chickens, but can't do worms!)

let me know if you do feed them slugs! I only find big huge ones, and it's just occurred to me that the small ones would probably float?

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:00 am

I did read somewhere that some people in America fed there 'FlowerHorns' <(urg) some slugs and caterpillars. I don't know the outcome, but all i can recommend is that it is not a common practice. I would have concerns.

Graeme.

NancyD · Post by **NancyD** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:10 am

I guess I'm too worried about any bad effects to risk it & I hadn't thought of them floating. Sophie I'm glad beth was ok, if temporarily less than kissable

As for flowerhorns

....
Nancy

brian · Post by **brian** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:53 pm

I love this thread as I am thinking about Loach snails issues. My pond in Hong Kong has a snail problem they are those little round kind. I keep koi-sworfish mollies zebras and a few others year round in it. The snails have even started to eat small holes in the water lily pads before they emerge so I need action on this issue.

I heard Loaches love snails so I sped to this forum as quickly as I could! My questions are these, I discovered to my delight (given my snail problem) that there are in fact a number of Loach species living in my extended garden in the many streams here in the forests on the hill. I want to introduce a few of these to my pond, however i dont have a clue as to which are the best snail eaters and also which will eat my fish or disturb the whole system. I also keep bright blue mini shrimp (from the same streams) in my pond.
Has anyone any idea what species i could be dealing with here, and if they are bad boys or helpful boy scouts. I was worried because some of them look a bit jumpy. They seem to rush around in groups from rock to rock looking for trouble. If they eat my snails and leave everyone else alone I would be delighted. Koi-swords are large and although fast swimming are not exactly stand and fight types. The fish fry which i have zillions off are dispensable as there are so many and the shrimps I assume are capable of looking after themselves as they come from the same water. But I didn't want all my fish madly dashing all over the place because the Loaches are constantly harassing them, my worst nightmare. This plus getting rid of them would be very difficult as my pond is a brick construction and deep.
Any help would be very well received. I am affraid taking pictures is possible but it wont help as they dont sit very well for a picture in the stream.
Brian. Ps( There are a number of wild species to choose from. I could also go to the pet fish market at Mong-Kok and get other less irritating exotic species as long as they were sub-tropical and not tropical. Our temps range from about 8%C to 30+%C)

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