My first batch of BH is...questionable!

[kaceyo]

My batch of BH came out much different than the stuff I've been buying from the lfs. I used BH only, no fish or shrimp etc. and added some powdery bottom of the can flakes I've been saving. Also some garlic juice and Naturose, but thats it. It seems to be sort of leathery feeling when frozen, rather than like a piece of ice as the lfs stuff is. Also, it sinks like a rock when put in the tank. Is this normal or should I try making another batch? Acouple of my fishlove it, a few eat it after realizing nothing else is comming and a couple turn there noses up at it. It did sit in the fridge for two days after it was mixed while I was trying to find out how much Naturose to add per lb. but still smelled fresh when I did freeze it. So is the leathery texture normal for homemade? Any advice will be appreciated.
Thanx,
Kacey

[jeep]

What proportions did you use? How much beefheart and how much shrimp?

I always add approx. equal amounts of shrimp to beefheart because the shrimp is a great binder. Keeps all the stuff together...

It may be a little messy, but if your fish are eating it then let them.
BTW, I always try to use solid ingredients so there's a better chance everything will stay together. Polaner makes a finely crushed garlic that can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores...

[kaceyo]

Hi Jeep,
I didn't use any shrimp, just BH. It could use a little binding though, as it is a bit messy in the tank. It's just the texture and the fact some of my fish don't like it, even though they loved the pure BH from the lfs, thats got me wondering about it.

[wolfbane]

I made my first batch this month also, used DanDMan's recipe :D , stays togeter til the fish tear it up. They are all eating it fine, the stuff from the lfs was icy, more water in it I suppose.

[bio new]

Hi Jeep,
I didn't use any shrimp, just BH. It could use a little binding though, as it is a bit messy in the tank. It's just the texture and the fact some of my fish don't like it, even though they loved the pure BH from the lfs, thats got me wondering about it.

IMHO, texture of BH mix plays an insignificant role.

Discus will eat the BH once they are used to the ingredients. My BH mix has several colours. Natural when it is pure BH, green when I added spirulina, red when I mixed cyclop eeze, light when I have wheat germ added and etc etc etc. They eat all of those.

If you really want to feed your discus with pure BH, Carol has the answer. See the thread about Carol's Beefheart will not dissolve at Foods and Nutrition Section.

BH that floats contained air and plenty of frozen water. Eventually, it will sink. This doesn't matter.

Bye and dont worry, your discus will eat your homemade BH.

CHEERS!

[BGTW]

KC, what is it? Ground, minced, blended BH?

The flake in it is putting the fish off. Garlic juice is an acquired taste too. How much Naturose did you use?

Worry not, just starve the buggers a day or two and take care they don't bite the fingers off your hand when you feed them again.

Bob

[Moon]

You might try adding gelatine to the mix. It helps to keep the liqudized BF bound. I drop pieces into the tank and the fish bite chunks off it with no bits scattering.

[kaceyo]

I ran it through a food processer that has a spinning attachment to either slice or dice as the food is pushed through the spinner. The BH is mostly bite size with just a piece or two in each feeding left too big for them to eat. I was going to use a gelatin binder but read alot of posts from people saying they stopped using it cuz it was desolving too quick to be helpful. Next time I think I'll leave out the flakes as I can see it being lost into the water column as they tare it up.
Kacey

[Moon]

I use a liquidizer for my BF and shrimp mix and gelatin helps to keep it togather. Your method probably does not require a binder.