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The Goldfish Gazette, Issue #086 Repashy Gel Food Preparation February 27, 2021 |
Goldfish Care TipsA Free Monthly Resource For Goldfish Enthusiasts In This Issue Repashy gel foods are soft, moist, and high in protein and vegetable matter making them an ideal Goldfish food. Repashy Gel Food Preparation
Repashy Gel Food Preparation KitThe natural foods of Goldfish are water plants, insect larvae, worms, fresh water crustaceans and any other living matter that will fit in their mouths, including smaller Goldfish.There is nothing in the natural diet that is hard and dry. If you keep a fancy Goldfish variety that has a deep body, feeding dry prepared food such as flake and pellet foods will at some stage cause swim bladder issues, especially if you are feeding heavily for growth. The most common swim bladder disorder caused by diet is the fish bouncing to the surface like a cork. Repashy Super Foods HistoryRepashy Super Foods manufacture a large range of different foods catering to land reptiles, turtles and various fish species.Back in 2015 the food I focused on was Soilent Green which was for fish that eat small living organisms and have a high plant content in their diet. The other food I tried was Super Green. The protein level is lower at 35%, down from the 40% for the Soilent Green, and was more suited to older fish and winter feeding when protein can’t be digested so easily because of the cooler temperatures. In 2017, in partnership with Dandy Orandas, Repashy started producing a product specifically formulated for Goldfish and Koi. It is called Super Gold. Repashy Super Foods have become increasingly popular due in part to their success at stopping swim bladder disorders in fancy varieties. However, I am seeing posts on Facebook of people having difficulties with its preparation. Repashy Gel Food PreparationThe preparation instructions are quite clear on the label, but it appears the attempts that have failed usually haven’t set properly, so a semi liquid result is produced that would quickly disintegrate and pollute the aquarium or pond if it was used.When properly set, the result should be firm like Jell-O (jelly) that won’t dissolve or disintegrate for some time when placed in water, one of the advantages of using it. Because Repashy foods are expensive compared to other foods, after a couple of failures I can understand why enthusiasts quickly give up trying to make it. The benefits however of feeding Repashy foods to fancy Goldfish varieties are many as I have mentioned in earlier e-Zines. To assist anyone having difficulty preparing Repashy, below is a detailed step by step process I use when preparing enough food for 28 adult fish that range in size from 75mm to 150mm in body length. This quantity lasts about 7 days depending on the season. I use a microwave proof bowl 130mm across the top and 80mm at the bottom. Step one: I measure out 3 level tablespoons of Repashy and 9.50 tablespoons of water into the bowl. (The usual ratio is 1:3 but with the Super Gold I add a little extra water to make the gel softer). Step two: I stir the mixture with a fork, making sure all the powder is wet. Sometimes there are lumps in the mixture that need crushing. Step three: I microwave the mixture for one minute using an 1100w oven. The mix needs to come to the boil to dissolve the gelatin (gelatine), so testing is required for your ideal microwave settings. Note, you can also use a stove or kettle to boil the water and then add the powder. Step four: After cooking I stir the mixture again with a fork in case there are any lumps. Step five: Leave to set in the bowl. If I am in a hurry, I place the bowl in a larger bowl of cold water. If the mixture has been heated long enough, the mixture on the fork should gel within 1-2 minutes. DisclaimerFor those thinking I am being reimbursed by Repashy Super Foods directly, I am not. I do get a small commission from Amazon if I sell any through my Website, but I promote Repashy foods because I have seen the benefits they provide first hand and from feedback received from Goldfish enthusiasts that have solved swim bladder issues with their fancies.
Comments? Ideas? Feedback? I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this e-zine and tell me what you think, or what topics you want covered. Next Month's Topic Myths and Misinformationwww.facebook.com/aboutgoldfish |
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