# Feeding Bee Pollen to Shrimp



## BarryH (22 Feb 2020)

I read on a Facebook page that one of the foods that shrimp like is Bee Pollen. Does anyone on here feed it to their shrimp and if they do, can I ask for a link where I can buy?

All I can seem to find is Bee Pollen in health food shops, the kind for sprinkling on your cornflakes.


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## Steve Buce (22 Feb 2020)

Have a look on "marks shrimp tanks" site, he used to sell it in his food range


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## BarryH (22 Feb 2020)

Steve Buce said:


> Have a look on "marks shrimp tanks" site, he used to sell it in his food range


Thanks Steve, I'll take a look at what he has available now.


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## Gill (22 Feb 2020)

I feed bee pollen and buy it from the health food sellers on ebay. Just a pinch once a week. It smells lovely and fish like it aswell. It dissolves slowly and the shrimp graze on it. 
They may not graze on it 1st time, but they will eventually.

I also feed chlorela tabs aswell.

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## BarryH (22 Feb 2020)

Gill said:


> I feed bee pollen and buy it from the health food sellers on ebay.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


Do you have a link to the eBay seller you use at all please Pardeep?


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## Steve Buce (22 Feb 2020)

Also have a look at ebay seller - robin solitude
He sells bee pollen for shrimps,as well as botanicals etc


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## Gill (23 Feb 2020)

Steve Buce said:


> Also have a look at ebay seller - robin solitude
> He sells bee pollen for shrimps,as well as botanicals etc


That's who I have used 

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## Gill (23 Feb 2020)

BarryH said:


> Do you have a link to the eBay seller you use at all please Pardeep?


Will have a look thru purchase history and see who in bought a big packet from. 

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## BarryH (23 Feb 2020)

Gill said:


> Will have a look thru purchase history and see who in bought a big packet from.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


Thanks for the help Pardeep.


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## Gill (24 Feb 2020)

BarryH said:


> Thanks for the help Pardeep.



Just had a look thru History. And this is the shop I purchased the Bee Pollen and Spirulina from.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/naturalorganicshop/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Also you can use egg shells for a calcium mineral boost. Leave them in the 24/48 hrs.


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## BarryH (24 Feb 2020)

Brilliant. Thanks for all the help Pardeep, really appreciated.


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## Tankless (24 Feb 2020)

Are there any health benefits for the fish/shrimp?


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## BarryH (24 Feb 2020)

Tankless said:


> Are there any health benefits for the fish/shrimp?


Health benefits no one seems to mention but all the videos I've watched on YT show the shrimp really going for the bee pollen. Quite a good video on Mark's Shrimp Tanks.


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## jaypeecee (24 Feb 2020)

In their natural habitat, why would shrimps eat bee pollen? I wouldn't have thought there would be much bee pollen in an aquatic environment!


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## BarryH (24 Feb 2020)

jaypeecee said:


> In their natural habitat, why would shrimps eat bee pollen? I wouldn't have thought there would be much bee pollen in an aquatic environment!


These are a couple of the YT Videos:


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## Gill (24 Feb 2020)

He gave me the Idea for bee pollen, after watching his videos.


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## mort (25 Feb 2020)

I've never used bee pollen but shrimp do love stinging nettle flowers (and the top few leaves, especially if gently blanched first). The plus to them is they are free, abundant and can be dried for winter feeding.


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## BarryH (25 Feb 2020)

mort said:


> I've never used bee pollen but shrimp do love stinging nettle flowers (and the top few leaves, especially if gently blanched first). The plus to them is they are free, abundant and can be dried for winter feeding.


Funny you should mention nettles, I've just been watching a video about that. I'm all for getting natural food especially if it's free and good for the shrimp.

Not sure how to blanch the leaves but it says Google to add a pinch of salt but I would guess that's not a good thing for the shrimp?


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## mort (25 Feb 2020)

BarryH said:


> Funny you should mention nettles, I've just been watching a video about that. I'm all for getting natural food especially if it's free and good for the shrimp.
> 
> Not sure how to blanch the leaves but it says Google to add a pinch of salt but I would guess that's not a good thing for the shrimp?



To blanch you just put the leaves in boiling water for 10-15 seconds. There isn't any need to add anything to the water and you don't really need to blanch them its just by doing so you make them more easy to consume for the shrimp. Fresh unblanched leaves will be eaten but sometimes the shrimp can ignore them for a few days until they naturally soften up (which is all blanching does).
I've fed blanched and unblanched and the shrimp went straight for the blanched. I find rolling them up in you fingers and gently squeezing some of the water out makes them sink best. 

You can do exactly the same with dandelion leaves.


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## BarryH (25 Feb 2020)

mort said:


> To blanch you just put the leaves in boiling water for 10-15 seconds. There isn't any need to add anything to the water and you don't really need to blanch them its just by doing so you make them more easy to consume for the shrimp. Fresh unblanched leaves will be eaten but sometimes the shrimp can ignore them for a few days until they naturally soften up (which is all blanching does).
> I've fed blanched and unblanched and the shrimp went straight for the blanched. I find rolling them up in you fingers and gently squeezing some of the water out makes them sink best.
> 
> You can do exactly the same with dandelion leaves.


Brilliant, thanks for all the help. Really appreciated.


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## BarryH (26 Feb 2020)

Gill said:


> Just had a look thru History. And this is the shop I purchased the Bee Pollen and Spirulina from.
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/naturalorganicshop/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=



Parcel arrived this morning and all the shrimp were banging on the glass when they spotted the bee pollen. All I need now is a way to get it down to them without it going all over the tank.


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## Gill (26 Feb 2020)

BarryH said:


> Parcel arrived this morning and all the shrimp were banging on the glass when they spotted the bee pollen. All I need now is a way to get it down to them without it going all over the tank.


Easiest way is to use a tube of some sort. 
Some PVC piping works well, Or a millions sweet tube, or even some hosepipe. Just need something for it to tumble down onto the substrate. 

And you can target feed by letting g it fall onto a clear dish of some sort like an ashtray or petri dish. I will use ashtrays from the pound shop or the lid of a yankee candle,as they are nice and deep.




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## BarryH (27 Feb 2020)

Managed to feed the shrimp a treat today, four or five grains of the Bee pollen.

Not really sure how the shrimp locate their food but they seemed to find it pretty quick, never seen them all more or less together at the same time. Really pleased with my 99p eBay purchase.


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