What must be done to frozen foods like brine shrimp before offering them to *H. zebra*?
Thoroughly thawed and rinsed to remove any preservative fluids
When supplementing the diet of *Hypancistrus zebra* with protein sources like live or frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp, proper preparation is mandatory for health and safety. Frozen offerings must undergo a two-step cleaning process before introduction to the aquarium environment. First, they must be completely thawed. Second, they must be thoroughly rinsed to wash away any preservative fluids or packaging liquids that were used during the freezing and storage process. Introducing these preservative fluids into the aquarium water can introduce unwanted chemicals and potentially stress the sensitive catfish, making rinsing an essential step for responsible feeding.

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