How to feed veggies ?

[MortiferousSoul]

I'm completely new to this hobby so if i seem completely out in the dark ... i am ^_^

I've got 2 guppies, 2 otocinclus catfish and 2 pink kissing gourami's in a 10 gallon tank (didnt realize the gouramis would get to big for the ank till after i bought them, plan on giving them away when they get to big though).

Ive read that both the catfish and the gouramis like veggies. Now my question is would i feed them the same veggies i would buy at the grocery store, or is there some special fish veggies i dont know about. Also how would i feed them the veggies, just chop some little bits and toss them in the tank ?

any special cleaning techniqe to make veggies fish safe ?


any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[kll1221]

yes same veggies as you would buy yourself.

You would blanch them (cucumber, zuccini and lettuce, I believe) and then weighed them down in the tank and make sure you remove any uneaten veggies.

Blanching means a fast cook so boil water and drop veggies in for a min or so then remove them and cool.

 

[zoo minsi]

i always wondered why people blanch them i feed my guys zuchinni (sp?) and give it to them raw. I just cut a couple slices and wrap a lead plant wieght through em and drop em to the bottom. Then when they've eaten most of em i just pull whats left out.

 

[MortiferousSoul]

i put 2 small pieces of zuchinni and 2 small pieces of cucumber, blanched. The gourami's seem to pick at it a little but no bites to noticable although it seems to be sucking on the rocks around them quite a bit. only been in there 10 minutes, how long do you all usually let the vegtables sit before deciding there not gonna eat the rest ?


and how often do you feed he fishes veggies ?

 

[jobeak]

I have pleco's and I feed the zucchini's. I drop them in and leave them over night. I usually put them in before I go to bed. I take out whats leftover in the morning.

Jobeak.

 

[zoo minsi]

ya i leave mine in a day or 2 then take out whatever's left.

 

[jwddboy]

I have a tank with a breeding pair of bristlenoses, 6 baby bristlenoses (soon to be sold), 1 royal plec, 1 yellow spotted sailfin plec, 1 leopard plec, one blue spotted plec and 1 adonis plec. They live in a huge 105gal tank and i feed them with 1 zucchinni per week. sliced into 8ths and held down by weights. There is no need for algae wafers or any other bought product.

At the beginning of feeding them zucchinni it is best to blanch it quickly but you can easily wean them onto raw. I have also heard it is better for them raw.

I would suggest putting in absolutley no more that an eighth of 1 per week. Always leave over night as they often eat over night more. If there is any left in the morning, scoop it out. If they re eating it but still leaving lots after a month or so cut back on the ammount you are feeding them.

 

[MortiferousSoul]

Thanks for all the help. I put a piece of zuchinni and a piece of cucumber, they seemed to go more for the cucumber, is one better for gourami than the other, or just about what they take to ?

thanks again for all the help

 

[jwddboy]

what they take to is best glad we could help.

 

[zoo minsi]

ya all fish are diffrent people feed em zuchinni squash, cucumber, lettuce, peas. lots of options

 

[MortiferousSoul]

The water is a tad bit cloudy, could it be that i may have blanched the cucmber a tad to much.

I just set up the tank a couple days ago, could it more likely be the sudden surge of growing bacteria thats causing the water to cloud a little.

 

[jwddboy]

no. its unlikley. It was probably just done a little too much. you really only have to do it for a short ammount of time.

If you are cycling minimise the ammount you give them. Then over time start giving them more. This will help prevent too much of an ammonia spike.