Just moving this here from a different post.
Goldfish are like cows they need veggies. A common way to give them their veggies is feeding them shelled frozen peas or a veggie based flake.
There are many other fish that do best with a bit of algae or vegetable matter in their diet. Or feeders can be fed veggies and then fed while 'gutloaded' to larger predators.
I believe I have a better way tho....
Strange this is probably going to be the first time I post this idea in a place where people will actually see the simplistic beauty of it. Not half an arrogant start eh?
OK so this recipe is one I am still developing.
The secret weapon in this case is the humble duckweed.
So we need...
1) a big helping of duckweed (at least 50% of the bulk)
2) some random bulking veggie, zuccini and squash are both great, pumpkin and peas are another good option to make up the rest.
3) I'll leave out the other randoms like garlic, clay etc for this one... hmm ignore 3
4) a blender
5) paper towels
6) a dehydrator or the sun or an oven
So first of all blend up the duckweed into mush, then add some of the bulking up veggies and turn them to mush too. Mix mush together well. Now tip the mush onto a pile of paper towels. Form into small patty cakes. Now SLOWLY dry them out, think of them like beef jerky (mmmmm.... beef jerky... drool) so yea ya can do in the sun, or in a dehydrator or if need be in an oven on low with the door open a crack. Once dry, and please don't burn, VOLA!! You have now not just made an excellent algae wafer substitute but the best fish laxative known to Donnykind. With it's super sinking powers it can get to the base of the tank (something duckweed has trouble doing) and be eaten by sunk fishys.
I developed this 'wafer' for my fancy goldfish and shhhh! secret hey! I realise not everyone has a nice supply of duckweed on hand. They should though and heaps of you guys do I have noticed from your pictures. But if not.... Get a pond and fill it with your old nitrate filled water change water. I run a garden hose from the tank to the pond. Chuck in some duckweed and it will reproduce like a champion! Duckweed on demand from then on. Don't have goldfish in the pond they will eat it all. Duckweed is the prince of clearing gut trouble in herbavour fish, makes peas look like a ghetto street urchin. Perhaps you can find a supply somewhere, even a creek or something, maybe someone has a heap on hand.
A few last points.
1) Gather duckweed from clean water. In filthy water the duckweed roots will collect lots of debris and the end wafer will be muddy. A clean batch will produce the most beautiful green wafer you have ever seen.
2) This is an excellent health food and helps prevent gut problems ever hapening. It helps keep goldfish, plecs, africans, silver dollar and even marines like lawn mower blenny in good shape.
3) I have made super sized 'pond pizza' complete with decorated dehydrated veggie slices. I used these as gifts for mates with ponds, to see a horde of goldys attacking a big one makes me grin.
4) If you are a ninja pirate viking like myself you can make a nice thin sheet, origami fold it into a lotus flower and create the supreme stylish treat for a beautiful chickys goldfish tank. Whos says fish geeks never get the girl?
5) I hate buying algae wafers. Make these about the same size and store well and these will last a long time. They have saved me a lot of cash and to anyone not in the know they ARE an algae wafer.
6) Duckweed is a complete food for goldfish. Pays to still feed a variety of foods, but I have raised a goldy from 2cm to 8cm on NOTHING else. Was a good growth rate, good colour and a happy healthy fish. Only gave up as needed the tank for other fish and science had to take a back seat.
7) Aside from clearing out fish like nothing else, duckweed is almost completely digestable.
8 ) It shrinks a HUGE amount as it drys, you will get respect for why algae discs cost so much. It takes a serious amount of algae to make each disk!
9) If you are in a hurry to use, and you may well be, the wet mix can be mixed with gelatin (or even better agar agar) and turned into a frozen 'gel' food.
10) This recipe is my baby. Use it for good. I have settled on a rather complicated version that I think is the ducks nuts. Another time perhaps.
Pictures to come, but really it's not that hard. Blend, mix in some other stuff to bulk up and dry out slowly.
Another awesome 'complete' food for goldfish is earthworms.
I'm coming into this forum without reading enough of it to know if this is common knowlledge or not, so ya forgive if all obvious lol.
But ya between earthworms, duckweed and a good pellet food it's very rare to get conspitation or any disease really if you keep the environment friendly
Really enjoying reading this forum btw. So many good little ideas. I have been impressed well and truely
Woooooot
Backyard Aquaponics
