Tips for feeding frozen food?

dschwartz

dschwartz

Member
I purchased a package of frozen Marine Cuisine for my clownfish, shrimp, etc. and prepared per the instructions of the LFS: cut off a small portion of the frozen cube (maybe 1/8th of it?) and defrost in a tablespoon or so of tank water. I then dumped the defosted food and tablespoon of tank water into the tank and it was like a snow-storm of 'stuff' floating around the tank. There were very few pieces and mostly tiny bits that the fish chased after. With all those bits floating around I'm sure a lot will end up in filter and in CC at bottom, no?
Is this normal - I guess I assumed the frozen food would be more 'solid' for hand-feeding?
Can you describe how you feed with frozen food?
Thanks
David.
'tired of feeding them flakes only'
 
spammie5

spammie5

Member
I have some of the same frozen food and usually I just take my tiny piece and hold it at the top of the tank and let it thaw right there. I'll usually get a few of my fish come right up and nibble on it as I hold it while some just wait for it to start falling off and circulating around the tank.
I'm sure lots of people have their own preferred way of feeding....but that's how I do mine when it's frozen food.
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
I just thaw mysis or brine shrimp in a partial cup of tank water, then use a turkey baster to slowly release it as they eat. Good way to add selcon or garlic as they thaw too IMO
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/2994633
I just thaw mysis or brine shrimp in a partial cup of tank water, then use a turkey baster to slowly release it as they eat. Good way to add selcon or garlic as they thaw too IMO
Just out of curiosity....do you rinse, or add the selcon directly to the cup?
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Originally Posted by makoshrk2
http:///forum/post/2994636
This is no rip on anyone who feeds it, but fozen brine has no nutritional value
Maybe not but sure keeps my fish fat

Usuaully when I add garlic or selcon I drip it over the frozen cube for about 5 minutes, then add water -- let it thaw for 5-10 minutes and swirl it around before it goes in the turkey baster.
Whenever they see turkey baster the frenzy starts
 
makoshrk2

makoshrk2

Member
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/2994641
Maybe not but sure keeps my fish fat

Usuaully when I add garlic or selcon I drip it over the frozen cube for about 5 minutes, then add water -- let it thaw for 5-10 minutes and swirl it around before it goes in the turkey baster.
Whenever they see turkey baster the frenzy starts

Doritos and cookies will keep ya fat too, doesn't mean there good for ya, but at least you add garlic and selcon
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/2994641
Maybe not but sure keeps my fish fat

Usuaully when I add garlic or selcon I drip it over the frozen cube for about 5 minutes, then add water -- let it thaw for 5-10 minutes and swirl it around before it goes in the turkey baster.
Whenever they see turkey baster the frenzy starts

LOL...sounds like fish feeding time at my house...they just know....
I do the same thing with my food in the 225...but I just empty the cup into the tank.
And about the brine...when you buy them frozen, vitamins are added...so would that not make them OK???
I would not use that as a MAIN diet, but as a side...
 
blayz77

blayz77

Member
i thaw a cube of mysis or brine in a small cup thing. once thawed i drain the water it left behind. (dont know what kinda water was used to freeze it) then i add tank water, and whatever else i feel like using selcon,garlic etc)
then its turkey baster to spread it around in tank or i use a plastic fork and dip it in the food some will stick to fork then dip fork in the tank.
ive also bought a pack of that frozen seafood pack from the store that has like cuttelfish, muscels, squid, etc. once its thawed i rinse it with ro water before i shred it up for fish food.
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
I rotate foods between mysis, brine and when I'm lazy its flake or pellet w/spiraluna (or however you spell it), cyclopeeze for corals once a week and occasion algae sheets for my tangs which tear them up.....
I don't eat strictly rice cakes and brussell sprouts -- I like my steak and ice cream ;)
I have thought about making my own fish foods but kinda lazy and not sure how to store small cubes of it without freezer burn or excess exposure.
 
makoshrk2

makoshrk2

Member
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/2994663
I rotate foods between mysis, brine and when I'm lazy its flake or pellet w/spiraluna (or however you spell it), cyclopeeze for corals once a week and occasion algae sheets for my tangs which tear them up.....
I don't eat strictly rice cakes and brussell sprouts -- I like my steak and ice cream ;)
I have thought about making my own fish foods but kinda lazy and not sure how to store small cubes of it without freezer burn or excess exposure.
I used eggcrate as a form to make my own cubes of fish food, and then vacuum packed most of it
 
dschwartz

dschwartz

Member
Thanks everyone - Mako - as far as I know, the Marine Cuisine is made up of a number of ingredients, brine, mysis, etc so I'm hoping it is more nutritional that just straight frozen brine.
As far as how much goes, it's only two clowns, 3 shrimp and several crabs/snails - maybe 1/8 of a cube was an inaccurate guess - probably closer to 1/4 cube or so.
I tried again last night, with less water (half a cube of frozen food and 1 tablespoon or so of water) and let defrost in fridge for 5-10 minutes. It was a little better but a lot of 'stuff' was floating around in the tablespoon of water. Stuff so small there is no way the fish would have eaten it and I didn't want it just settling on the bottom so I did NOT just dump in the liquid and food.
Instead, I pinched out about two pinches worth of food from the liquid, shook off as much excess water as possible and put into water column. It spread out into smaller pieces that was much less 'snow-storm' like than the first time. They finished in about 30 seconds so I gave them a second, drained pinch.
I think next time I'll just defrost half a cube in fridge for a while and pinch off what I need from the softened cube, skipping the water altogether.
 
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