What do Lobsters Eat
The lobster is a large member of the marine crustacean family. They have five pairs of legs with three of those being claws. A lobster has a large set of claws at the front of the body and a long sectioned tail. They also have long antennas at the front of the head which they use as sensors. They are highly prized as excellent cuisine all over the world and are often bred and exported for this purpose. Lobsters malt as they grow and may even change colour. Amazingly this creature has blue blood due to the levels of copper in their blood cells. Lobsters can live up to 60 years and can grow to amazing sizes. The largest lobster ever recorded was 20.15 kilograms (44.4 lb). So what do lobsters eat? Read this article to find out.
What do lobsters eat?
(a video of a lobster being fed)
A common myth about lobsters is that they are scavengers and will eat whatever they can find lying on the ocean floor including dead carcases and feces. This is not true as lobsters actually prefer to dine on live prey. A lobster will scavenge for food if it has no other options or it is living in a crowded location, but it is not the norm.
In the wild lobsters will eat small fish, crabs, clams, mussels, oysters, prawns, sea urchins, worms, plankton, sea stars and some plant life. They will also eat other lobsters if the need arises. Lobsters usually hunt at night and use their acute sense of smell and their antennas to track their food. Interestingly, lobsters do not have teeth in their mouths, but in their stomachs and the prey is chewed and digested here.
What to feed a lobster in a tank?
When lobsters are kept in captivity it is a good idea not to have too many in one tank. If an area becomes crowded and there is too much competition for food lobsters will eat one another. Anything close to a lobsters natural diet is a good choice when feeding lobsters prey such as bloodworms, cockles, raw fish and prawns. Pet shops are also equipped with algae tablets, seafood squares and pellets that are safe and healthy for a pet lobster to eat.
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