# What other novel fresh foods do you feed your shrimp?



## Darwin88 (30 Jan 2013)

Just had a nosey at this:

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/index.php?threads/Fresh-Nettles.25255/#post-260200

I had no idea you could use nettles as shrimp food. I got my first ever batch of shrimp today and I'm completely captivated by them. Now I feel like I might be missing some vital info:

What other fresh foods do you guys feed? Sorry if there's another thread like this already, I had a quick look but couldn't see one. Feel free to direct me there if you don't want to go through it again! 

Cheers!


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Jan 2013)

Anything vegetable will be ok, especially spinach and lettuce, as well as cucumber Too.

Just give them a 5 minute boil, to help soften them up for the shrimp.


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## jack-rythm (30 Jan 2013)

Do u have to weigh them down it do they naturally sink? Random question I know lol

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## Darwin88 (30 Jan 2013)

Whitey89 said:


> Anything vegetable will be ok, especially spinach and lettuce, as well as cucumber Too.
> 
> Just give them a 5 minute boil, to help soften them up for the shrimp.



Nice one, cheers. Do you if broccoli is any good? Got loads ready for harvest soon...


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## Darwin88 (30 Jan 2013)

jack-rythm said:


> Do u have to weigh them down it do they naturally sink? Random question I know lol
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2



Good question - I just had an image of 15 tiny shrimp clinging for dear life to a lettuce leaf caught in the flow of my over-sized hydor koralia....


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## Alastair (30 Jan 2013)

Ed from freshwater shrimp sells some shrimp pellets that contain nettle etc but on his eBay store. My shrimp love them 


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Jan 2013)

Broccoli is apparently good too. Just give that a good cook first. Just to do with how tender it is.

They'll only turn their little noses up if you don't


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## basil (30 Jan 2013)

Nettles are great and contain mucho good stuff for shrimp and will also improve colour. BUT don't be using the hard old leaves! Pick the young leaves from the top of the plant and ffs ALWAYS par boil to remove any bacteria. And pick from out of town areas etc to avoid pollutant build on the leaf. 

Also use dried almond / banana leaf for biofilm food for shrimplets. And remember although primarily veg munchers a bit of protein is a great supplement feed.


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## Darwin88 (30 Jan 2013)

All good answers, thanks everyone 



basil said:


> And remember although primarily veg munchers a bit of protein is a great supplement feed.



What do you suggest as a good source of protein? Will dry shrimp feeds cover that or are you thinking of something more 'meaty' ?


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## sr20det (31 Jan 2013)

Darwin88 said:


> All good answers, thanks everyone
> 
> 
> 
> What do you suggest as a good source of protein? Will dry shrimp feeds cover that or are you thinking of something more 'meaty' ?


 
I feed mine crab tablets and algae waffers which are rich in protein. But the crab tabs are good enough.

Check out:

Feeding your shrimp. Biggest challenge? Share. | UK Aquatic Plant Society

Good info there


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## basil (31 Jan 2013)

Darwin88 said:


> All good answers, thanks everyone
> 
> 
> 
> What do you suggest as a good source of protein? Will dry shrimp feeds cover that or are you thinking of something more 'meaty' ?


 
There are a few brands, essentially doing the same. Personally, I like Mosura Excel:-

Mosura Excel Crystal Red Shrimp food

Or Genchem No3:-

 GENCHEM BIOMAX #3 ADULT SHRIMP FOOD 50G Crystal Red Cherry Shrimp Pellet Feed | eBay

The protein helps saddle / egg development, so pretty important if you want to maintain breeding.


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## Darwin88 (31 Jan 2013)

sr20det said:


> I feed mine crab tablets and algae waffers which are rich in protein. But the crab tabs are good enough. Check out: Feeding your shrimp. Biggest challenge? Share. | UK Aquatic Plant Society Good info there


 
Thanks for the link, that's a nice chunk of info there. I need to start digging through previous threads before asking daft questions 




basil said:


> There are a few brands, essentially doing the same. Personally, I like Mosura Excel:- Mosura Excel Crystal Red Shrimp food Or Genchem No3:- GENCHEM BIOMAX #3 ADULT SHRIMP FOOD 50G Crystal Red Cherry Shrimp Pellet Feed | eBay The protein helps saddle / egg development, so pretty important if you want to maintain breeding.


 
Cheers basil. I'll be ordering some of that.


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## ToxotesH (4 Feb 2013)

I am also feeding to my shrimps blanched dandelion leaves, they love them. As for the protein they get some frozen bloodworm, Artemia or Cyclops, and some "ordinary" fishflakes.


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## basil (22 Feb 2013)

Just had some Mulberry and Guava leaves in. My shrimp are just loving the Mulberry!! I put half a leaf in 2 days ago and not much left. They are big leaves too - about the size of your hand.


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## basil (22 Feb 2013)

Shrimp munching on the Mulberry leaf. Picture taken yesterday, hardly anything left now as I write this......yum!




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## basil (23 Feb 2013)

Same leaf taken tonight........pretty much all gone. Shrimp have mobbed the mulberry leaf since it went in.





I'm playing around with feeding this tank predominantly veggie style with leaves, only occasionally supplemented monthly with protein. Tank next to it with same shrimp, dried tablet diet. See what happens........


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## MARKCOUSINS (23 Feb 2013)

basil said:


> Same leaf taken tonight........pretty much all gone. Shrimp have mobbed the mulberry leaf since it went in.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good idea i would like to know.They certainly like the mulberry leaf where did you get it from?And in your opinion what is the best leaf for shrimps?Cheers mark


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## basil (23 Feb 2013)

I still really like fresh nettle tips. Trouble is they sting, ain't available 12 months of the year and for some reason, dogs like to pish on them! Which other than making them unpleasant to pick, carries the added risk of them being sprayed with ammonia!!

Dried leaves such as banana, almond, mulberry etc are cheap, keep for ages and all have different benefits for shrimp. And what I like best about them is that they don't load the tank with nasty spikes associated with uneaten protein based feed.


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## basil (26 Feb 2013)

Taiwans on Guava leaf tonight. Swarmed at the moment (as with all new items in tank). Next 2 days will be acid test when they can choose between the other traditional offerings.





Will update.


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## LancsRick (24 Jun 2013)

Where do you get your dried leaves from please basil? Always after more varied good foods for my shrimp and fish.


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## basil (24 Jun 2013)

Hi Rick,

One of the sponsors Aquarium Plant Food on here stocks them, as does Hobby Shrimp to name a couple:-

Tantora Mulberry Leaves | Hobby Shrimp

Tantora - Shrimp

Cheers

Mike.


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## Lindy (3 Jul 2013)

Shrimpscape does them as well.


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## Bryson375 (28 Jul 2013)

I don't know how bad this is but when I had a shrimp tank, every now and then I'd feed them salami. Haha. Its probably not that good for em but they loved it as a little treat here n there. Its not good for me either but I love it as a treat


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## mafoo (28 Jul 2013)

salami is cured with nitrate/nitrite and is high in salt.  That in addition to the high fat content which fouls the water - really not a good thing to feed them.


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## Bryson375 (29 Jul 2013)

Hahaha, fair enough. So not a good idea then  It was only a little bit, gone within hours. I'm good with water changes too. I've never had a problem but I could just have had hardy shrimp. I'll be setting up a nano shrimp tank soon... and I won't be giving them salami treats  haha


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