After expirmenting with gel food for a couple of years now, the only one I make that works on bad cases of flipover or SBD is the following:

- peas
- beans
- spinach
- broccoli
- zucchini
- tuna
- garlic
- tsp of multivitamins
- gelatin

My butterfly has been belly up for a solid 8 days so I fed her a pea with 1 epsom salt inserted and put 1/2 tsp of epsom salt in her tank. This cleaned her out and for the first time, she was swimming normally. Now it's day 2 of feeding her the above recipe and she's swimming all over the place with no flipping over in sight. It was sad watching her for the 8 days so now, this is unfortunately all she (and 2 floaty orandas) will be able to eat but the vitamins are there so that's one thing I guess

I made my last batch using salmon and chick peas and this started her problem up again - I think the chick peas were too starchy for her or gave her gas...

So this is my suggestion for flipping fish - it works well

Great! I've never made gel food. I've always given flakes, shrimp, freeze-dried bloodworms...etc. and they've always been fine. Since reading some of the "flipping" posts I'm wanting to prevent that.

Why don't most people feed their goldfish brine shrimp i mostly here about pplz feedng bloodworms and tubifex and daphnia? is there something wrong with brine shrimp cuz i kno most tropical fish keepers use brine shrimp.

I am going to try some of these recipes for my pond fish, but would these recipes be beneficial for Bettas as well?????

I think I'm gonna try making some gel food to feed my fry, and as a treat for everyone else. One question about it, my grandma does not own a blender currently, but she does have a food processor. So, would the food processor work ok to mix/puree the veggies and such? I have a mortar and pestle to grind any dry stuff like flakes/pellets I want to add.

wonderful!!!! I went ahead and made my 1st batch of gel food. Last night, I used:
Brocoli
peas
pumpkin
garlic
pro gold
freeze dried blood worms
freeze dried baby shrimp
flaxseed oil acidophilus

I have "Greens+"..........but it has so many herbs in t. I didn't want to risk using it . Not sure that all these herbs are good for goldies?

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/brow...rd=greens%20%2B

Celestine (formerly known as Sebastian) & Charlie (formerly known as Cosette)"love" it
Thank you !!!!
Chricel

ok, since i cant find any other sinking pellets than Omega One small pellets, which i want medium or large because it looks really small to me, imma give gel food a try >< *just some ingrediants*

1 can of chicken of the sea:chunk light tuna w/o the water
1 cup of thawed frozen peas
1/2 cup of carrots if my mom has any
1/2-1 cup of Green Giant's cut green beans w/o water
2-3 pieces of Red Leaf Lettuce
1 Red bell pepper with seeds and the white core inside removed
1 Piece of garlic
1/4-1/2 cup of Omega One small sinking pellets
Half a bag of Hikari Frozen Blood worms (maybe a whole bag)
3 packets of unflavored gelatin. If i can find it that is >.>

So basically, i am going to just put it slowly in a blenber (chopping up some first to make it easier) and adding water only when it is needed to help the blender blend xD Then, heat about a cup of water and mix the 3 gelatins in there and microwave/mix it until clear. Then, do i add the gelatin directly into the blender and let it mix or do i take the mix out and then pour the gelatin in and stir it myself? I dont even know if my blender has the capacity to hold all those stuff xD

Any suggestions on how i should do it and if it is a good mix?

I recently started feeding my fish gel food that I made, but I'm kind of questioning if i did it right. Would 1 packet of gelatin mix(non-flavored ofcourse) be adequate per cup of liquified ingredients?

yeah, i was just wondering about that to, how much bags of gelatin should you use?

and one question, does this cloud the water if its in there for like a min?

I did alot of reading of old post on this a few weeks ago and found an easy recipe that I added a few things to based on what others said. My Koi in the pond LOVE it. My telescope in the hospital tank didn't like it until he started to share the tank with babies I found in the pond. Now when I drop a piece on thier side he goes crazy so I have to give him a taste too. the babbies love it too.

1 jar baby food green beans
1 jar baby food country garden veggies
1 1/2 cloves fresh crushed garlic
1/2 can smashed sardines , in water, drained
1 packet gelatin, prepared to package directions
finely chopped parsley

I mixed it all together and put it in a clear glass dish in the fridge. I cut it with a plastic knife. (some of what I read said to use glass dishes and plastic knives, I forgot why but it sounded like a good thing to do).

I also threw in some fish flakes I had left over. This was easy, no blending or cooking.

Good luck

yay i made my first lot of gel food a minute ago and it stinks smelly stuff. i think next time i will use baby food as it is easier to use and no fuss no muss.

my ingredients were

garlic
progold crushed
peas
carrot
tuna
bloodworms
2 packets of gelatine

i hope i did this right and i hope it works other wise i wasted some very good food. ow well.

Well I tried a very small practice batch using baby food peas and tuna. It took my guys a while to figure out it was food. (they're used to seeing their food float, but one of my guys has SBD) But one they did, my larger ones went to town. My smaller guys seemed confused about them still, but now they are eating them too. My SBD fishy is still kinda floaty, but he's not stuck at the top.

I made an easy recipe, doesn't even need a blender (read: couldn't convince my parents fish food wouldn't contaminate the blender *LOL*).

4 Packs Knox unflavored gelatin
1.5 cups bottled water
2 Jars pea baby food (I used 3.5 oz. Gerber jars, they're sold in packs of two for about a dollar)
2 Jars green bean baby food
2 Jars squash baby food
7 oz. canned pumpkin
7 oz. can salmon (left all the skin and fats and such in it)
1 adult high potency multivitamin

Finely chopped the salmon by hand, mixed with baby food and pumpkin in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, I crushed the vitamin, added the water and gelatin, microwaved to dissolve. Stirred the gel mixture in with the rest of the ingredients, and poured into a 9x12 cookie sheet (I lined the bottom with plastic wrap), tapped to remove trapped air bubbles so it sinks in tank.
The fish really seem to approve, at least. :D

Looking back, I think it might be a bit high in sugar from all the pumpkin... So I'd maybe drop that to 3.5 oz. and replace the other half with more green beans or squash.

What multivitamin is ok to use? Can I drop and blend a Centrum into the gel food mix?

JenW thanks for that recipe for floaty fish, I think I will try that one.

I wouldn't use Centrum for people for fish. It would be pretty hard not to overdose, and I have a feeling their requirements are different to ours. I'm not a fish expert, but that's my impression. The other thing is that supplements with iron in them (such as multivitamins) can cause constipation in people, so I'm thinking it may do the same for fish.

Okay, I want to try and make some gel food. I would like to use baby food for the veggis, this is what I have on hand. I would like to know what else I need to get:

On Hand:
Pro-Gold Pellets
Freeze dried baby shrimp
Salad Supreme Disks
Minced garlic in a jar that I cook with
Tuna in water
Blender

I would love to make a combo gel food that includes protein, veggis, and fruits. Also, do you have to add vitamins? If so, what kind? If anyone has a good recipe that is similar to the one I am trying to make, PLEASE let me know!!! Thanks so much!!! If it doesn't cost too much to make, then I am going to do it!

Lastly, in order for the gel food to sink when put in the tank, you have to stir the gelatin in, right? Not blend it in the blender. Also, what type of gelatin do you use?

"Salad Supreme Disks" I wouldnt use. Everything else good.
The vits I add are from a company called "missinglink" I get the veg version. I also add Koi clay to it as this helps clean the digestive track out, just a pinch goes a long way....

Thanks KoKo! Could you PM me a good recipe that you use? Also, just out of curiosity, why not the Salad Supreme? I would rather use baby food veggis anyway as they are easier to blend in, just wondering; is there something wrong with Salad Supreme?

I find that using progold in the mix gives them a good balance in food, now you could do is alt back and forth with the two.

Well my recipe:

1 head of broccoli
2 squashes (green ones)
1 bell pepper
1 can tuna
4 squares of Gerber stage 2 food (spinach, peas, beans, apple, mix vegs)
1 teaspoon of vits
1 pinch of koi clay (don't have to)
1 table spoon of garlic
mix into blender, then pour into a pot on the stove cook till it starts to bubble.
As that is going I get a 3 cup glass measure fill with water, micro till hot, add ten packets of gelatin stir good, micro again, then add to the mix of food on the stove.
Get it to boil again stirring all the time.

Then I have to pan sheets (deep ones) line them with foil, pour the hot gel food in, let sit for about an hour, then place into frig.

After about 2-3 hours it should be hard to the touch, then I take it out of the frig, then flip it on a cutting board and with a pizza cutter cut into pieces and place 20 squares in to baggies, puts on in the frig the rest into the freezer.

Just one quick question: You said 4 squares of Gerber Stage two food. Does it not come in a baby food jar? What do you mean by "squares"? I am sorry to be such a bother! I printed this recipe out, too!

Like the ones at the top

http://www.gerber.com/promos/prodcat?catid...amp;promoid=427

OH!!!! Okay!!!! LOL! Gotcha!!! I think, what I am gonna do is buy this stuff a little at a time and then make the gel food after I get all my ingredients. Thanks SO much, KoKo! You are truely a patient and kind person!!!!

No problem, when I go shopping, I will always get some more baby food and buy the biggest box of gel food and keep tuna on hand, this way the only things I will have to buy when making it is the little vegs I need. The Vits come in big bags so it will last a long time same with koi clay.

For anybody that wants to answer:

What is the weekly rotation like for your feeding regimen? For example, do you feed gel food once or twice a day/5 days a week, with 1 fast day, and 1 pea day...etc..etc....?

What I'd like to have going in my big tank is that kind of rotation, mixed with live plants and hopfully algae that they can pick at in-between feedings. Is that what most people do, or do you still feed pellets by themselves and/or flakes or other foods?

I'm not sure about the rotation, but my plan is to make up a fruit and veggi gel food and one that combines fruit, veggis, and protein. Then, use those two for my rotation. Giving them a fruit/veggi one in the morning and the combo with the protein for their second feeding at night. Would that work? I have to do it that way because of Jaws' sbd.

yep that would work, also a treat food is good once in awhile.

Treat food such as ????

orange slices. cucumber, earth or night crawlers some will eat lettuce

Okay, gotcha!!!

has anyone ever considered adding a crushed up multi-vitamin to the gel food mix?

if you read through the other posts in this thread lots of people used multivitamins

I finnnnaly made gel food that my goldies will eat!

This was my third attempt. The fish hated the first one (my turtle eats it now) and the second attempt made a gelatenous goo that really, really stunk! But here's what I did last night, and this morning the fish ate it.

I had 2 and 1/2 cups of ingredients, all in equal parts. They were:
tubifex worms
blood worms
spirulina pellets
peas
shrimp pellets
cooked cocktail shrimp

Then I dissolved 2 pks of geletin in 2/3 of a cup of cold water and microwaved it. I mixed it all together and now I have gel food. I'm really happy because I can't get my goldies to eat the tubifex or blood worms because they don't eat food from the surface, and the spirulina pellets are floating as well. So this way, they are getting food I couldn't normally feed them, I'm pretty happy with it

O:

I am going to try that soon with my goldie, Chrissy. It sounds good. She would not even touch the pea-gel food I tried to feed her. I did not even want to touch it to remove it from the ice cube tray.

But she is in love with shrimp, blood worms, and tubifex worms. SO. We'll see how this goes.

Another cool food to add in is the progold if u have it, this way they get a lot of good stuff in there gel food

I actually added a ton of progold to my 'failed' batch, so I didn't want to add it to this one in case I had to throw it out too! I feed them progold on its own now, but the next batch of gel food will have it in there for sure!

If i see my gel food to runny i will add "Wheat Germ" to the pot as im heating it up to make it thick for them

Good tip! Unfortuatly mine wasn't in a pot. I put it in the fridge in a dish and it wouldn't set...so I heated up more geletin and added it
The result was solid on the top, mush on the bottom........easily the grossest thing that's ever been in my fridge!

Tip: when making gel food, you need to get the food hot in a pot then add the gel to it hot and keep it hot for atleast 2-3 mins, this will help the gel to harden, like jello

Well I know I'm a little late in responding, but here's the mixture I use to make my gel food:

1/2 bag frozen veggie blend, thawed (I use italian blend, which has broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, carrot, green bean, zucchini)
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
about 2 tablespoons EACH of the following:
progold pellets
spirulina flakes
freeze-dried bloodworms

Blend dry fish foods in food processor until finely ground. Dump in a bowl and set aside. Blend veggies in small batches until liquefied, adding small amounts of water if needed. (Mixture will be about the consistency of baby food.) Combine all pureed ingredients in the bowl. Dissolve 2 packets unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup warm water, stirring until dissolved and mixture is clear. Add to bowl, stirring well. Line small pan with saran wrap; pour mixture into pan and spread evenly. Place in fridge until firm. Cut in cubes, and store in freezer in ziploc bags. To individually freeze the cubes, I scatter them out on a cookie sheet and place in freezer. Once frozen, transfer them to freezer bag. This allows for easier removal of one or two cubes at a time. To feed, allow cube(s) to thaw at room temp about 15 minutes and drop in tank. Let the feeding frenzy begin!

To make the food even more appealing to the fish, add 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic and a can of tuna to the mixture. This makes for a good snail food too!

My next batch will be made with fruits, for a 'treat' food for the goldies.

Lola, this is the routine I follow:

Sunday-gel food
Monday-Progold and spirulina flakes
Tuesday-peas
Wednesday-fresh veggie (romaine lettuce, squash, etc.)
Thursday-gel food
Friday-Progold and spirulina flakes
Saturday-treat food (either frozen bloodworms or frozen brine shrimp, they love both)

I only feed all my fish once a day. I tried to space everything out so that they get a nice variety, while at the same time a steady dose of peas. No cases of sbd since I started this weekly schedule.

Imagine the look on my mom's face when she saw the weekly 'menu' written on my chalkboard and asked what it meant!

One trick I'd like to share with everyone. Many recipes say to mix the packet of unflavored gelatin directly into the food. The first time I tried making gel food, it set up great, but the next time I made it, I used a different recipe, made up my own, actually, and it didn't set. I thought maybe I have too much food for the gelatin, so I added more gelatin and it still didn't set. Well, in thinking things through, I put the food with the gelatin - the whole mix, in the microwave for a minute or so, got it good and hot, then put it in the friged and it set up fine. So, advice is, if your food doesn't set, don't panic and think you did something wrong. The gelatin just didn't get absorbed well enough. Reactivate it with some heat and all's good. The other trick I've discovered, is to use a garlic press to squish the food through. Cut a cube, squish it through and, with a knife, cut off the little "gel worms" that are hanging from the press. Fast for you and it makes it the perfect size for fish to eat.

i want to add fresh salmon and shrimps to my gel food do i have to cook them first? or can i just throw them in the blander?

I think they might blend up better if they were cooked a bit. Plus, cooking will nuke any possible "baddies" in the fish. Just steam them for a little while until their texture changes, but not so much that you cook out all the nutrition.

ok thanks alot for the help