Is vitamin d3 harmful to inverts?

jack90274

jack90274

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Hello.

I’ve some fish pellets that I want to give to my isopods, but at the very bottom of all of the ingredients there is vitamin d3. I know that you aren’t supposed to give calcium powder to them that has d3 in it, so is it harmful or can I still give them the food? Also are there any other ingredients that I should watch out for?Such as copper which I know affects aquatic inverts so does it harm isopods?
 
moricollins

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jack90274 said:
Hello.

I’ve some fish pellets that I want to give to my isopods, but at the very bottom of all of the ingredients there is vitamin d3. I know that you aren’t supposed to give calcium powder to them that has d3 in it, so is it harmful or can I still give them the food? Also are there any other ingredients that I should watch out for?Such as copper which I know affects aquatic inverts so does it harm isopods?
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I've never heard of avoiding D3 for Isopods.

Repashy bug burger, which is the only "food" I use for my Isopods contains D3
https://www.repashyfoods.ca/repashy-bug-burger

I, personally, would not worry about D3 being included in the fish flakes.
 
DaveM

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moricollins

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DaveM said:
Here is a test report showing vitamin D3 as non-toxic to some invertebrates:

I was about to suggest talking to @moricollins, but he beat me to the post. Thanks, Mori!

Outdated, ignore!: (There is a real isopod expert on these forums (@moricollins ), whom I mention here so that he will see your post. Maybe he has experience with these kinds of fish pellet products.)
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Ha! I'm Totally not an expert!

@Elytra and Antenna , now that's an expert.

I will note on the subject of D3 that Repashy morning wood, which is an Isopod specific food, does NOT contain added D3, only vitamin D. I'm not sure if that actually means anything or if it's just a coincidence.
 
DaveM

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Vitamin D2 = ergocalciferol
D3 = cholecalciferol

Both are converted in humans in the liver to the long-halflife (weeks) prehormone calcifediol (also known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D); the conversion is thought to be more efficient from D3, hence the focus of dubious supplements (not recommended without blood tests and a physician's advice) on D3. Then calcifediol gets converted in the kidneys to the short-halflife (hours) active hormone calcitriol. We need it. Inverts are a big question mark for me. They need some calcium -- among other reasons, to signal at neuromuscular junctions so their cute little legs can move -- but invert calcium homeostasis is so different than in us because they have no bones!
 
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moricollins

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DaveM said:
Vitamin D2 = ergocalciferol
D3 = cholecalciferol

Both are converted in humans in the liver to the long-halflife (weeks) prehormone calcifediol (also known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D); the conversion is thought to be more efficient from D3, hence the focus of dubious (not recommended without blood tests and a physician's advice) supplements on D3. Then calcifediol gets converted in the kidneys to the short-halflife (hours) active hormone calcitriol. We need it. Inverts are a big question mark for me. They need some calcium -- among other reason's, to signal at neuromuscular junctions so their cute little legs can move -- but invert calcium homeostasis is so different than in us because they have no bones!
Click to expand...
Scientists ... Always make things complicated... LOL
 
jack90274

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moricollins said:
I've never heard of avoiding D3 for Isopods.

Repashy bug burger, which is the only "food" I use for my Isopods contains D3
https://www.repashyfoods.ca/repashy-bug-burger

I, personally, would not worry about D3 being included in the fish flakes.
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Oh, ok. I feed them repashy bug burger and they love it! Thanks for this info. They are actually Omega One Shrimp Pellets made for bottom feeders, so they aren't flakes, and I think they'll love 'em. I may be wrong though. I was surprised when I looked in there 10 minutes ago to see how many there were. By no means is the population even close to the maximum, and I'd say it's definitely closer to the beginning of population growth since I literally haven't touched them for six months.
DaveM said:
Here is a test report showing vitamin D3 as non-toxic to some invertebrates:

I was about to suggest talking to @moricollins, but he beat me to the post. Thanks, Mori!

Outdated, ignore!: (There is a real isopod expert on these forums (@moricollins ), whom I mention here so that he will see your post. Maybe he has experience with these kinds of fish pellet products.)
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Thanks for this! I think I'll feel safe giving them these pellets then!
moricollins said:
Ha! I'm Totally not an expert!

@Elytra and Antenna , now that's an expert.

I will note on the subject of D3 that Repashy morning wood, which is an Isopod specific food, does NOT contain added D3, only vitamin D. I'm not sure if that actually means anything or if it's just a coincidence.
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I think vitamin D3 isn't needed for isopods but also isn't toxic- this is what it seems like.
DaveM said:
Vitamin D2 = ergocalciferol
D3 = cholecalciferol

Both are converted in humans in the liver to the long-halflife (weeks) prehormone calcifediol (also known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D); the conversion is thought to be more efficient from D3, hence the focus of dubious supplements (not recommended without blood tests and a physician's advice) on D3. Then calcifediol gets converted in the kidneys to the short-halflife (hours) active hormone calcitriol. We need it. Inverts are a big question mark for me. They need some calcium -- among other reasons, to signal at neuromuscular junctions so their cute little legs can move -- but invert calcium homeostasis is so different than in us because they have no bones!
Click to expand...
Complicated! But it makes sense. They are very different so I imagine they don't need Vitamin D to absorb calcium like we do. After all, they eat very low amounts of vitamin D in the wild.
 
moricollins

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Omega one products are usually quite highly thought of they should be fine
 
jack90274

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moricollins said:
I actually checked the fish food pellets I use on occasion, it's also by Omega one and has D3 in it
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They ended up eating the pellets, and at first they seemed as though they liked it, but then all fell off the pellet and stopped eating. The next morning the pellet was gone. I guess they kinda liked it then. I'm not sure of how many are in the colony, but do you think they would enjoy a sprat? It's a little fish and I am wondering if they'd eat the whole thing?
Hisserdude said:
I highly doubt it's harmful to inverts, just useless.
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That's what a assumed as well, and it seems that way as I fed it to them and they are fine.
 
moricollins

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I wouldn't go with a whole fish, unless you know you have a ton of Isopods. My groups (even where there are thousands of Isopods) take a long time to consume a whole fish
 
jack90274

jack90274

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moricollins said:
I wouldn't go with a whole fish, unless you know you have a ton of Isopods. My groups (even where there are thousands of Isopods) take a long time to consume a whole fish
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Oh ok. I just thought maybe because the fish is so small. Like 3.5 inches long
 
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