Scooterman starts this one off with:
A clam-feeding like described above can satisfy many of the carnivores. Also, putting in some krill (if the carnivores are large enough) or plankton (for smaller carnivores) will get whole meaty foods to them (as some of the omnivores will steal this food, too).
So, the home made food is not 'stand alone.' It still follows the rule to mix and alter foods often.
You ask what to put in it. Much of that depends upon the fishes being fed. From the photos and listing of my tanks (http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/html.php?file=../motm/may_2007/may_2007_leebca.htm) you can see I have quite a mix. In the Butterflyfish category, I have omnivores and carnivores. In the 300 I have a Harlequin Tusk, who wants meaty meats (whole seafoods). Though oddly, the Tusk will grab a piece of algae off the clip, dash to the other end of the tank and spit it out. It seems it just can't stand to see the eating frenzy of the Tangs without taking some of their food. If the Tusk is chased by a Tang (because the Tusk got the last bit of algae), the Tusk will swallow it (out of spite, I think). But I digress. . .
I've not posted what I put into my home made foods simply because it is never the same twice! In over 35 years of making my own foods, they are never the same twice. That's part of the variation!
I'd be happy to review anyone's planed recipe if they tell me the fishes and the size of the fishes they intend to feed. I will make suggestions if someone presents their formula.
Here are some definite things NOT TO INCLUDE in the home made foods:
Marine fish - I know it seems like a good idea, but it is just too oily. It will ruin any attempts to bind the product, and binding the product is necessary, IMHO.
Oily seafoods - see above.
Processed foods - Shouldn't need to say it but. . .Don't use any cooked, marinated, treated, preserved, or foods with additives unless you know and approve of what is being added. Raw only.
No land products - The usual warning -- marine fish don't walk on land, ergo they don't eat land products (beef heart, red worms, corn, wheat or wheat products, sugar, etc.). A bit of broccoli flowers properly prepared, is about as far as I'd go with land products.
No freshwater products - A marine fish does not eat freshwater foods. No prepared food is suitable for BOTH the marine and freshwater fish. It has to be either one or the other. Their proteins are different, their fats differ somewhat, their vitamin sources differ, and each requires a different ratio of ingredients than the other. So, no blood worms, red worms, Daphna, freshwater mysis, etc.
No excess fiber - fish do not need nor want fiber in their diet. The exception to this are the large adult Tangs that almost eat algae exclusively. Even though their diet is high (relative to other fishes) in fiber, their digestive system is set up for this.
No ash - Why would anyone put worthless stuff in fish food?
No bad seafood parts - No squid beaks, squid ink sacs, squid cartilage. No clam shells, excess exoskeletons (e.g., shrimp tail 'shell'), bones, nor scales.
To put in are the raw foods listed in my long post on fish nutrition: http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=294728#post294728 This gives you more than enough ideas and suggestions on what to put into the formula.
After the above don't, you want whole foods that come from the sea. Some include whole krill, plankton, scallop, squid, shrimp, clam, etc. together with veggies such as the best one: Spirulina, or powdered kelp or the above mentioned broccoli flowers, or any combo. Add fats and vitamins (this can be mixed up too) and any other supplements that seem like a good idea. If it is raw and it comes from the sea, it's probably a good idea.
The one and only binder is Agar Agar. It is made from Kelp. What a wonderful thing to have available to the marine aquarist. The binder and the entire formula can be totally from the sea.
The amount of binder is very much dependent upon the food mix. If the mix is too fatty, or if there is a lot of whole Krill or whole shrimp, the Agar Agar will not bind well. More Agar Agar can overcome this, up to a point. The latter group (Krill and whole shrimp) is because the heads of shrimp contain an enzyme which attacks the Agar Agar chemically and inhibits its ability to solidify.
You've gotten information from me (above) that is the culmination of decades of experience, experimentation, and knowledge. All in a neat starter package.
So if you have a recipe you want to try out, post it and let's review it!
Remember to list the fishes and the size of the fishes you want to feed. Size makes a difference as to what the fish eats and needs.
If you have any specific question(s) just post 'em.
There are many ways to accommodate carnivores with an omnivore population. Remember, the target is three feedings a day, minimum. This isn't difficult when you consider algae on a clip as one feeding, the home made food one feeding, and the third a prepared food. Actually a fourth, which most fish will like once a week is a fresh opened clam (open a living clam without heat; rinse in RO/DI; freeze solid 48 hours; thaw; rinse again; drop in aquarium).
A clam-feeding like described above can satisfy many of the carnivores. Also, putting in some krill (if the carnivores are large enough) or plankton (for smaller carnivores) will get whole meaty foods to them (as some of the omnivores will steal this food, too).
So, the home made food is not 'stand alone.' It still follows the rule to mix and alter foods often.
You ask what to put in it. Much of that depends upon the fishes being fed. From the photos and listing of my tanks (http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/html.php?file=../motm/may_2007/may_2007_leebca.htm) you can see I have quite a mix. In the Butterflyfish category, I have omnivores and carnivores. In the 300 I have a Harlequin Tusk, who wants meaty meats (whole seafoods). Though oddly, the Tusk will grab a piece of algae off the clip, dash to the other end of the tank and spit it out. It seems it just can't stand to see the eating frenzy of the Tangs without taking some of their food. If the Tusk is chased by a Tang (because the Tusk got the last bit of algae), the Tusk will swallow it (out of spite, I think). But I digress. . .
I've not posted what I put into my home made foods simply because it is never the same twice! In over 35 years of making my own foods, they are never the same twice. That's part of the variation!
I'd be happy to review anyone's planed recipe if they tell me the fishes and the size of the fishes they intend to feed. I will make suggestions if someone presents their formula.
Here are some definite things NOT TO INCLUDE in the home made foods:
Marine fish - I know it seems like a good idea, but it is just too oily. It will ruin any attempts to bind the product, and binding the product is necessary, IMHO.
Oily seafoods - see above.
Processed foods - Shouldn't need to say it but. . .Don't use any cooked, marinated, treated, preserved, or foods with additives unless you know and approve of what is being added. Raw only.
No land products - The usual warning -- marine fish don't walk on land, ergo they don't eat land products (beef heart, red worms, corn, wheat or wheat products, sugar, etc.). A bit of broccoli flowers properly prepared, is about as far as I'd go with land products.
No freshwater products - A marine fish does not eat freshwater foods. No prepared food is suitable for BOTH the marine and freshwater fish. It has to be either one or the other. Their proteins are different, their fats differ somewhat, their vitamin sources differ, and each requires a different ratio of ingredients than the other. So, no blood worms, red worms, Daphna, freshwater mysis, etc.
No excess fiber - fish do not need nor want fiber in their diet. The exception to this are the large adult Tangs that almost eat algae exclusively. Even though their diet is high (relative to other fishes) in fiber, their digestive system is set up for this.
No ash - Why would anyone put worthless stuff in fish food?
No bad seafood parts - No squid beaks, squid ink sacs, squid cartilage. No clam shells, excess exoskeletons (e.g., shrimp tail 'shell'), bones, nor scales.
To put in are the raw foods listed in my long post on fish nutrition: http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=294728#post294728 This gives you more than enough ideas and suggestions on what to put into the formula.
After the above don't, you want whole foods that come from the sea. Some include whole krill, plankton, scallop, squid, shrimp, clam, etc. together with veggies such as the best one: Spirulina, or powdered kelp or the above mentioned broccoli flowers, or any combo. Add fats and vitamins (this can be mixed up too) and any other supplements that seem like a good idea. If it is raw and it comes from the sea, it's probably a good idea.
The one and only binder is Agar Agar. It is made from Kelp. What a wonderful thing to have available to the marine aquarist. The binder and the entire formula can be totally from the sea.
The amount of binder is very much dependent upon the food mix. If the mix is too fatty, or if there is a lot of whole Krill or whole shrimp, the Agar Agar will not bind well. More Agar Agar can overcome this, up to a point. The latter group (Krill and whole shrimp) is because the heads of shrimp contain an enzyme which attacks the Agar Agar chemically and inhibits its ability to solidify.
You've gotten information from me (above) that is the culmination of decades of experience, experimentation, and knowledge. All in a neat starter package.
So if you have a recipe you want to try out, post it and let's review it!
Remember to list the fishes and the size of the fishes you want to feed. Size makes a difference as to what the fish eats and needs.If you have any specific question(s) just post 'em.
