June 2020 - Well I did not follow my normal method (see below) and have had many problems but the fish continue to like it so that is a big plus.
There was no frozen seafish mixes in Herons, so instead bought two packs of Bassa which I now know is a catfish species, Pangasisu bocourti, which is native to the Mekong delta. The flesh is very watery which gave me lots of problems when I tried to liquidise it, and then the final mixture was very sloppy and even after the gelatine was added to contents were semi-fluid (not good).
Plus when feeding this mixture I am constantly finding lots of small white sinews in the food. These have to be removed as the fish can choke on them if they are too big, and I am positive that I have lost a couple of breeding adult killifish due to this problem.
So in future I will stay with the normal mixes of seafish.
There was no frozen seafish mixes in Herons, so instead bought two packs of Bassa which I now know is a catfish species, Pangasisu bocourti, which is native to the Mekong delta. The flesh is very watery which gave me lots of problems when I tried to liquidise it, and then the final mixture was very sloppy and even after the gelatine was added to contents were semi-fluid (not good).
Plus when feeding this mixture I am constantly finding lots of small white sinews in the food. These have to be removed as the fish can choke on them if they are too big, and I am positive that I have lost a couple of breeding adult killifish due to this problem.
So in future I will stay with the normal mixes of seafish.
New homemade prepared fish food using various sea fish as basis. This is an alternative to my homemade beefheart food that all my fish seem to love, but can take a long time and lots of effort to prepare.
Details to follow. Only done this the once so far but based on the article by Charles Zammit in the BKA Killinews, but the fish seem to also like this. So next time I prepare some, I will take some photos to show how it was done.
Details to follow. Only done this the once so far but based on the article by Charles Zammit in the BKA Killinews, but the fish seem to also like this. So next time I prepare some, I will take some photos to show how it was done.
Actually, this is based very much on my method of preparing the beef-heart mixture, but using sea fish as the protein basis instead. It is very easy to prepare and takes a lot less effort and time than using beef-heart as you do not have to remove any sinews or fat before you start.
A few things you need before starting, is a blender (see below), a couple of bowls and packet(s) of gelatine.
A few things you need before starting, is a blender (see below), a couple of bowls and packet(s) of gelatine.
The fish I am using I purchased frozen from Herons (see below), and the main ingredient is their 400g "Oceanic Fish Pie Mix" that recently has been £4 for 2 bags, and is already cut into chunks. To this I added some "White Fish Fillets" but this you have to cut up before blending. Finally, this time I added some cooked prawns just to broaden the diet (big temptation to eat these during the preparation - so beware).
Just made another batch today (23/3/20) but there wasn't any "Fish Pie Mix" available, so I just used 2 x 400g "White Fish Fillets" which are actually Alaskan pollock. Everything looks fine, but as the saying goes, "the proof will be in the eating" for the fish anyway.
Just made another batch today (23/3/20) but there wasn't any "Fish Pie Mix" available, so I just used 2 x 400g "White Fish Fillets" which are actually Alaskan pollock. Everything looks fine, but as the saying goes, "the proof will be in the eating" for the fish anyway.
All of this is then liquidised in the blender, trying to use as little water as possible. A helpful hint is to allow the packets to thaw before blending as it is much easier, quieter and takes less water. Once all the fish is blended I add some sort of vegetable content, which could be frozen peas (needs blending) that I have found convenient, but in the past I have also used Spirulina powder that I had in my fishroom. To this mixture I then add some dry high protein mix, which can be seen in the picture below. My current preference for the dry mix is Astax from TA-Aquaculture but they will not be able to get anymore as the supplier has stopped production which is a shame. I like a very fine dry mix, so may have to grind the granules in a coffee grinder if they are too large.
Next step is to dissolve the packets of gelatine ( I used 2 packets in this instance) into boiling water with constant stirring. This is then poured into the mix and stirred well. Next step is to place the food into plastic containers (see below) with lids, and store them in the fridge overnight to allow time for the gelatine to set. After this the containers can be stored in the freezer.
I remove a container from the freezer, remove the solid block and place onto a cutting board, and allow about 30 minutes for it to soften then I cut it up into pieces just sufficient to feed my fish for one go. All the pieces are placed into a plastic bag and put back into the freezer.
Next step is to dissolve the packets of gelatine ( I used 2 packets in this instance) into boiling water with constant stirring. This is then poured into the mix and stirred well. Next step is to place the food into plastic containers (see below) with lids, and store them in the fridge overnight to allow time for the gelatine to set. After this the containers can be stored in the freezer.
I remove a container from the freezer, remove the solid block and place onto a cutting board, and allow about 30 minutes for it to soften then I cut it up into pieces just sufficient to feed my fish for one go. All the pieces are placed into a plastic bag and put back into the freezer.