I was a bit bored yesterday afternoon so the idea sprung into my head to make some frozen food, plus I thought I would take some photos for a mini-tutorial in the process.

For some fish, such as African cichlids, feeding too much dry food can cause health problems, including the notorious 'Malawi bloat'. Therefore frozen foods would make a more ideal diet. Using some simple, easy-to-obtain ingredients you can make a food that is cheap and nutritionally balanced.

The recipe that I'm using contains a fairly low-amount of protein, however you can adjust the amount of each ingredient to cater for your fish's dietary requirements.

You will need:

1x 375g bag of Prawns
200g Peas (fresh or frozen, it doesn't matter)
Gelatin powder (I've used the 'Vege-gel' product)
1x Clove of garlic (for an answer as to why I've included garlic, read below)
Spirulina powder (from a health-food store or supermarket)
A blender
One sharp knife and a chopping board.



Step 1) Start by chopping and grinding the garlic...





Step 2) Weigh out the Prawns and peas, the amount required will depend on the fish's requirements.



Step 3) Boil the peas and prawns, drain them and throw them inside a plastic container. You can add the garlic and spirulina at this point. Once you have done this, blend it all together to form a sticky mass.



Step 4) After you've blended the ingredients, you should end up with something like this. If it's too dry, simply add a small amount of water. Also, add the gelatin mix.



Step 5) Put the mixture inside another container, cover it with foil and leave it in the fridge for an hour or so.



Step 6) Finally, empty the contents of the container into an air-tight tub and place it in the freezer. When you need to use it, just cut off a small piece and leave it to thaw.



Why I used garlic ----> Quite simple really, many marine fishkeepers use garlic and now there are processed foods available which contain garlic, Koi enthusiasts also offer it as an occasional treat. From a certain perspective, garlic does offer certain health benefits.

All photos and text copyright © Pleccy, 2009. This article may not be reproduced without the prior consent of the owner.

hi i had a go at your recipe but my fish aint very interested... is it my fish maybe... i have a puffer, trigger, goby, 4 damsels & a snowflake eel... do you think its just not there sort of thing or wot... they like prawns but maybe its the peas... dont know....

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Emweeze

I doubt that marine fish will be very interested, this recipe is intended for freshwater species (it is particularly favoured by Malawi cichlids). The Puffer, Trigger and Snowflake eel will prefer more meaty foods such as whitebait and whole shrimp, whereas the Goby will be more omnivorous in their diet. Depending on the species of Damselfish these may prefer a planktonic food source.

oh... why did i think that recipe was for marine fish... divi me... oh well the left over whole prawns i have make a very lovely treat for them... they attack it lol

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Emweeze