I found an extra food processor.... Time to try Gel Food (:

[LovelyChaos 869]

Some of the subbies may remember me complaining about my boyfriend breaking our beloved blender ): Well, I found the food blender that came with it.... And since we already have a new blender, I think I can give a try at making Gel Food (:

A couple of questions: We are strictly vegetarian, and don't enjoy the smell of fish at all x: Is there a good way to contain the smell of any fish I might use in the food? If any?

Is it even possible to making in a food processor/ blender type thing? It has a pretty big capacity.

What have been the most successful and most desired recipes people have made? I think my fish will enjoy having Gel Food rather than flakes.

Can I add the flakes to the recipe to supplement in case there is an ingredient I can't find?

Thanks for reading (:

Edited October 8, 2012 by LovelyChaos

[Helen 8,511]

i just posted this to another thread... (yes, i am sealing my own material :rofl )

you can make the frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp etc into gelfood also. before the solient green, my gelfood mix was this:

carrot

zuccini

spinach

peas

garlic

bloodworms

brine shrimp

a probiotic capsule (contents of the capsule only.. not the outside)

i would blend that all together with some water taken from the tank, add either gelatine or Agar Agar setting powder.

sometimes for the extra protein, i would add some unsalted sardines to the mix (ryukins love it!)

you cut it up into small cubes (about the size of a bloodworm block) keep 3 or 4 days of food in the fridge and freeze the rest, defrost as needed

because you dislike the smell of fish, you can add the bloodworms and brine shrimp in there as solid frozen cubes. they don't take long to defrost and you can blend them whilst they're frozen. fish i believe need protein to grow in size and strength, i personally wouldn't deprive them of it.

[LovelyChaos 869]

Hehe gross. I can tell this will be a very interesting trial for me

[Okori 35]

If you find the smell of fish unappealing, you could always soak it in milk.... something dear old mommy taught me Just throw your piece of fish it in a ziploc baggie with a cup of milk and leave it in the fridge for an hour, then rinse it off when your ready to use it.

In my experience, theres nothing you "cant find" to add to your goldfish food. Most foods I buy from the store for myself can be used for goldfish.

Here's a veggie friendly recipe I use for my goldies, especially those who are floaty:

1 cup frozen, deshelled peas

1 cup oats

1 cup of fresh spinach or kale

2 cloves of diced garlic

1 red pepper or 1 cup diced carrots (for carotene)

1 probiotic capsule

3 packs of unflavored gelatin

If you can stomach it, I usually use a can of tuna in water, I agree with stakos completely that goldfish need protein for growth. You could also you tilapia fillets.

Also, if I have any bloodworms or brine shrimp laying around I like to throw some in. =)3 packs of unflavored gelatin

I cheat and start by blending my red pepper down to a liquid, adding only a little water; peppers hold alot of water, and this way I'm utilizing all my ingredients to their fullest potential. Then I toss everything else in and blend it down to mush. After it's mush, I just throw it on the stove in a saucepan and bring it to a GENTLE boil. Throw all three packets of gelatin into the boiling goo, stir it up well, then place it in a heat safe container (I use a glass baking pan) and toss it in the fridge. In a few hours it'll be solid, dice it up, and freeze what you don't need.

Hopefully this helps?

[LovelyChaos 869]

If you find the smell of fish unappealing, you could always soak it in milk.... something dear old mommy taught me Just throw your piece of fish it in a ziploc baggie with a cup of milk and leave it in the fridge for an hour, then rinse it off when your ready to use it.

In my experience, theres nothing you "cant find" to add to your goldfish food. Most foods I buy from the store for myself can be used for goldfish.

Here's a veggie friendly recipe I use for my goldies, especially those who are floaty:

1 cup frozen, deshelled peas

1 cup oats

1 cup of fresh spinach or kale

2 cloves of diced garlic

1 red pepper or 1 cup diced carrots (for carotene)

1 probiotic capsule

3 packs of unflavored gelatin

If you can stomach it, I usually use a can of tuna in water, I agree with stakos completely that goldfish need protein for growth. You could also you tilapia fillets.

Also, if I have any bloodworms or brine shrimp laying around I like to throw some in. =)3 packs of unflavored gelatin

I cheat and start by blending my red pepper down to a liquid, adding only a little water; peppers hold alot of water, and this way I'm utilizing all my ingredients to their fullest potential. Then I toss everything else in and blend it down to mush. After it's mush, I just throw it on the stove in a saucepan and bring it to a GENTLE boil. Throw all three packets of gelatin into the boiling goo, stir it up well, then place it in a heat safe container (I use a glass baking pan) and toss it in the fridge. In a few hours it'll be solid, dice it up, and freeze what you don't need.

Hopefully this helps?

It does! Thank you. I will have to see about a probiotic capsule though. Where are those found?j

[Okori 35]

lol, probiotic capsules can be found at any drugstore/pharmacy area, they're called probiotic vitamins usually. There are special formulas for men and women, and then just a general vitamin. I'm not sure, but I've read that you shouldn't use the men or womans formula for fish, just the general vitamins, probably because its formulated for a mature human, not a fishy =)

Also, make sure its a pill, not a liquid. Capsules work best, as they can be opened and the contents dumped out. The pill for works just as well, but has to be crushed up.

[dnalex 13,633]

I would just like to point out that if you aren't keen on using animal products to begin with, then definitely you should not use gelatin, but use agar agar or carageenan (sp). Both are plant products, and are actually much better.

[LovelyChaos 869]

I don't mind using animal products, and agar agar will be impossible to find here as the closest health food store is very far away. I just don't want to smell everything

[Okori 35]

I'm glad I didnt offend you! I -totally- forgot what gelatin is made of X__X

Make sure you post any sucessful recipes you manage to make for us!

[GoldPigs 10]

Do you have "otos"? or dwarf sucking catfish as some people call them?

[haley_tichonuk22 1,157]

Charly, gel food is actually really easy to make!! I just wanted to say, when I do mine with the gelatin, all I do is put it in a cup with some water and microwave it until it is dissolved. Then you just mix it into the gel food mixture and this way you don't have to boil the whole thng. I do this because I don't feel the need to cook the veggies and stuff since fish naturally eat raw stuff, and heat can wreck lots of the vitamins and stuff that you add in