Pollen

[GaryE]

I have a fish researcher friend traveling in Vietnam right now, and while I've been admiring shots of the fish he's catching, I've also been looking at the water surface. In some slower moving Anabantoid/labyrinth fish habitats, the water is coated in pollen, as we see here in the north at certain times of the year. While I no longer keep labyrinth fish like the paradise fish in today's net shots, I have noticed reports of fish eating pollen. It shows up in a lot of stomach content analyses.
I'm guessing it's less seasonal than here.
Has anyone here tried using pollen as food for their fish?

 

[MattW]

I have fed bee pollen sticks to my cherry shrimp before. I did notice a couple of my rice fish pecking at it. It would be interesting to see how they would react if just pollen was fed.

 

[Back in the fold]

Wow . . . . just when you think you’ve heard it all . Not surprising though . Fish , like any other creature , eat what’s available even if it may not be their first choice .

 

[gwand]

Pollen is a nutritious food. Here is a breakdown:

• Protein: 20–35% by weight. It includes all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source.
• Carbohydrates: 30–55%, mostly simple sugars (glucose and fructose) for quick energy.
• Lipids: 1–10%, including essential fatty acids like linoleic and linolenic acid.
• Vitamins: Rich in B-complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12), vitamin C, and some carotenoids (provitamin A).
• Minerals: Contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, and selenium.
• Phytonutrients: Includes flavonoids, phenolic acids, and enzymes that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.