Garlic soaked peas for fish

HI guys,

So I decided I was going to do a garlic soaked pea day once a week for my fish.

What I did:

Crushed 3 large cloves of garlic into 150ml of water and mashed it up, left in fridge over night, strained out garlic pulp.

This left me with garlic water.

I am not sure if this is the best way to go about making the garlic mixture, does anyone have a better method?

I then boiled some peas and shelled them, I put them into some of the garlic water and left them in the fridge for 1 hour before feeding to the fish

(I have not fed the fish yet, I only just put the peas in the fridge, this is just what I am going to do, so I may as well post it!)

How long will the garlic water be okay to use for?

How many peas should be fed per fish?

I have 6 discus

11 penguin tetras

9 corydoras sterbai

Thank you for taking the time to read and any advice is more than welcomed!

 

Good morning,

Since we are on the subject of garlic, here is a link on how to make your own garlic juice:
"Benefits of garlic:

Purifies blood; detoxifies; lowers cholesterol levels; lowers blood pressure; blood thinner; prevents blood clots; boost immune system; prevents heart disease and strokes; destroys cancer cells; muscle relaxant; antibiotic; antifungal; suppresses growth of tumors
Using a medium size bulb; peel cloves apart, snip off ends; microwave cloves for 5 to 10 seconds to pop hulls; remove hulls; cut the length of the cloves in thin slices; place in cup of hot (from tap) water; cover, and let sit at room temperature for 12 hrs; mash the cloves and strain for immediate use; refrigerate until needed. good for two to three weeks.
The longer the cloves soak, the stronger the solution."

The information above comes from the link below:


Be sure to slice the peas into sizes the fish can easily swallow. When I soak any fish foods in garlic, I usually soak them for a good 20 to 30 minutes. I would feed as much peas as I would regular foods. Normally I feed and use Garlic Guard twice a week.

Storing Fresh Garlic:


Ken

 

Thanks Ken!

I knew I could count on you

 

I think the same rule of how much they can eat in 5-6 minutes applies. If you keep the garlic water frozen and melt it during feeding time I think up 2 months is good if its just in the fridge or in the pantry I'd say less then a month to a month. Freezing really helps keep it fresh.

I had the same idea as you...

I take a garlic juicer and put the juice in a Tupperware, take a baggy of organic peas pop them in the microwave and nuke them for 30 seconds just to make them soft or I parboil them if I am making some tea. I have a turkey syringe, I suck up the garlic juice, and literally stuff the peas with garlic juices. (Sometimes I get carried away and they pop)

 

As a matter of interest is my mix okay to use for the first 3 weeks or should I start again?

 

Hello,

Glad to help. I wouldn't waste what you've already mixed. It should be fine or you could possibly even add to it.

Respectfully, feeding enough food that the fish can eat in 5 to 6 minutes is way too much food. Feed sparingly, as long as everyone gets a bite or two or three is all that is needed. If a fish misses out, then chances are good they will not miss out the next feeding.

Over feeding can lead to problems that you do not want such as increased ammonia levels and a decrease in pH if the food and waste isn't removed.

Thanks!

Ken

 

This is great to know. I gave my fish a pea yesterday as a treat and they loved it. Next time I'll soak them in the garlic water. I just thawed a frozen one and then took the skin off and chopped it up. Is that ok, or should they be cooked first?

 

Hello,

It's best to use Thawed Frozen Peas, no cooking is necessary. The peas that are frozen have already been blanched. Just thaw them in water. It doesn't take long.

I have well water so I just use the water from my tap/cold. Some folks may soak the peas to thaw in tank water if they have chlorine issues from the tap.

Canned peas may contain salt is why Frozen peas are suggested more.

Ken

 

Ah okay, I will thaw them next time,

the discus don't seem to want to eat any of them at all,

the corries are having a go and the tetras didnt seem to have a clue what was going on at all lol!

I do a daily water change so I will vac out the uneaten peas.

I noticed that once I added in my corries the poo on the bottom of the tank became much less... my discus used to do loads of poos and after 1 day the substrate had a noticeable amount of large poos.

Now I basically see no poos on the floor of my tank and it worried me...

Are the fish constipated? I doubt the corries eat the poo...

That's why I wanted to feed the peas! but the discus just hid in the corner when I put my hand in... annoying cos when I put my hand in with beefheart or brine shrimp they almost attack my hand!

Any advice?

 

Hello,

If the fish is constipated, they will appear bloated.

It may take several tries before the fish realize the peas are food. The garlic should act as a food enhancer for the fish too.

Perhaps the addition of the Cory's is spreading the poo around, sinking deeper into the substrate, breaking it up as they swim by, assuming you are not using a bare bottom tank. To my knowledge you are correct and the Cory's will not eat the waste, only leftover foods.

Ken