Food for thought....or food for shrimp

[Baccus]

After doing some reading on a rather interesting site I found called Eat The Weeds, I not only discovered some interesting things about coraletia vine being edible from tendril tips to root tubers. But I also found out that the good old bottle brush (Callistemon citrinus) may be a useful tool in our limited treatments for ailing shrimp. What mainly got my attention was the fact that from the leaves can be made a methanolic extract that has antifungal and antibacterial properties as well as being effective against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. I know some people have had various fungal infections in their shrimp and even some necrosis is caused by certain bacteria, so perhaps in our larder of useful leaves to feed our shrimp the humble common bottlebrush needs to be added.

And if anyone does get the chance (by bad luck) to test either the dried leaves or green leaves on some sick shrimp and document the findings I'm sure it would be a boon for all shrimp keeps especially since the common bottlebrush is now grown almost world wide. And if it works it may even tip the mighty IAL off the top of the favourites list of leaves to turn to.

[jayc]

Great addition to the list of leaves/flowers that are beneficial to shrimp.

[Baccus]

I should have added with the bottlebrush in almost any creek I visit there is almost certain to be a mix of bottlebrush leaves, nuts and fallen flower stamens as well  leaves, nuts and bark from  tea tree and casuarina and these creeks are often harbouring thriving native fish and shrimp populations. In fact if I find a creek with no leaf litter you can almost be certain there will be no or extremely limited shrimp or fish populations.

Also with the coraletia vine the tubers can be ground up to make a flour, this too might be handy for people that need to feed fine foods especially for filter feeding shrimp.