You can make homemade tropical fish food by blending fresh ingredients with unflavored gelatin, chilling it into a gel, and cutting it into small cubes. It lets you control the ingredients and is a nice supplement, but it should usually complement, not replace, a quality commercial flake or pellet that has been formulated with vitamins and minerals.
Basic Gel Food Recipe
Ingredients
- About 1/2 cup of fresh or thawed frozen peas (shelled), or blanched spinach
- About 1/2 cup of peeled raw shrimp or white fish fillet, such as tilapia
- 1 small carrot, steamed until soft
- 1 packet of unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup of hot water
Steps
- Blend the shrimp or fish, peas and carrot into a thick paste with a splash of water.
- Dissolve the gelatin in the hot water, stirring until clear.
- Stir the gelatin into the paste and mix well.
- Spread the mixture thinly into a shallow container and refrigerate for a few hours until firm.
- Cut into pieces smaller than your fish’s eye, or crumble for small fish.
Storing and Serving
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze in small portions for a few weeks.
- Thaw only what you need and feed in tiny amounts that your fish finish in two to three minutes.
- Remove any uneaten food right away. Fresh food spoils quickly and fouls the tank.
Ingredient Tips
- Use human-grade ingredients and avoid salt, spices or oils.
- Match the recipe to your fish. Herbivores such as plecos need more vegetables and spirulina, while carnivores need more fish or shrimp. See what to feed tropical fish besides fish food.
- Avoid feeding raw freshwater fish to tropical fish, since it can carry parasites; use marine fish or cooked fish.
When to Choose Store-Bought Food
Commercial foods are balanced with vitamins that homemade recipes may not provide, so use gel food as a regular treat rather than the only diet. For a fish-safe choice, see low phosphorus tropical fish food or medicated tropical fish food if a vet has advised it.
Bottom Line
A homemade gel food is easy and cheap, and fish often love it. Keep portions small, store it carefully, and combine it with a quality prepared food. If your fish stop eating or show signs of illness, ask an aquatic veterinarian.
