I know that the forum has a wealth of information of great foods for goldfish, including gel foods. However, I would like to collate some of the info, specifically on gel food that has been tested and verified to work for confirmed floaters. Please share your recipes here
I'll start. This is my latest recipe, and I am 100% pleased with it. I've had other recipes that work, but this one by far is the best, simply because I think it gives good nutrition, awesome food consistency, and not even a hint of floatiness, at least for my fish
Alex's No-Float Yummy Agar Gel Recipe:
- 6 oz canned or bagged tuna (low sodium is best). Substitute: steamed fresh fish (weigh before steaming).
- 2 jars (8 oz) Gerbers baby food. I've used peas, carrots, and mixed vegetables. Substitute: 4 oz veggies cooked and then puree with 1/2 cup spring or distilled water. (Do not use broccoli [gas] or spinach [interferes with calcium absorption in same food])
- boil two eggs and use only the egg whites
- blend this together until you get a nice thick pur?e consistency.
- 4 teaspoons of highly quality food like Pro-Gold
- 1 multivitamin
- 1 probiotic tablet
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon koi clay
- crush pellets etc. to a powder, and mix together.
- in a pot with lid, add 2-3 tablespoons of agar to 1.5 cups distilled spring/distilled water and turn heat on high
- add the fish eggs mixture and stir slowly but well
- cover with lid and let mixture come to a boil
- once boiling, occasionally lift lid to stir mixture, and let boil for about 3 minutes.
- remove from heat
- in about 5-10 minutes, when mixture has not yet congealed and is warm but touchable, add powder mixture and stir slowly but well
Pour into baking pan. Leave at room temp for 1 hour. By this time you should see a very well gelled product. Cover with Saran wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Then, cut into 1 inch cubes and freeze. Thaw before using. Thaw enough to feed only for 2-3 days max.
For maintenance, feed 1% body weight daily once or several times a day. For growth, 2% - 3% divided into 3-6 meals/day.
Note on agar: I use 3 teaspoons for my recipe. The texture is relatively hard and the fish will have to chew a bit more. I do this intentionally so that the hogs don't inhale everything. To make it softer, use 2 tablespoons. You must make sure to cook the agar as shown above to ensure melting of agar and binding of the mixture
Recommended Comments
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.