# Source for canned or frozen mackerel?



## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Adding variety to the pups' diet...
Does anyone know where I could get this in bulk, at around $1.00 a pound or less? I'm in So Cal, Los Angeles.

Our local Ralphs used to carry the canned jack mackerel, rather good stuff from mexico, but stopped recently. I can get a slightly more expensive type (different brand, different mackerel species,from china), but it has a lot more salt and the fish itself is not as nice. Frozen mackerel would be ok - actually any smallish and not expensive food fish (oily or not) would be good to have. If you know an online place that ships, that is fine too.


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## Mike Talkington (May 13, 2008)

Anna,
I get my canned jack mackerel at Walmart.
On my fasting day I actually feed everyone about 5 ounces of canned mackerel with a whole egg.
But Walmart is my source for it.

Mike


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Thought I'd update, if anyone else is looking for canned mackerel - seems there's a shortage now, because it's been hard to find and prices have gone way up. 
Mackerel cans are approx 15 oz.

Found some cans at the 99cent store (and bought everything they had.)
Also found some at two mexican food stores, at 1.49 per can and 1.67 per can. 
Also found some a a slightly more upscale big Mexican grocery store, Top Valu, at 2.69 per can.

I am also trying out canned sardines in tomato sause - 1.49 for 15 oz cans, which is not bad.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Anna Kasho said:


> Adding variety to the pups' diet...
> Does anyone know where I could get this in bulk, at around $1.00 a pound or less? I'm in So Cal, Los Angeles.
> 
> Our local Ralphs used to carry the canned jack mackerel, rather good stuff from mexico, but stopped recently. I can get a slightly more expensive type (different brand, different mackerel species,from china), but it has a lot more salt and the fish itself is not as nice. Frozen mackerel would be ok - actually any smallish and not expensive food fish (oily or not) would be good to have. If you know an online place that ships, that is fine too.


Anna what about all that extra salt? Isn't it bad for dogs? I know some is good but...Are there fish shops near you that sell "day old"? Then what about the smell in th kitchen, yipes!=;


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Anna what about all that extra salt? Isn't it bad for dogs? I know some is good but...Are there fish shops near you that sell "day old"? Then what about the smell in th kitchen, yipes!=;


Salt, yes. I don't feed anything extremely high salt, and I am aware because I don't like salt myself. I don't think a can or two split between 4 dogs once a week is too much, but then what do I know. Some raw has added salt too, like the frozen leg quarters or holiday turkey. I usually notice this when they drink more water than usual. I've been told it is ok... Believe me I'd avoid it if I could.

I wish I could find fish raw, but it's way expensive and I haven't found any fish markets. I was thinking bait supply maybe, or wherever seabird rescues get their cases of little frozen sardines (or whatever), I'll have to call and check. I HATE the fishy smell, but I could just throw it outside for them to eat. Of course then I'd have those sharp fish bones to worry about, always something...:lol:


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## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

Sometimes you just can't avoid salt...but I personally won't buy anything that has been "enhanced" with salt such as what they sell at WalMart (chicken and turkey) for me or the dogs. I get whole frozen sardines at the commissary on base, but I have seen them at other grocery stores in their frozen food sections as well - Coleson's Catch Brand - http://www.colesonfoods.com/. Maybe you can contact them and see if they distribute near you?


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Thanks Lacey! They're based on the west coast, and the sardines look realy good. I will contact them and see, maybe I can get these locally somewhere. Although I have NEVER seen whole frozen sardines at grocery stores. :| 

If I was really picky, raw would be prohibitively expensive - so I have to shop around and work with what I can afford. Sometimes that means frozen chicken quarters or turkey with salt. Hey, I figure it's still better than cooked and overprocessed kibble... Don't they add salt to kibble, anyway??

I have seriusly thought of raising critters to feed to my dogs, like chickens or rabbits or something. I wish I had a farm...8-[


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Anna Kasho said:


> gure it's still better than cooked and overprocessed kibble... Don't they add salt to kibble, anyway??
> 
> I have seriusly thought of raising critters to feed to my dogs, like chickens or rabbits or something. I wish I had a farm...8-[


They do add sodium chloride/potassium chloride to most kibbles, but this is because all mammals need sodium and potassium as electrolytes and for physiological function (the good ol' ATP pump in cells is driven by sodium and potassium gradients). Animal tissue naturally has some in it, but even the better kibbles usually add it to make AAFCO requirements.

You can raise chickens in your backyard even if you live in the suburbs in many areas. Roosters are usually not allowed because of the noise, but many municipalities allow hens. We've already been told in class to look for more people going back to raising their own backyard flocks. I would sure like to when we get our fence up at some point this century! Here's a cool page:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Are there any positive uses for farm raised catfish? What about blue fish, the larger ones are high in oil aren't they?


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I know catfish based foods are popular with some (the Blackwoods diet comes to mind), but I would not feed farm raised catfish on a super regular basis for the same reason I don't eat it myself on a regular basis. The amount of pesticide run off in a lot of agricultural areas where catfish farms are just make me shudder. Perhaps 2-3 times a month would be okay, but I wouldn't take chances with pregnant/lactating bitches and puppies.

What do you mean by blue? Blue catfish?


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## Ian Forbes (Oct 13, 2006)

I just buy whatever canned oily fish I can get cheap (usually in oil or tomato sauce, never in brine). These include Pilchards (which seem the cheapest), Mackerel and Sardines.


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## David Scholes (Jul 12, 2008)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> What do you mean by blue? Blue catfish?


Blue, channel, flathead, bullhead are different kinds of catfish. Most of what you buy in the store are channel cats.

My boys used to feed some of the smaller fish we caught to our anatolian. She loved fish especially the little stunted sunfish you find everywhere, just crunched them whole. Then one day she picked up a catfish which still had the pectoral and dorsal fins/spines. Wasn't seriously hurt but they can be painful. She wouldn't touch any kind of fish after that. So, if you feed catfish, make sure you cut off the spines at least. 

Also, with any wild caught fish, I would remove the insides. Sometimes they have hooks in their gut. Some anglers will just cut the line or it will break on it's own if the fish swallows the hook and gets away. The fish often still survives with the hook intact but I don't think you want it inside your dog.

As kids we used to spear huge quantities of carp during the spawning season. Could be a good source but I would be careful about what body of water you get them from before feeding regularly due to the pesticide runoff issue spoken of earlier.

David


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> I know catfish based foods are popular with some (the Blackwoods diet comes to mind), but I would not feed farm raised catfish on a super regular basis for the same reason I don't eat it myself on a regular basis. The amount of pesticide run off in a lot of agricultural areas where catfish farms are just make me shudder. Perhaps 2-3 times a month would be okay, but I wouldn't take chances with pregnant/lactating bitches and puppies.
> 
> What do you mean by blue? Blue catfish?


No ocean stripe bass. Aren't farmed catfish raised in concrete tanks? How much pesticides would they use?


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

David Scholes said:


> Blue, channel, flathead, bullhead are different kinds of catfish. Most of what you buy in the store are channel cats.


No worries, David. I grew up in the South and loved fishing. I know all about those nasty squeakers.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Aren't farmed catfish raised in concrete tanks? How much pesticides would they use?


They'll sometimes use levees as barriers between the ponds, but the actual ponds are usually just dug out of the dirt. So if that catfish pond used to be where a cotton field or feedlot used to be or if it's surrounded by large scale agriculture that uses a lot of pesticides and fertilizer, I'd imagine there'd be a decent bit of run off. The EPA or the US Geological Survey would probably have published numbers on specific geographical locations. I found out a couple years ago that men in Columbia, Missouri area (an agricultural area) actually have almost subfertile sperm counts, likely due at least in part to pesticide runoff in drinking water. Eeek! :-o

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/Jun/20080615News002.asp


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