Gel Food For Herbivores?

Having just experienced bloat with the Pseudotropheus Zebra sp. long pelvic, I've only fed the Tropheus spirulina wafer. I've only got three of them (Tropheus sp. Red "Lupota") and they're still pretty small. In addition to the wafer, I see the big one pick algae off the glass and chew on java moss.

Has anyone ever tried a vegetarian gelatin mix for Tropheus and mbuna? I was thinking this would be a good way to approximate what they get in nature, and perhaps give them some garlic.

Sarah, what do you think? The idea would be to either use a commercial vegetarian formula, or else soak some wafers/spirula sticks until they were soft, add some blenderized romaine lettuce and soaked sushi wrappers, and a bulb or two of garlic per cup. The whole thing would be bound together with knox gelatin (A package and a half per cup of water.) I've tried agar as a binding agent, but it doesn't work well. Neither does pectin, which requires lots of sucrose.

If you wanted to condition them, you could add a half teaspoon or so of daphnia, or brine shrimp eggs.

Discus supposedly benefit from garlic (and they really love it.)

Does anyone have any experience with giving garlic to the African herbivores? Maybe it would work as a bloat preventive.

Thanks.

Sounds a lot like what the Germans feed their Tropheus. It's called shrimp mix and they swear by it. Let me see if I can dig up the recipe.

Hmmm....I saw a recipe for European shrimp mix for Haps on the cichlid forum. Must be related.

I started making my own gel food when I was raising sailfin mollies. Mollies need to eat a lot to get big, and flake just wasn't enough for them.

Thanks Sarah.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (longstocking @ Feb 19 2008, 07:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Sounds a lot like what the Germans feed their Tropheus. It's called shrimp mix and they swear by it. Let me see if I can dig up the recipe.[/b]

Click to expand...

Hey Sonny....Forgettaboutittt! Feed them a little Linguine and Clam Sauce and Little Pinot Grigio and you'll be alright. And don't forget the Cannoli, right! Hey, I'm just kidding Sonny....don't have a cow, right!



Who loves ya baby... Telly Savalas(Kojak) right

It is related but I think the tropheus guys switched the amounts around. More veggie stuff and less shrimp. But you get the idea and know what I'm talking about so you should be fine.

Foret the cichlids--I'll eat the linguine. I don't know about Pinot Grigio. It doesn't come in a box. Maybe we should start a new thread: what's the best cheap wine?




<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SubMariner @ Feb 20 2008, 12:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hey Sonny....Forgettaboutittt! Feed them a little Linguine and Clam Sauce and Little Pinot Grigio and you'll be alright. And don't forget the Cannoli, right! Hey, I'm just kidding Sonny....don't have a cow, right!



Who loves ya baby... Telly Savalas(Kojak) right [/b]

Click to expand...

Any thoughts about the garlic? Have you known anyone to give it to Africans?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (longstocking @ Feb 20 2008, 12:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

It is related but I think the tropheus guys switched the amounts around. More veggie stuff and less shrimp. But you get the idea and know what I'm talking about so you should be fine.[/b]

Click to expand...

garlic is a good thing for tropheus.... no problems there.

Disclaimer: It's been a loooooooooooooooong week - (but I won my pool league game, took a '4' to the cleaners, man was he pi**ed) -

1) Pinot Grigio is always a good idea - just not for the fish

2) I use NLS Thera A, in limited amounts, with my Tropheus

3) Lots of veggie flake

4) A foremost expert on all things fishy and lifey said: (paraphrasing - got chewed out for at least an hour) - stress is a primary factor in bloat; water quality (why I use Rift Lake Minerals), general water quality, and diet all contribute to a fishes - as well as a humans - eliminations regimen.

5) I (I mean my fish) ( but I don't either) don't have a problem with bloat - now - only when I moved a bunch (stress) I lost two of fifty-two.

For what it is worth,

paul.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (animicrazy @ Feb 22 2008, 09:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Disclaimer: It's been a loooooooooooooooong week - (but I won my pool league game, took a '4' to the cleaners, man was he pi**ed) -

1) Pinot Grigio is always a good idea - just not for the fish

2) I use NLS Thera A, in limited amounts, with my Tropheus

3) Lots of veggie flake

4) A foremost expert on all things fishy and lifey said: (paraphrasing - got chewed out for at least an hour) - stress is a primary factor in bloat; water quality (why I use Rift Lake Minerals), general water quality, and diet all contribute to a fishes - as well as a humans - eliminations regimen.

5) I (I mean my fish) ( but I don't either) don't have a problem with bloat - now - only when I moved a bunch (stress) I lost two of fifty-two.

For what it is worth,

paul.[/b]

Click to expand...

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sonny Disposition @ Feb 19 2008, 08:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hmmm....I saw a recipe for European shrimp mix for Haps on the cichlid forum. Must be related.

I started making my own gel food when I was raising sailfin mollies. Mollies need to eat a lot to get big, and flake just wasn't enough for them.

Thanks Sarah.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (longstocking @ Feb 19 2008, 07:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Click to expand...

Sounds a lot like what the Germans feed their Tropheus. It's called shrimp mix and they swear by it. Let me see if I can dig up the recipe.[/b]

Click to expand...

[/b][/quote]


There is a recipe for rift lake fish food in one of Ad Konings books - I'll have Amanda find it while I build stands today.

Paul.

Stress? Hmmm....these were new fish. That would explain a lot. The three survivors seem to be doing ok.

Thanks, Paul and Sarah.

Re: Flake--I stopped using it when I was raising sailfin mollies. The fish were thin and always hungry looking. Maybe I'll go back to it. African's don't eat anywhere near as much as sailfins.

Pinot Grigio? Maybe I'll give it a try. Is it dry? I don't care for sweet wine.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (animicrazy @ Feb 22 2008, 09:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Disclaimer: It's been a loooooooooooooooong week - (but I won my pool league game, took a '4' to the cleaners, man was he pi**ed) -

1) Pinot Grigio is always a good idea - just not for the fish

2) I use NLS Thera A, in limited amounts, with my Tropheus

3) Lots of veggie flake

4) A foremost expert on all things fishy and lifey said: (paraphrasing - got chewed out for at least an hour) - stress is a primary factor in bloat; water quality (why I use Rift Lake Minerals), general water quality, and diet all contribute to a fishes - as well as a humans - eliminations regimen.

5) I (I mean my fish) ( but I don't either) don't have a problem with bloat - now - only when I moved a bunch (stress) I lost two of fifty-two.

For what it is worth,

paul.[/b]

Click to expand...

Sonny Disposition:

A wine tasting is in order - and I know Just the Right people to invite - although all are welcome !!

p