Help me keep my goldfish - shellfish free prepackaged foods?

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

So my shellfish allergies are getting worse, and I'm allergic to most of the foods I'm feeding my goldfish.  I can manage the Ken's earthworms still, but do we have any veggie foods that are well balanced and have no added fish or shrimp meal?  

 

Duckweed isn't an option in this rental, unfortunately.  I'm game for kelp flakes and such but worry about them not being nutritionally complete for freshwater fish.  Thoughts?

 

 

[mjfromga 1,784]

So sorry that your allergies are worsening. I don't think a diet devoid of fish meal can be truly complete for goldfish. Fish that exist on a diet of mostly algae would probably be okay. Funny the Earthworm sticks don't bother you. They're chock full of fish products. 

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

I think it might be because they aren't powdery.  I tried to feed Paradigm for the first time in three months, since my fish stuff arrived, and started reacting.  I can have my kids feed certain foods too, but it can't cross contaminate the house too badly.  So far the sticks pass muster but so did paradigm until recently.

 

I do have zoomed spirulina flakes, but those have shrimp in them too.  And it's getting to the point where I'm getting hives trying to drain their tank because of contact with the water (having broken down poop in it and thus shellfish contact).

 

I'm not even sure we need a vegetarian diet for them.  Just a food that has no shellfish products.  I can't even touch cuttlebone

[koko 14,315]

10 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

I think it might be because they aren't powdery.  I tried to feed Paradigm for the first time in three months, since my fish stuff arrived, and started reacting.  I can have my kids feed certain foods too, but it can't cross contaminate the house too badly.  So far the sticks pass muster but so did paradigm until recently.

 

I do have zoomed spirulina flakes, but those have shrimp in them too.  And it's getting to the point where I'm getting hives trying to drain their tank because of contact with the water (having broken down poop in it and thus shellfish contact).

 

I'm not even sure we need a vegetarian diet for them.  Just a food that has no shellfish products.  I can't even touch cuttlebone

I will go on a hunt for food for you.  No shellfish at all? 

That really sucks. I have an issue with Alkali in in foods I get massive hives all over my hands.  

[shakaho 6,312]

Allergies to arthropods should not indicate an allergy to fish meal.  Get a quality fish meal product.  This one looks good to me.  Then get Repashy  Super Green, which has no animal products and add fish meal to it.  

Since you have a problem with powders and allergies that worsen, you should use a mask whenever you use any powdered product, including flours.  You can also make gel food yourself from scratch using canned fish, gelatin and lots of veggies.  

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

With all the crazy I can't make something from scratch right now, but yes, fish meal that isn't adulterated with shellfish is fine. I will check out the brand you linked, thanks Sharon!

 

And at some point when I don't have two kids in therapy and three to teach in my 'spare time'  I will totally endeavor to make fish food again.  I did toss some repashy super green before the move but I could conceivably order it again.  It fouled the water a bit but you have a point that it's a better choice than getting rid of my beloved fish friends. 

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

Clicked on your link and saw straight up fish meal - hadn't even occurred to me!  The powdery texture makes it a little tricky to work with, but inner I could suspend it in super green.  Brilliant, Sharon.  Thank you!

[mjfromga 1,784]

As a note, Repashy GRUB PIE fish formula contains no fish products that I can see. I mix that with Super Green for my fish during the warm months. Soilent Green kinda stinks a lot and I find it didn't keep as well so I began doing that a lot more. 

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

I went ahead and grabbed the menhaden fish meal because I can use it for gardening too.  Multipurpose!  If I don't like it I will give grub pie a shot.  Thanks ladies!  I can manage repashy at this stage of life as long as it doesn't mess up my water too badly again.  I think I just have to make a stiffer mix of it, the softer ones seem to cause more issues.

[mjfromga 1,784]

I agree about the water fouling. The Soilent Green was the worst as far as that. It also smelled worse and spoiled quicker in the fridge. Idk why. The super green with the grub pie (which is much less powdery and makes it good together better) really worked better for me. I hadn't considered the pure fish meal either... 

[koko 14,315]

15 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

I went ahead and grabbed the menhaden fish meal because I can use it for gardening too.  Multipurpose!  If I don't like it I will give grub pie a shot.  Thanks ladies!  I can manage repashy at this stage of life as long as it doesn't mess up my water too badly again.  I think I just have to make a stiffer mix of it, the softer ones seem to cause more issues.

Turn off the filters when you feed it to them  

[shakaho 6,312]

Grubpie contains insects.  Aren't you allergic to bloodworms?  You certainly don't want to try that.

[mjfromga 1,784]

Yeah if that's the case then I guess it would not work either. I was only recommending non fish products. 

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

5 hours ago, shakaho said:

Grubpie contains insects.  Aren't you allergic to bloodworms?  You certainly don't want to try that.

Yeah I did react horribly to bloodworms, even though annelids don't bug me.

 

Thats a good point - I eat fish regularly so there is no reason why the menhaden should cause a problem.  Fingers crossed, it all arrives next week.

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

6 hours ago, koko said:

Turn off the filters when you feed it to them  

[shakaho 6,312]

Bloodworms are insect larvae.   Annelids aren't.

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

Ah, that makes sense.  I knew they weren't actual worms but I didn't know they were larva, either

[koko 14,315]

13 hours ago, shakaho said:

Bloodworms are insect larvae.   Annelids aren't.

I will just pretend I didn't see this  

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

I feel like this needs a bump, since I’m browsing around today trying to distract myself from my tank issues 

 

So the experiment with Super Green and higher end garden fish meal (menhaden) was a SUCCESS!  My fish love it and were growing very well, it didn’t foul the water overly much, poops were good and not constipated.  And best of all NO HIVES AND WHEEZING FROM ME!  

 

I’m not big into making my own fish food, but I actually like this better than many of the off the shelf blends I was using.  And it is fresh and only two ingredients. Cheat too.

Equal parts repashy and menhaden fish meal reconstituted with hot water into a gel?  Five stars from me and totally shellfish free.

[koko 14,315]

4 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

I feel like this needs a bump, since I’m browsing around today trying to distract myself from my tank issues 

 

So the experiment with Super Green and higher end garden fish meal (menhaden) was a SUCCESS!  My fish love it and were growing very well, it didn’t foul the water overly much, poops were good and not constipated.  And best of all NO HIVES AND WHEEZING FROM ME!  

 

I’m not big into making my own fish food, but I actually like this better than many of the off the shelf blends I was using.  And it is fresh and only two ingredients. Cheat too.

Equal parts repashy and menhaden fish meal reconstituted with hot water into a gel?  Five stars from me and totally shellfish free.

That is great news.  

[dahling8 94]

On 9/29/2017 at 4:25 PM, Arctic Mama said:

Yeah I did react horribly to bloodworms, even though annelids don't bug me.

 

Interesting read about your food journey!  But ok, I am a nerd, but intentionally or unintentionally I found this quite funny.

[koko 14,315]

7 minutes ago, dahling8 said:

Interesting read about your food journey!  But ok, I am a nerd, but intentionally or unintentionally I found this quite funny.

[dahling8 94]

You ladies are making me google stuff that I never thought of.  

I used to raise discus years ago and blood worms were considered ideal food growing out juveniles due to their amino profile/protein content.  I use frozen blood worms now for growing out some juvenile goldfish, maybe developing a fuller wen.  I downsized down to a few tanks now, but there's a spare tank that has baby discus written all over it.  Our local discus wholesaler is using freeze dried Australian black worms for growing out discus fry and adults, and all his other fish including koi and top view ranchu.  I like that idea because it is more cost effective than frozen blood worms and less allergy issues.  And...black worms are a type of annelid.

Just another option if you are looking for another possible protein supplement.  It hasn't caused any allergy issues for me for the sample that I'm trying out.  The wholesaler likes the loose black worms for his goldfish/koi, I think it stops the goldfish from inhaling a cube at a time.  $$!! I would consider the loose black worms stirred into gel food.

[koko 14,315]

1 hour ago, dahling8 said:

freeze dried Australian black worms

I might have to try that.

[Arctic Mama 3,595]

That’s really good to know about the black worms!