Homemade Discus tucker

[Dave+Amy]

I've been using an old recipe which doesn't require cooking but recently came across this on http://www.rockymountaindiscus.com/Disc ... recipe.htm :

THE INGREDIENTS

3 pounds beef heart - cleaned & defatted & trimmed

2 pounds raw shrimp - peeled

1 pound white fish

1 pound liver (we use beef) - trimmed & rinsed well and soaked in very hot water 3 minutes

2 pounds frozen plankton - thawed, or 6 ounces freeze dried - well rinsed

2 boxes frozen spinach- steamed lightly

1 box peas- steamed lightly

Note: It is best to obtain organic beef products that are raised free of bovine growth hormone (BGH) and antibiotics.

Run all ingredients through a food processor. When everything is processed mix well in a large bowl.

Add the following: They may be obtained at your local health food store.

6 raw egg yolks , 1/3 cup kelp powder (a seaweed) , 1/4 cup brewers yeast , 1/2 cup wheat germ and 1 tablespoons spirulina powder.

One tablespoon vitamin c powder. Mix thoroughly.

THE BINDER: At the health food store get some agar powder. Not the stringy stuff, not the pellets. Get the powder. The eggs and shrimp in the discus food recipe also help bind the food. Stir in 30 grams of agar agar. Mix well. To activate the agar binding we will heat gently in the oven. Set the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit (warm setting). Line cookie sheets with wax paper. This makes it go much easier later on. Smooth the food onto the wax paper lined cookie sheets around 1/2 inch thick. You will use several pans. Place the sheet in the oven for 20 minutes. Next cool the pans. Place them in the freezer. When frozen remove and cut into blocks. Store the blocks in high quality freezer bags. We've come this far- so why skimp now? The blocks can be precut into cubes if desired. Four ounce or eight ounce portions can be made with dewormer or desired medication if needed.

Does anyone else cook their Discus tucker? Wouldn't cooking the tucker make it lose it's nutrient?

[majik]

Sounds ok but i wouldnt be using beef even though it looks lean it contains too much fat and discus cannot digest it .Just my opinion tho

[Dave+Amy]

what do you use Majik? I thought Discus diets have to contain at least 50% protein? I've never added liver or white fish before - I've added salmon once and they seemed to enjoy it

[majik]

Yes the protein is fine but its the fat that cannot be digested and accumlates around organs ,not good.

Beef heart is fine well trimmed,i use beef heart with raw prawns (these make excellent binder if raw,i throw in some fish of some sort salmon/tuna/cod some mussles and spinich or peas or whatever i have lol everything is raw though HTH

Tanya

[Dave+Amy]

Yeah my homemade tucker is raw as well that's why I'm surprised this recipe wants the user to cook it, thanks Tanya

[nemines]

200 F (93 C) shouldn't cook away too many nutrients, in some cases eg carrots, cooking can enhance the vitamins...the recipe says this warmth is needed to help it bind together....

still, fish eat stuff raw in the wild so why not replicate that? :roll:

[Dave+Amy]

..once I get my hands on some Ox heart I'll change this recipe a bit, I'll use fish flake food as a binder instead of the agar stuff that way I won't have to cook it and get my little mitts on some muscles..

I wonder if freezer burn seafood is still alright for fish to eat? 'Cos I know I can get a lot of really cheap freezer burnt seafood