BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte".
Not just feed, but the food of the future.
Introduction
Aquarists have always been alchemists by nature .
How many times have we thought that we would like to integrate this or that ingredient into our pets' diet , how many times have we passed by the fish counter and imagined giving them that lovely shrimp or that lovely mussel.
During the early years of the development of granular and extruded feeds, mush was widely used, precisely for the purpose of feeding the entire system at the same time with a superior quality food .
Anyone who has tried to make them at least once knows that the difficulty, unfortunately, always lies in their production and conservation: it would make a huge mess, dirtying the whole kitchen, dirtying countless ice lolly trays and promptly finding the freezer full of blocks half-burned by the air and which very often after just a few months had lost much of their colour and organoleptic characteristics.
Furthermore, due to the enormous quantities (in relation to the purpose) that were produced, it was impossible to vary the ingredients and we always ended up administering another single food.
Over the years the practice of producing mash has gradually reduced and today it persists almost exclusively in farms and public aquariums.
With BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" we thought of rekindling the alchemist's spark by providing a modern tool to enhance your feed and offer the best to your guests.
BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" is an innovative food dedicated to all aquarium organisms.
This is a powdered paste, to be prepared at the moment , for better conservation and immediate use .
Formulated with an exclusive blend of krill, eggs and fish milk , it offers a base of the highest quality ingredients, which can be enhanced at your convenience.
The enthusiast only has to personalize and boost the feed in a targeted manner , with specific functional components such as probiotics, amino acids, immunostimulants but also simply macro and micro algae, crustaceans and molluscs as well as a wide variety of other fresh or concentrated ingredients.
Nutritional Depth
As you well know, proper nutrition is vital to keep our guests healthy and colorful.
Ocean gold should be a paste for special occasions, but also usable on a daily basis.
For this reason we have chosen to work with quality ingredients such as eggs and fish milk .
BEA Ocean Gold à la Carte" stands out in the aquarium food panorama thanks to its exclusive formulation , which exploits the synergy of ingredients selected for their exceptional nutritional properties and the natural presence of metabolic stimulants .
At the heart of this formulation are krill, eggs and milk. of fish (tuna, amberjack, swordfish, mullet, ...) , ingredients that allow to maintain a protein base of the highest quality .
Krill , a small crustacean that populates cold ocean waters, is one of the most innovative and interesting emerging marine protein sources for our sector.
These organisms are fundamental in the marine ecosystem and serve as a food source for numerous marine species.
Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA , krill contributes to cardiovascular health and proper neurological development.
It also has a high content of astaxanthin ( a powerful antioxidant ), an excellent amino acid profile and a good balance of microelements.
Fish eggs and fish milk are both highly nutritional foods, appreciated not only for their high palatability but also for the particular health benefits they provide .
Fish eggs are an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids , but at the same time provide a high amount of high-quality protein, essential for building and repairing tissue.
They are rich in B vitamins, vitamins D, E, A, and minerals such as iron, potassium, selenium and iodine, which support the functioning of the immune system and metabolism .
Milk is also characterized by the presence of hormones and stimulant substances with hormone - like action, with enormous potential in our sector.
The milk and eggs are collected in spring and summer by small local fishermen , and come strictly from the uncontaminated Aeolian archipelago .
Only eggs from adult specimens that have already undergone several reproductive cycles and are in perfect health are collected .
The ingredients then undergo freezing, freeze-drying and micronization processes, which allow their high nutritional characteristics to remain unchanged.
Personalizing your Diet
Personalizing your pet's diet with BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" not only allows you to meet your pet's specific nutritional needs and correct any deficiencies, it also significantly improves their health and well-being.
The food can be administered either as a ball to be made to stick to the glass, or as a very light batter, to be poured into the water to feed planktonivorous organisms and the whole system in general.
Depending on our needs, we can administer the food in different ways and enhance it by integrating different specific ingredients into the preparation.
This chapter offers a guide on how to enrich your feed with probiotics, prebiotics, algae, molluscs and crustaceans , exploring the benefits of each additional component.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
Probiotics are a large group of microorganisms (usually lactic acid bacteria) that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host.
Probiotics help maintain the balance of the intestinal flora of fish , improving digestion and nutrient absorption , and boosting the immune system .
Prebiotics, on the other hand, are non-digestible substances that are used by probiotic bacteria or that promote the correct development of the microbiota .
The combined use of probiotics and prebiotics leads to the development of foods defined as synbiotic , such as for example BEA Ammino Expanse , BEA Immuno Boost , BEA Phyto Plus , BEA Zoo Plus , BEA Pure Eggs .
The integration of probiotics and prebiotics in the feed helps to improve digestion, nutrient absorption and resistance of aquarium inhabitants to environmental stress , reducing the incidence of diseases .
Algae: Essential Vitamins and Minerals
Algae are among the most interesting emerging ingredients in the food and feed industry and are becoming increasingly important in our sector as well.
Micro and macroalgae are now defined “ superfood ” and are extremely rich in vitamins (such as A, C, E and complex B) and trace elements (iodine, iron, calcium , magnesium, manganese, ... ).
These nutrients are essential for supporting bodily functions, including vision , immune function, and tissue health .
Adding microalgae and/or macroalgae to BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" not only enriches the diet with valuable trace elements and bioactive algal compounds , but also stimulates vibrant coloration in fish and invertebrates.
In the case of microalgae integration, concentrated products can be used. such as BEA Phytoplus or BEA Zooboost .
If you want to integrate macroalgae, we recommend using BEA Pure Algae (Stay Tuned) after rinsing them from their brine.
Molluscs and Crustaceans : Proteins and Essential Fatty Acids
Mussels , clams and molluscs in general are exceptionally rich in high-quality proteins and Omega-3 fatty acids .
They have an excellent amino acid profile, a good quantity of vitamins (particularly B complex and vitamin D) and are characterised by the presence of molecules with appetite-stimulating effects.
Shrimp also provide a concentrated source of high-quality protein, and are also characterized by the presence of taurine , an essential amino acid that supports heart function and vision .
Shrimp also contains astaxanthin , a powerful antioxidant that enhances the natural coloration of aquatic animals.
Adding crustaceans and molluscs to the feed improves the growth, cardiovascular health and immune system of fish.
It may be particularly interesting to evaluate their use as an amino acid supplement, to increase the palatability of the feed in the case of “difficult” fish or simply as a protein booster for the feeding of large omnivores and carnivores.
Bioactive Molecules: A Universe of Alchemy
Of particular interest is also the addition of bioactive molecules with a specific function.
For example, we can strengthen the immune response by using fresh garlic extracts , specific complete products such as BEA I mmunoboost or BEA Ammino Expansion .
Similarly, the use of concentrated microalgae (such as using BEA Zoo Boost or BEA Phyto Plus ) allows the integration of all those very particular algal bio molecules that are difficult to convey to fish.
BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" lends itself to the integration of infinite molecules, opening up a truly immense range of possibilities.
From strengthening the immune system to coloring animals, through targeted pharmacological dosages, reproduction enhancement, hormonal dosages, metabolic boosts, (…)
We are currently testing the integration (combined and single) of a good hundred different molecules, the possible applications are truly endless , the limit is only your imagination .
How to Prepare and Serve "Ocean Gold à la Carte"
We have seen what to use to enhance our mash, in this section we will try to illustrate the different preparation techniques.
Classic application:
In a clean bowl, add a scoop of BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" and 10 drops of BEA Amino Expanse (or other BEA liquid products) .
Using a spatula, mix the mixture until you obtain a rubbery ball .
Correct with the two products to obtain the required consistency, wait a few minutes before adding further liquid to allow correct hydration of all the ingredients.
The ball thus formed can be administered by making it adhere to glass or any substrate , or portioned and stored for later use.
For simplicity, performance and ease of use and storage, we recommend using concentrated but “live” ingredients (…) as the liquid component, such as BEA Phytoplus , BEA Ammino Expanse , BEA Zoo Plus , BEA Pure Eggs or BEA I mmuno Boost .
Thanks to the very particular preservation technique and the presence of probiotics inside the liquid suspension, the preservation capacity of the mash is increased exponentially.
The ball can also be stored at room temperature, inside a small airtight container (to avoid exposure to oxygen, excessive evaporation and loss of adhesiveness of the ball), for up to approximately 4 - 8 days.
In the case of refrigerated storage (4-8°C), and the use of products based on the use of probiotics, 8-12 days can also be reached .
Remember that the shelf life of the mash is always linked to the production phase.
In the case of large “one-off” productions, it is important to follow good hygiene practices to obtain optimal results and avoid unwelcome contamination that would irremediably reduce the quality of the product.
The main sources of contamination are the environment, the instruments and ourselves : let's make sure we work in a healthy environment, use clean instruments and handle the product using sterile gloves.
Use specific products as liquid component (e.g. BEA Amino Expanse ) reduces the risk of unwanted microbial proliferation and prolongs the product's shelf life.
Using fresh ingredients:
If you want to work with fresh ingredients such as crustaceans, molluscs or macroalgae , you start from the selection phase.
For an optimal choice we will select fresh fish, caught as close as possible, possibly avoiding pre-cooked , farmed and frozen products .
However, frozen products can be used quite safely if they are of extremely high quality .
Both crustaceans and molluscs should have a good smell, a bright color, and a healthy appearance.
Avoid any ingredient that does not meet extremely high quality standards , wait for the right time to purchase and do not pay attention to the price at all , the reduced quantities will still guarantee a significant saving.
One trick is to ask at the fishmonger's, specifying that the product will be consumed raw .
Among the most easily available ingredients, oysters come first (precisely because of the habit of consuming them raw , they meet extremely high quality standards), then crabs and prawns (widely distributed throughout the territory , therefore generally fresh).
Once the ingredient has been selected, we will wash it thoroughly, then with the help of a small mortar or a mixer (in the case of large quantities) we will reduce the ingredients into a cream.
The resulting cream can be portioned and frozen, then used as a liquid component by mixing it with a couple of scoops of BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" , in a small bowl.
We recommend making very small quantities of cream at a time, spreading it in a very thin layer on plastic film and then freezing it.
The portions can be small 5mm x 5mm squares with an average thickness of 2-3mm, this quantity is generally sufficient to obtain one adhesive ball with 2 scoops of BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" .
However, if used fresh , the product's shelf life is reduced to approximately 2-4 days in the refrigerator (4-8°C) .
This duration may vary depending on the production technique and the quality of the fresh ingredient.
Another technique is to freeze the clean tissue (e.g. oyster), then remove a fragment with a knife when you want to produce the paste, and knead it using a small mortar directly from frozen.
Use in liquid suspension:
Regarding the dosage of the product in liquid suspension , therefore for SPS, LPS, Zoanthids, soft and for the entire system, simply insert a measuring cup of BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" into a small quantity of osmotic water, then with the help of a spatula proceed to hydrate the mixture well.
Once a creamy batter has been formed , we will add the liquid and freeze-dried ingredients with which we want to enhance the food, then we will administer it into the tub.
You can use BEA Structure , BEA Zoo Boost , BEA Coral Boost , but also BEA Colors , BEA Growth , BEA Coral Boost LPS , frozen or fresh .
Similarly, if they are administered with a strictly nutritional function, BEA Green Pro , BEA Synecho Mix , BEA Red Pro , BEA Black Pro can be used as a liquid component.
The resulting mixture must be stored in the refrigerator (4-8°C) and consumed within 24 hours.
CONCLUSION
We hope that this little article has piqued your curiosity and ignited in you the same spark of passion that burns in all of us.
BEA Ocean Gold "à la Carte" is not just a food, but a revolution for every aquarist who aspires to a higher level of management and knowledge , with the sole aim of obtaining the best for their guests .
It is the opportunity to think outside the box, to not settle for the conventional, but to explore, to dare.
It is an open door to extreme customization, where every choice is dictated by knowledge and love for your aquarium.
