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I have plenty of millipedes in my garden, I am planning an aquaponics system (starting to build it).

Are millipedes suitable food for Tilapia? I worry that the hard shell will damage their intestine.

I am talking about those millipedes enter image description here

Memes
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This looks like the yellow spotted millipede, which exudes cyanide as a self defense. Some people will smell the cyanide, which smells like almonds when handling these millipedes, though not everyone is able detect it.

I don't know what the exposure would be to a fish eating one of these, but studies have been conducted on the effects on tilapia of environmental exposure to cyanide.

The risk might be a moot point, however. The black and yellow markings signal potential predators that this "bug" might not be good to eat - the fish might avoid them.

At any rate, it doesn't seem like it would be a good idea to feed these to the tilapia in your aquaponics system.

That Idiot
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  • Thanks for that. Not the answer I wanted to hear though, I feel bad to throw all this "meat" away. – Memes Oct 02 '14 at 12:01
  • Well, they are doing the good work in your garden breaking down dead organic material. Why not raise worms to feed the tilapia? – That Idiot Oct 02 '14 at 12:36
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    the millipedes are actually doing such a good work that they manage to break down the seeds too... I will for sure have a look at the worms side. – Memes Oct 02 '14 at 12:39
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Tilapia will eat those. But unlike pill bugs or BSFL, I don't think they are particularly fond of them. Some of my tilapia (mainly wild-caught Mozambiques) won't eat them at all and those that do (mainly the Niles) seem to loose interest before long.

JahQure
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