Zuccini??

[SomethingFishy]

I have heard that Plecos will eat zuccini. I have seen it in the tanks at the LFS too. Does anyone know if you have to prepare it in any way. I just boiled it for a minute to soften it.

Anyone? Anyone?

 

[Swiss]

I know nothing about plecos, but we give our fish zucchini about once a week and they ALL love it (except for the neon tetras). We cut thin slices, boil them for about 3 minutes, cool them down in cold water, tear them in half, and in they go. It's a banquet! ;-)

 

[Vyache]

I've never boiled veggies for fish. I give my clown loaches zuchinni and cucumber once in a while and spinach to pacu and tinfoil barbs. I think I'll try boiling some and see if they like it better.

 

[Swiss]

I think boiling serves two purposes - no pollutants or other 'baddies' on the veggy anymore, and it's easier for them to eat because it's softened up a bit. Even parboiled, they have to "lip" the stuff like crazy! )

 

[cholula]

in my 150g tank I have a 7" rusty, 5" sunshine
and 2 5" common plecos.
I have found them to love tomatoes, zurrchini,
cucumbers, and the sunshine likes his beef heart.

I dont worry about boiling... they seem to tear it
up quite handily.

The rest of the tank is stocked with various
synodontis catfish, and sometimes I see some
of them coming up to the produce stand for a
nibble.

 

[Aquaman]

Excuse my ignorance here, but doesn't boiling remove a lot of the vitamins or whatever that might be in the vegetable?

Regards.

 

[SomethingFishy]

I understand your concern about the boiling and the removal of nutrients. We have all been told that cooked vegatables have less of the good things than those eaten raw. However, I agree with the post above that a quick boiling is essential to remove any pesticides or other bad things that may be present on the veggie.

The key is to bring the water to a boil first then place the veggie inthe water only for about a minute. I have also noticed that the boiling helps to make the zucchini sink (although I weight it down with a rock)

Got to go . . . boiling some zucchini right now.

 

[mann]

I agree with SomethingFishy. It's only neccessary to boil it for a few minutes to get it heavy enough to sink on it's own.

But on this topic, do your fish eat the skin as well? Mine seem to.

 

[Aquaman]

I've got a 12 inch plec that eats the zucchini skin as well. I cut them in half (unboiled at the moment) and weigh them down with a large plastic clothes-peg. (Used to use a potato slice with a hole in it to weigh down the vegetables, but I ran out of potatos one day, and this way seems to work. The plastic is non-toxic).

While we are on this topic, do you remove the seeds from cucumbers before giving them to your fish - i never do, the plec seems to eat the seeds first, although I remember someone saying that he removes the seeds.

Regards.

 

[Somonas]

you can get clips that stick on the side of the glass. but I just elastic band it to a rock. I nuke slices of zuk's and rinse them until their cold. put 2 or 3 in and watch the mbunas go nuts. the plecos will take what's left. it's funny watching them go at it.

I have an mpg video of it somewhere but I have no idea where. if I find it I'll post it. or maybe I'll just take a new video. I have a zuk in the fridge thanks for reminding me !! those things smell when rotten.

 

[SomethingFishy]

Yup . . . I use the rubber band method as well as the clip on the glass. This allows the fish to feed at the level they are more confortable with as well as reduces competition.

 

[prhelp]

Think Julii corys would like any of this (zucchini, etc)?