# Bee Pollen



## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

Does anyone feed their shrimp bee pollen? I've been thinking about trying it. Just wondering if anyone else has tried it.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

That's a new one on me. What would be the reason for it ? I know some people use it medicinally, though I am not sure what for, other than possibly treating allergies.


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

I'm not exactly sure but it's very popular on the European shrimp sites.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

A quick search of various articles posted online concerning Bee pollen seem to agree on a few points. It's quite rich in proteins, containing all the human essential amino acids, approx. 40% protein, high in vitamins, especially the B complex, about 35% carbs, which bees use for energy. Also contains a synthesized resin called propolis, which the bees make when they store pollen they gather, which may have antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Seems nobody is entirely sure exactly what's in bee pollen, as it's not identical to the pollen they gather from the plants by the time they finish processing it. It's been used medicinally and as food for centuries for people, and it has a rep for being able to cure many conditions and improve health in general.

If you're allergic to bee stings, you probably ought not to eat bee pollen either. It certainly varies in content because no two bees gather the exact same pollens on a given day and the plant sources change frequently over the season as well, and plants themselves vary from place to place and country to country. So in some respects bee pollen is quite variable in it's origins.

One article I found quite interesting stated that experiments have been conducted where bees have been fed man made pollen substitutes. These substitutes were made carefully according to analysis of real bee pollen, and appeared to be identical in makeup to the natural bee pollen. But in these trials, bees fed man made pollen substitutes died. So there seems to be something in bee pollen that is unique, and essential for bee health at least.

I wonder if the use for shrimp relates to the high vitamin content and/or the anti bacterial/viral properties it is said to have ?


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I feed my shrimps with bee pollen I bought from Spain via eBay. They eat it but not like its their favourite food.


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## supershrimp (Dec 29, 2011)

Anyone find this locally ?


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

Yes you can get it pretty locally.


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## supershrimp (Dec 29, 2011)

Nice, I'm goin to try it. I'm sure it can't hurt.


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

I found a place in Niagara Falls that sells it. I can post the link later.


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## supershrimp (Dec 29, 2011)

I'll ask around at some health food stores. They seem to stock all sorts of strange things.


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

Make sure you get an organic one.


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

http://www.trulyorganicfoods.com/bee-pollen.php


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## supershrimp (Dec 29, 2011)

http://www.aloeveraland.ca/bee-pollen.html


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Almost any decent health store will have organic bee pollen available. Natural Life Health Market, just beside Promenade mall, is a fantastic store. Happy Planet, one of which is now at Dixie/Dundas just north of Dundas, opposite the Freshco on the other side, on east side of Dixie, also very good, good prices. There are others. It has a bitter taste, so I'm not so sure of how palatable it is for shrimp. Usually you'd get a choice of of at least a couple of brands and be prepared for the prices. Not cheap, not at all.

Also have seen it for sale in the Pacific Mall, the Marketplace, where Lucky's is, ground level, in the walkway somewhere. Sell all kinds of bee products there, or did last time I went that way.

http://www.tankgeek.com/2012/05/31/red-cherry-shrimp

This last link is to a short article, it's for cherry shrimp, but it mentions feeding bee pollen once weekly as a breeding enhancement of some kind. Perhaps this is the appeal of the pollen in shrimp, if it helps breeding or improves baby survival rates perhaps. It did not say, but it was a short search as I'm bushed and aiming for bed. Might try to find more specifics tomorrow. Organic pollens I have seen in stores such as I have mentioned have always been granules made by the bees and collected and bottled by the bee keepers. I don't think I'd trust any pollen that's been made into tablets or capsules.. too many other additives to maintain the pill shape, or binding ingredients. JMHO


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

coryjames said:


> http://www.aloeveraland.ca/bee-pollen.html


This one appears to be in tablet form.


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## supershrimp (Dec 29, 2011)

Thanks for the info fishfur. Very helpful. Can't wait to try it now. Early next week I will start the experiment.


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## Bebu (Jul 24, 2009)

I may be a little late to this thread, but I use organic bee pollen, and it's my shrimps (cherry and CRS) favorite food. 

It begins to erode quickly and starts to fill the tank - this is great for any lingering, hidden shrimplets. I feed it to them every 2 or 3 days. 

I found a jar (about the size of a jam jar) of organic bee pollen for $10 at a little Italian grocer on Dufferin. So, I'm sure you should be able to find it at most food stores. 


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Not having used it myself, I would assume its very helpful in keeping bacteria at bay, so the shrimps on the whole would probably be better of in the long run. It may also help improve the survivability of baby shrimps, because most babies die from bacterial problems which they can't fight off like adults.

In humans, bee pollen, honey is a very good immune boosting source, so 
I think this is why shrimp breeders in Europe feed it to their shrimps to help
improve their immune systems.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Interesting. Thanks for sharing Matt.

On a side note: bee polen = reguritated plant sperms 

Man, I don't what to know what honey is made of anymore. I love honey, I drink that stuff almost daily.

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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Bee spit. Sorry, but I had to. .

Might want to ease up on honey consumption, tasty though it is. One honey bee, in it's entire life, produces only about one teaspoon of honey, and then they get fed sugar water by the keepers, instead of what they worked so hard to make for themselves. Not preaching here.. but I've reduced my honey intake quite a bit the past few years. I love varietal honeys, but save them now more for treats.


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