Egg whites

[ejhart]

So I've tried using gelatine, agar-agar, and bananas in my mixes but all 3 have flopped after multiple tries with each. First the banana, I used the ripest banana possible (completely black) and it still turned into a cloud once the fish hit it. The agar just has too high of a setting temp and is impossible to incorporate the food into unless you use way too high of temps (way above 200 deg) and that just destroys the vitamins. Gelatine is what I use right now and it works to an extent but I still get bits of stuff all over. So my thought was to use egg whites to bind the food. I'll use them instead of any water I might add, so the only liquid will be from egg whites. Then do it like I would with the agar, flatten on a cookie sheet with wax paper and in a 200deg oven for 5-10 mins till the eggs are fully cooked. My only concerns are if the fish would have problems with the egg whites (digestion, too much protein or other stuff), also how well it would be able to keep all the powders I add to my food contained even after freezing it. Let me know what you guys think about this, or if you can think of any other problems I may encounter with this method. Thanks in Advance.

[MostlyDiscus]

That should be intresting. Would like to hear how that turns out. I have found raw peeled shrimp to be the best binder. Sometimes the mix has to sit in the freezer for a month or longer. The longer its in the freezer the better it seems to bind.


Ed

[ejhart]

Yes I've found that to be true even with gelatin, but I try to make just enough to last 2 months at the most. Long term freezing will deteriorate the nutritional value. Mainly I just want a mix that's not getting wasted when I put it in the tank, something that the fish can consume completely without bits of it having to be disposed of or going in the filters. Specially the powders I put in it which are the main source of vitamins.

[Eddie]

Ditto on the shrimp, it is like glue!

Eddie

[fishorama]

^^ I agree, I have break up the shrimp/BH mix I made into more bite size bits. I should have used more shrimp in my latest homemade mix, next time!

[ejhart]

Well I mainly want to know if the egg whites are going to be bad for the discus. Can they even digest cooked egg whites? How might if effect them long term? If anyone knows please don't be shy.

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

I wouldnt worry about the vitamin degradation when using the gelatine (boiling water). Almost all manufactured pelleted feeds out there go through a steam extruder, which can exceed temps of 200 degrees (depending on the commercial binder being used). Most people out there growout fish from eggs just fine on commercially prepared foods only with satisfactory results. If you are worried about it that much, dont stir in the vitamins until the gelatine is almost fully set...that way it is much cooler.

Raw egg white does contain certain anti-vitamins, much like raw seafood (thiaminase for example). How much of an effect it has on the overall nutrition for our fish.....too many variables to even consider.

-Ryan