I need tips on freezing and storing beef liver.

[Wulfonce]

I started feeding my Oscars beef liver in addition to there normal diet of pellets. At $0.72 a pound, you cant go wrong!

What I've been doing is cutting the liver into cubes and freezing it. I take a piece of wax paper, spoon on a small pile of liver, then fold the paper over top of the pile. I pile more on top, then fold back the other way. The end result kinda looks like an accordion, the liver sandwiched in between each layer. I thought It was a brilliant idea at the time, I was even really proud of myself for thinking that up. lol

FAIL!

I found out that the paper sticks to the liver so strongly (when frozen) that every time I remove a pile some of the paper rips off and sticks to the liver. Then once its thawed I have to waste time picking out all the paper bits. Is there a method that you guys use that I may be overlooking? I cant really freeze individual piles on a baking sheet, then bag them, cause I don't have the room or the time. I have another 10lbs of liver sitting on the counter waiting to be cut up.

Any suggestions?

[petspoiler]

I wouldn't feed them beef liver. 10lbs seems like you're using that for the main staple of their diet. not good.

[Wulfonce]

I feed them liver every other day, is that to often? On the off days they get cichlid pellets. 1lb of liver lasts about a month to a month and a half, between 4 Oscars. 11", 10", 7", 6", and two 5" feeder comets. I'm hoping the 10lbs will last a year.

I cut them into 1cm cubes. The 2 bigger Oscars will eat about 4 pieces each, smaller Oscars eat about 2.

[duanes]

Fish have a hard time digesting mammal animal fat, it can adversely effect a fishes liver. Oscars are omnivores, you'd be better off feeding thawed, de-shelled peas every other day. An occasional crawfish, worms from the bait shop and insects are much better sources of protein.

[Harleydiva]

I use an ice cube tray then dump it in a ziplock once it's frozen but it should b a very rare treat not a staple food I give it like 2 x a month


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[Oddball]

If cubed before the 'use by' date, liver can be stored frozen, at conventional temperatures, for 2 months for maximum flavor. 3-4 months is still safe to use. Can be frozen at zero degrees F indefinitely.

I partly freeze liver before cubing it since it's easier to handle with a bit of cold rigidity. I place the cut pieces in mini ice trays and freeze them. Once frozen, I loosen the cubes from the trays and add water until all of the cubed pieces are covered. This is called 'green freezing'. It keeps air from directly contacting the frozen product and prevents freezer burn. After freezing completely again, I can place the cubes into freezer zip-loc bags and take out what I need to thaw out and feed.

This method works great with beef/chicken hearts too.

[Wulfonce]

Having done more research on it (not that I didn't believe you guys) I've decided that I've got to figure out a better feeding plan. I'd like to use some kind of vegetable since there inexpensive. Frozen peas would be my first choice. I hear they need to be de-shelled? Does that mean taking them out of the pod or taking off the outside layer of the pea itself? If its the 2nd one, is there a quick way of doing this?

What other vegetables could be used? Lettuce? green beans? boiled carrots?

[duanes]

I thaw the peas for a few moments in tank water, and squeeze the individual pea out of the shell (I do not mean pod).
Some fish will eat it with the shell, but then the shell comes out nearly whole in the feces, and needs to vacuumed out later.

[Harleydiva]

Romaine lettuce is a favorite and yup u gotta take the coating off of the little pea I tried smashing them but FYI makes a huge mess in ur tank


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