homemade fish food?

[bored4long]

In the coming weeks I'll be setting up my 120. I'm still not sure what I'm going to stock, but started putting together a list of off the shelf food stuff and about had a heart attack from the sticker shock.

So I'd like to explore possibly making my own food. Does anyone else make their own food? If so, would you mind sharing your recipe?

Thanks.

 

[shiveley]

can't see how making your own is going to be any cheaper than buying...quality ingredients are costly.

 

[casalt]

I've heard of homemade dog food , are you thinking brine shrimp hatchery?

 

[Fragmented]

I made a new batch tonight. It's easy and doesn't cost nearly as much as LFS food. Check out Eric Borneman's recipe. http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic20086-9-1.aspx

 

[bored4long]

thanks!

thanks!

I'm glad to hear it is cheaper. I found that same recipe posted on RC last night: Eric's Coral food

I also found two more recipes. I haven't done the math myself, but if a large enough portion of regular reef specialty food is substituted with regular grocery items I would expect the cost to drop considerably.

Here are two more recipe's I found:
Steve Richardson's recipe
Adam Blundell's recipe

 

[matttaylor]

I make my own out of 2 or 3 fresh small squid, 3 fresh shrimp tails, nori, garlic, Kent micro-vert, and liguid spirulina. By fresh i mean not frozen. I put everything in a food processor and blend it until i get a lot of small pieces and a few big ones (approx 30 seconds on medium high). Edit - this only costs about $2.00, and lasts for approx 2 months.

 

[bored4long]

Thanks, Matt. I knew there must be some more budget oriented reefers out there.

A few questions:
Do you use a dedicated blender or does it clean up well enough to use for regular cooking after making your 'reef chow'. I'd like to know ahead of time if this will ruin my wife's Vitamix.

I imagine it would be more difficult to blend raw squid than frozen. Is there a reason to use raw/fresh versus frozen?

What garlic do you use. I was looking at the Garlic Extreme available at F&S and was wondering if the regular liquid Garlic available in the vitamin aisle is just as good.

 

[dieselgrk]

i use pappone which is similar to to above mentioned recipes with the addition of sugar. i purchase all ingredients from whole foods including un-bleached and un-refined sugar and the total comes up to about $30 which isn't really saving me much $ but i love the out come and credit much of my success with sps to this great recipe!

 

[Underwaterparadise]

I use the sea food mix in the deli at the grocery store and chop it up with a food chooper. I used to make my own all the time but now I'm too lazy. I do suggest using selcon or some other type of vitamin additive when you make your own.

 

[matttaylor]

I use the wifes food processor. As long as you clean up immediately after using it, it will clean up fine. I also just throw in one clove from a head of garlic. And believe it or not, the tangs will actually eat the raw garlic!

I use fresh squid because that is what the local store has on sale. That and it's way easier to use fresh squid as the frozen stuff won't blend very well. I'm due to make some in the next few days, so if you want some let me know, and i'll make some extra for you.

Matt

 

[bkmorris]

paul, i have never heard of anyone including sugar in their food mix. interesting... how much goes in?

 

[dieselgrk]

1 tablespoon......

Materials:
5 Oysters
5 Mussels
5 Clams
5 Shrimp (NOT cocktail shrimp, the big scampi type w/o the head and the shell)
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
200 mL of RO/DI water
10 g of Red Algae (Palmaria palmata; Bisck uses Julian Sprung's brand)
and/or 10 g of Spirulina, 10 g of Nori (spirulina is what Bisck prefers)

 

[Fragmented]

I use a dedicated food processor. There is a risk using raw fresh shellfish. There are even warning labels on them. There are many different potential bacteria pathogens that are not easily washed out. I would be especially careful if you have small children or elderly people that eat food processed in the same appliance. For me it is easier and safer to have one just for fish/coral food.

 

[matttaylor]

Mine is basically dedicated to fish food, because in the 5 years we've had the processor, i've used it maybe 2 times for people food.