seaweed - sodium content and how to feed?

[Baby_Girl]

I see a few folks here use dried marine seaweed to feed their shrimp. I tried with some unsalted, plain nori (the stuff used to wrap sushi) and my guys seemed to like it OK. Ate it within a few minutes, but didn't swarm excitedly like they do for crushed peas. However, I'm going to continue feeding it to increase their diet variety. [BTW, I only feed about 1/4 of a thawed frozen pea maybe once a week and do 25% WC's 2-3X a week ]

Anyway, does anyone know if since this seaweed/kelp is marine in origin, its flesh contains sodium?

Also, I'm considering getting the Julian Sprung Mixed SeaVeggies flakes because of the variety of different macroalgae it offers in one. Do these little pieces sink so the shrimp can get it? If not, what's the best way to offer this food?

[badflash]

You may think you are doing a good thing here, but it is totally wasted on the shrimp. If you feed them in small amounts and what they will eat, the sodium content will not matter. Just keep up with your water changes.

[pixl8r]

Sounds like you're doing great.

If you have a sodium test kit, take a fair sized piece (approximately the amount you would feed to your shrimp in a week) an soak it in a gallon sized pitcher over night. Test the water before and after soaking the seaweed for sodium levels. Oh, be sure to treat the seaweed in the same way as when you feed it to your shrimp (blanch/shread etc...)

As for foods that don't sink, I have freeze dried daphnia, bloodworks & stuff that my shrimp love. However, when put in a tank, it floats on the surface. To get the mixture to sink, I take a syringe designed to inject seasonings into meat (purchased for around one dollar), and twist off the plunger assembly. I put in a measured portion of food (enough to feed one tank). Next screw the plunger back on, push the plunger down. Then fill the syringe with water from the tank, and squirt it back in. I have to refill the syringe a few times to get all of the bits out, but that also mixes the food all around the tank. Because the syringe has holes on the sides of the shaft, and not at the tip, the food is dispursed nicely. For flake or other hard food, just crush it up, then inject it.

A turkey baster also works, but not as neatly. Pull off the rubber bulb, put non sinking food in it. Reassemble the baster, suck up some water, cover the end and shake. Then just squirt the food into the water.

Make sure to clean out any food residue from the syringe/baster or what ever you use. I do that because I also use the syringe to take water samples and fill the multiple test tubes.

[The Fisherman]

Also, I'm considering getting the Julian Sprung Mixed SeaVeggies flakes because of the variety of different macroalgae it offers in one.

Hmmm - I may try this for my shrimp. I have a bottle, but all my fish hate the SeaVeggies flakes.

Hmmm, interesting info badflash.

[The Fisherman]

Well, my shrimp LOVED the SeaVeggies. They were stealing it from each other. Quite humerous really.

[Baby_Girl]

You may think you are doing a good thing here, but it is totally wasted on the shrimp.

well, it's better safe than sorry isn't it? What's the harm in asking?

pixl8r, thanks for the info. I already use syringes or pipettes to deliver food. I was just worried that the seaweed flakes would just float to the surface like the freeze-dried Cyclop-eze I want so desparately for them to eat. I try to inject near the sponge filter so it will stick to the sponge, but that doesn't always work.

Fisherman, so how did the logistics of the Mixed SeaVeggies work? Did it sink?

[The Fisherman]

Fisherman, so how did the logistics of the Mixed SeaVeggies work? Did it sink?

They float for a second or two, then start to sink.

[Baby_Girl]

cool, thank you!

[Mustafa]

You may think you are doing a good thing here, but it is totally wasted on the shrimp.

well, it's better safe than sorry isn't it? What's the harm in asking?

What badflash is *trying* ( ) to say is that things like seaweed, spinach, veggies and all kinds of other food that shrimp never eat naturally in their habitats are not necessary at all and don't add any benefit whatsoever. That's all. He's not saying that your question is a waste.