Has anyone made Martin's home made food that is on here?
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Has anyone made Martin's home made food that is on here?
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has made Martin's home made food that is on here?
I made it and it seems to break up in small pieces in the water column. I think my loaches are getting it as it settles... perhaps.
These small pieces that break off when they eat - is this food still viable for the loaches as they get bigger?
What has been your experience with this home made food?
Thanks,
Bruce.
I was wondering if anyone has made Martin's home made food that is on here?
I made it and it seems to break up in small pieces in the water column. I think my loaches are getting it as it settles... perhaps.
These small pieces that break off when they eat - is this food still viable for the loaches as they get bigger?
What has been your experience with this home made food?
Thanks,
Bruce.
- Doc
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I make a very similar version and my fish love it. The slow break up is ideal for all my fish.. I'll try and upload a video later on when I'm home to show what it is like when I feed them all.
As I have a mix of different sized fish the particles feed all of them and very little is left over afterwards.
The only problem with it really is the stench when making the stuff.
As I have a mix of different sized fish the particles feed all of them and very little is left over afterwards.
The only problem with it really is the stench when making the stuff.
So many species of fish yet so little time, space and money to keep them all...
I make something similar, and it does sort of crumble as it defrosts. (I feed it frozen) I do not add gelatin.
I am going to try adding something to make it more gel-like the next time.
50% Protein food such as frozen fish, shellfish, canned sardines, oysters... whatever I can find, usually at least 3 things. (reserve the water from the canned things, using it as needed to help the food processor properly chop and blend stuff)
40% vegetables such as butternut squash, pumpkin, yam, spinach (frozen, chopped), other vegetables.
10% other:
Several cloves of garlic, several tablespoons spirulina powder (Health food store, and read the label to be sure it is pure spirulina), banana...
If the mix is too watery I will add freeze dried foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia or even Omega One flakes to dry it up a bit.
Food processor to blend and chop it all, cook as needed, depending on the ingredients.
I package it in zip lock bags. One sandwich sized baggie is one meal for all my tanks. Flatten it out in the baggie so the food is between 1/8 and 1/4" deep. 1/8 is not quite enough, 1/4" is a bit too thick. Freeze on flat trays, then store about a dozen sandwich bags in one gallon size freezer bag.
Metric translation:
Put food into plastic bags 3-6 mm deep, spread out flat.
While I feed a whole bag at one meal, with fewer tanks you can break off whatever amount you want to feed and reseal the bag, being sure to exclude all the air.
This stuff does freezer burn rather easily, so keeping the air out is very important, both in the initial packaging and during storage.
I am going to try adding something to make it more gel-like the next time.
50% Protein food such as frozen fish, shellfish, canned sardines, oysters... whatever I can find, usually at least 3 things. (reserve the water from the canned things, using it as needed to help the food processor properly chop and blend stuff)
40% vegetables such as butternut squash, pumpkin, yam, spinach (frozen, chopped), other vegetables.
10% other:
Several cloves of garlic, several tablespoons spirulina powder (Health food store, and read the label to be sure it is pure spirulina), banana...
If the mix is too watery I will add freeze dried foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia or even Omega One flakes to dry it up a bit.
Food processor to blend and chop it all, cook as needed, depending on the ingredients.
I package it in zip lock bags. One sandwich sized baggie is one meal for all my tanks. Flatten it out in the baggie so the food is between 1/8 and 1/4" deep. 1/8 is not quite enough, 1/4" is a bit too thick. Freeze on flat trays, then store about a dozen sandwich bags in one gallon size freezer bag.
Metric translation:
Put food into plastic bags 3-6 mm deep, spread out flat.
While I feed a whole bag at one meal, with fewer tanks you can break off whatever amount you want to feed and reseal the bag, being sure to exclude all the air.
This stuff does freezer burn rather easily, so keeping the air out is very important, both in the initial packaging and during storage.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.
Happy fish keeping!
Happy fish keeping!
I did half of Martin's recipe about a month ago, but minus the beef liver. It turned out excellent. My loaches can't get enough of it. The gelatin holds everything together just right. I usually break off a frozen square that's about the size of a credit card and hold it in the tank water for about 15 seconds. Then a horde of loaches come after it and it will be completely gone and eaten in about one minute.
I should probably shot a video of it. Maybe in a few hours.
I should probably shot a video of it. Maybe in a few hours.
Doc - Diana - Chefkeith and Ashleigh - Thank you for your comments and your offers to shoot a video of it.
Some of the particles seem so small, it makes me wonder if the loaches are actually eating it because when they come around to eat it - clouds of particles fill the bottom half of the tank around where it falls in. It does stay intact tho on the bottom until the boys show up to eat it but the resulting flurry of action around it - changes it's intactness ( if that is a word ).
I suppose I could take ammonia and nitrite readings every few days to see if it has any affect on the water chemistry. If everything is hunky dory then I can assume they are eating it all.
I do know that my loaches love it because everyone shows up to eat.
Thanks again!
Some of the particles seem so small, it makes me wonder if the loaches are actually eating it because when they come around to eat it - clouds of particles fill the bottom half of the tank around where it falls in. It does stay intact tho on the bottom until the boys show up to eat it but the resulting flurry of action around it - changes it's intactness ( if that is a word ).
I suppose I could take ammonia and nitrite readings every few days to see if it has any affect on the water chemistry. If everything is hunky dory then I can assume they are eating it all.
I do know that my loaches love it because everyone shows up to eat.
Thanks again!
Diana - I'm going to incorporate some of your ideas in my next batch, especially the vegetables and spirulina powder.
In Martin's description - he says to "liquidize" - is this what you do? - or just chop it up. On my blender it has chop and liquidize and about 1/2 dozen of other things it's capable of doing. Perhaps it's a mute point whether one chops or liquidizes it?
Thanks!!
In Martin's description - he says to "liquidize" - is this what you do? - or just chop it up. On my blender it has chop and liquidize and about 1/2 dozen of other things it's capable of doing. Perhaps it's a mute point whether one chops or liquidizes it?
Thanks!!
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