Question about Gel Food

[Embrace 19]

Hi All,

Sorry, another topic on Gel Food recipes! Money is fairly tight at the moment due to being made redundant, but I really want my Goldfish to have a healthy balanced diet (unlike me ). I was wondering how much of the ingredients are actually needed. I know that Gelatine is obviously needed along with vegetables, but is it imperative to have fish in the food?

For example, could I buy a bag of frozen mixed veg (usually Peas, Carrot and Sweetcorn/Cauliflower) and boil them up along with some crushed garlic, maybe a bit of spinach and some of my Tetra Gold Japan pellets?

I have checked the Multivitamins I have, but it still has Iron in. Should I not include this?

Thanks.

Embrace x

[Helen 8,511]

i say everything you mentioned without the multivitamin is fine. as the ingredients has a good amount of greens and you are adding garlic.

i would probably leave the sweetcorn/cauliflower out of it though.

that said, 1 medium zucchini (peeled and deseeded), 1 small carrot, a handfull of baby spinach leaves (all fresh) and a cup of frozen, non salted green peas & a crushed clove of garlic, should be enough to make you 300-400 grams of gelfood once the gelatine is added.

if you/your family eats tuna, and you/they can buy 1 can in springwater, then you can use a couple of tablespoons of the springwater tuna in the mix.

the zuccini, carrot, spinach leaves can all be steamed, the peas boiled. (no need to remove the shells if you're blending all the ingredients together).

hope this helps

[Helen 8,511]

oh, and the garlic clove can just be crushed in the garlic crusher and added to the 'pre-blend' mix, then blended with all the other ingredients.

for the extra water that is required to make the gelatine, i just use the discarded water from having steamed or boiled the spinach, that has loads of natural iron in it. european cultures often drink the water that spinach has been boiled in, for the energy it offers.

[Embrace 19]

Thanks Helen! That is a great help

How to I know how to get the ratio correct with Gelatine/Veg?

[Helen 8,511]

which gelatine are you using? mine says 1 tablespoon will blend 400 grams of food, however, i found with the gelfood, because it is a little heavier than most foods you will bind, i need to use 1 & 3/4 tablespoons of gelatine dissolved stirring really quickly in 50ml of boiling water and then immediately added to the mix, blended all together, allow to cool before adding it to the fridge for setting.

[Embrace 19]

Whichever one I can get at my supermarket. Probably this one if it would be alright? http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=258252634

[Helen 8,511]

i don't see a problem with that one, hun.

[Embrace 19]

Thanks

So, If I buy a pack frozen Carrots, Peas and Green Beans and boil them, should I use old tank water? Also is it possible that you can over gelatine the mix?? I.E Add too much?

Thanks for the brill help so far! x

[Helen 8,511]

ok, here's my thoughts on this. personally? i would not use packaged veggies, most are already par boiled and all the nutrients are already gone. is it not cheaper to buy 1 zucchini, 1 carrot & a handful of baby spinach leaves to blend in with a cup full of frozen peas (which are normally not preboiled)? it would be more nutritious for your goldies.. alternatively, i suggest a good sinking pellet that is presoaked before feeding.. like Omega 1 or Thera A..

i just have a feeling that by feeding them frozen veggies, you're cheating them on nutrition therefore not making any difference what it is that you feed them. please, i hope i am not being misconstruded as being rude, but, if we're looking at going the healty alternative, why not feed your fish as healthy as you can whilst still bringing a saving to your pocket?

[Embrace 19]

No its fine, not rude at all

Unfortunately I hadn't seen this message by the time I went shopping and got a bag of mixed Peas, Carrots and Greenbeans for £2 so I will use this while the fish get used to eating gel food. Next time I will get fresh food.

Should I use old tank water or just dechlorinated water when I make it?

[Helen 8,511]

ok,. dechlorinated water is fine

i wouldn't boil or steam the veggies. just thaw them out, they should be soft enough to blend.

[Embrace 19]

Fish food made . Put about 250g of veg, a tablespoon of soaked pellets and 1 Clove of garlic.

With the gelatine, I wasn't sure how much to use as it said 1 sachet sets 1 pint of liquid, so I just put 1 sachet in and hoped for the best

Thanks for your help!

[Helen 8,511]

no problems & good work!

[Rebecca Hampshire 2,103]

Let us know how they like it!

[Embrace 19]

Let us know how they like it!

Will do . Not sure how long I should leave it to set for? Tried about 30 mins ago and it's just about set but not solid yet.

[Embrace 19]

Hi guys,

Just got the food out of the fridge. It has set but it breaks up as soon as it goes in the tank!

I will make it again today. Can I put too much gelatine in?? If I double the amount of gelatine, will t harm my fish?

[Embrace 19]

Also, forgot to add. My gelatine packet says that 1 sachet dissolved into 150mls will set 1 pint of liquid. As my mixture needed more gelatine, do I dissolve 2 sachets in 150mls or double or to 300mls?