Knox Gelatin or Agar Agar

[Vanman]

I will be making another batch of BH soon. I have used Knox gelatin as a binder but am considering trying agar agar. Which one do you prefer and why?

Years ago just before we quit keeping Discus for a few decades I bought some binder from an ad in FAMA. I do not remember what it was called but it probably is no longer available. It worked perfectly. The BH stayed in a block until they ate all of it.

[brewmaster15]

Gary, honestly..neither. I used to use knox gelatin and tried agar but neither are needed. Ripe bananas and raw shelled shrimp... with some flakes are really all you need. I used to make and sell a ton of beefheart mix... then I found freeze dried blackworms... but before that I made it 100 s of pounds at a time

[Vanman]

I use raw shrimp in mine already, but have never tried ripe bananas. How ripe? Just yellow or turning brown like you use in banana bread?

[brewmaster15]

Either will work. Gary are you using a food processor or grinder?

[brewmaster15]

On the shrimp.. how much? I used 1 lb shelled raw per 5 lbs beefheart.
.

[Vanman]

Food processor and about the same amount of shrimp. Some baby food veggies, baby food cereal, and I used to use FD krill and spirulina powder. I need to get some spirulina powder for my next batch. Back in the day all we fed was a BH mix. Now it is BH twice a day, FDBW once a day, and pellets once a day.

[brewmaster15]

I know alot of people use the food processor but I always found it just made it too messy. I used a meat grinder.. cut everything into chunks and grind to a hamburger consistency.

Got the grinder at Northern Tools..




Very similar to this one..

Screenshot_20231119_215013.jpg

[jeep]

I know a lot of people think I feed a lot of BH but my BH mix probably should be called Shrimp Mix. I actually use anywhere from 1:1 and up to 3:1 shrimp to BH then add a bunch of goodies like spirulina, spinach, bananas, etc... My last batch included a bag of discus chow I had forgotten was in the fridge. I've never seen a discus refuse!

I use a LEM grinder and run the mix through at least 4-5 times. It's pretty expensive but I also make a lot of ground meats and sausages. I'd imagine just about any grinder would work. I even used to use my grandmothers old hand crank grinder before I got the LEM. Talk about messy, lol...

[LizStreithorst]

Back when I made my own food for neocardina and mystery snails I was instructed to use agar agar. It worked well, but not being sure of why I asked my friend Google who told me:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles...m226nVjbpbqq86

[Vanman]

From that article it looks like agar agar will work better. I will try it in my next batch, with some bananas also. I know one person that uses raw egg yolk as a binder.

[Willie]

FWIW, agar is a carbohydrate extracted from seaweed while gelatin is a protein typically extracted from pigs or cows. But when I made beefheart, mine held together just fine without using either.

[CliffsDiscus]

From that article it looks like agar agar will work better. I will try it in my next batch, with some bananas also. I know one person that uses raw egg yolk as a binder.

I have used egg white powder as a binder its 90% protein.

[brewmaster15]

I have used egg white powder as a binder its 90% protein.

Cliff did you cook the Beefheart after? I have tried so many times to add raw eggs , yolks and whites to home made mixes and it just really made a mess. With all the eggs my chickens give me it would be great to use as fish food. I never tried cooking the mix though , that seems like the only way it would not make a mess.

al

[CliffsDiscus]

Cliff did you cook the Beefheart after? I have tried so many times to add raw eggs , yolks and whites to home made mixes and it just really made a mess. With all the eggs my chickens give me it would be great to use as fish food. I never tried cooking the mix though , that seems like the only way it would not make a mess.

al

Al, I know that making beefheart mix is a bloody mess, but the powder egg white will soak up some of the blood, flakes will also soak up
some of the moisture. I don't cook the beef heart, just feed raw frozen. I hate to make beef heart so if I can find someone else like my dog walker I am happy.

[brewmaster15]

Al, I know that making beefheart mix is a bloody mess, but the powder egg white will soak up some of the blood, flakes will also soak up
some of the moisture. I don't cook the beef heart, just feed raw frozen. I hate to make beef heart so if I can find someone else like my dog walker I am happy.

Lol Cliff.. I dont blame you! Thats why I switched to freeze dried blackworms