# Feeding nettles to shrimp



## Simon Cole (4 Jun 2019)

So how exactly do I do it? 
I've got fresh nettles, and dried ones from down the allotment. 
Can I just pop 'em in? 
What else can I feed shrimp from the hedgerow?


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## dw1305 (4 Jun 2019)

Hi all, 





Simon Cole said:


> Can I just pop 'em in?


I'd probably blanch, or dry, them first. 





Simon Cole said:


> What else can I feed shrimp from the hedgerow


I think the answer is that we don't really know. 

Leaf vegetables should be reasonably safe, because we've bred the toxic compounds out of them. I haven't tried it, but Apple, Hazel or Elm leaves should also be shrimp safe.  The used to cut Elm as <"tree hay"> and feed it to the cattle in winter. 

The advantage of Nettles (_Urtica dioica_) as a food is that they are <"very rich in nutrients">. 

Most plants, with similar nutrient rich composition, protect themselves with a whole raft of fairly toxic compounds (alkaloids, oxalic acid, latex etc), but nettles don't, they rely on their stinging hairs. 

cheers Darrel


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## tam (4 Jun 2019)

I fed my daphnia (and one escapee cherry shrimp) on raspberry last year and I would guess blackberry would therefore be fine too.


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## mort (4 Jun 2019)

I feed the tips of nettles to my shrimp and give them a quick blanch to help make them easier to eat. I've also tried chard but they didn't seen overly keep compared to the nettles. Dandelion leaves are a good source of nutrients and i blanch them as well. One of the best foods is nettle pollen and I collect and dry it to feed over winter. Other flowers like from runner beans are also good and you probably have more choice with an allotment.
For longer lasting food oak, beech and hornbeam leaves seem to be eaten plus common fruit leaves like Apple,  pear, plum or cherry. Small pieces of these woods are also safe.

You can make a simple food to be frozen from a 50-50 mix of nettle and dandelion leaves mixed with a little Spirulina and gelatin.


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## Steve Buce (4 Jun 2019)

Quick blanch first, i think marks shrimp tanks has a video on this


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## Simon Cole (5 Jun 2019)

Great advise my friends. Thank you. I'll get to work.


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## Simon Cole (8 Jun 2019)

They love them. They seem to get into the nettles fastest when they are blanched and crushed up.


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## jameson_uk (10 Jun 2019)

My wild meadow (or as the misses calls it, back garden in need of a big sort) has a little patch of stingers.

My only concern about using them is pollution.  I live in Birmingham (albeit about as far out as you can get and much closer to farmland than industry) and live on a relatively busy road (but these are round the back and at least 20m from the road)

Would these still be OK after a little blanching or am I better picking some from a more rural setting?


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## Simon Cole (10 Jun 2019)

I was taught that air pollution can be deposited several miles from the source (up to 40km to be exact) and that pollution is often far worse in the countryside. Since lead in fuel was phased out, studies have shown that roadside vegetation is far less toxic. The main risk would be the illegal burning of waste nearby. If I was you then I would go straight ahead and use them. But you actually have a reason to visit the countryside and spend some time collecting nettles, so why not bop out for a spin


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## X3NiTH (10 Jun 2019)

Using the youngest growth at the tops it should be totally fine.


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## mort (11 Jun 2019)

Simon Cole said:


> They love them. They seem to get into the nettles fastest when they are blanched and crushed up.



This is how I use them. I find the crushing helps them sink quicker as well as making them easier to eat.


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## Simon Cole (12 Jun 2019)

They seem to prefer the nettle flowers over all other foods. I'm going to collect a few buckets this year, because they love 'em.


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## sparkyweasel (12 Jun 2019)

Pollen is suposed to be very good food for shrimps.


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## X3NiTH (12 Jun 2019)

I always keep meaning to try feeding pink cherry blossom each time spring comes round but I always chicken out though due to the supposed cyanide content (the Japanese pickle Sakura flowers to eat).


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## jameson_uk (13 Jun 2019)

Grabbed a little bud from the garden and as soon as the clip fell off the side of the tank  there was a queue.  A Nerite was in on it to.

Only thing I have seen the same reaction to is the algae lollipops which they seem to love too.


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