Not all bottom fish are unhealthy, and many are good for you.

Imported shrimp: These tend to be high in antibiotics and heavy metalsīottom feeders are a sizable population and come in all shapes and sizes.

Imported catfish: These tend to be high in antibiotics and heavy metals.

Bluefish: High rates of PCBs, mercury, and petroleum.

Eel: High rates of PCBs and mercury, particularly off the East Coast.

The following is a partial list of fish you should not eat or only eat sparingly. There are very few fish that you should avoid at all costs unless you are pregnant. You should keep in mind that it is ok to eat almost all types of fish once in a while with most fish. Staying away from fish like Atlantic cod is important because the fishery off the east coast has struggled for over 50 years, and while it is recovering, it has a ways to go. The list of bottom-feeder fish not to eat is lengthy, but really, only a few should be off-limits because of health reasons. The moral of that story is that you need to research all aquatic levels of feeders. A few, like flounder or some catfish, will actively hunt prey, even though they prefer hanging out at the bottom and scavenging in a pinch. Other bottom feeders, though, do not run the same risk because they generally will only eat fresh dead things and fall to where the bottom feeder found them.

The chemicals they can pick up are lead, mercury, radioactive waste, petroleum products, etc. Those bottom feeders will usually pick up whatever chemicals have leached into the bottom of the body of water in question. Several aquatic bottom feeders will eat whatever dead thing they can find while wallowing in the mud. The same principle holds for bottom feeders, but probably not exactly as you envisioned.

Conversely, if you enjoy cake for breakfast, pie for lunch, and ice cream for dinner, washed down with sugary soft drinks, that will reflect poorly on your health. They Are What They EatĬonventional wisdom says that if you eat enough vegetables, protein, and fruits, lay off the sugar, and drink a lot of water, chances are you will be healthy. It depends on what the fish has been exposed to, how long it has been exposed and whether it is contaminated. That holds for some mid-level and topwater fish as well, though. Sure, there are some fish that you probably should only eat occasionally, if at all. Additionally, some bottom feeders are so delicious that you would eat them even if they were dangerous.įortunately, you do not have to choose between that lobster or oyster dinner and brain damage from mercury poisoning. If you have ever had fish chowder, you most certainly have eaten bottom feeders. Related article: What do the largemouth bass eat? Are Bottom Feeders Safe To Eat? You probably have eaten bottom feeders that might have elevated levels of chemicals like mercury and did not know it. Chances are, whether you knew it or not, you have been a regular consumer of bottom feeders your entire life.

Saltwater bottom feeder fish