View Full Version : What's this about spinach?
glittergirl
05-16-2003, 5:55 AM
I was reading the thread: Vacation Feedings, and several people mentioned spinach as being beneficial. Is this to feed the fish? I have read about feeding them greens like peas. On this subject, how do you prepare anything like that? Do you chop it up tiny, or what?
ChilDawg
05-16-2003, 7:23 AM
Spinach is usually boiled, I believe.
Many of the veggies like courgettes are "blanched."
These are very beneficial in terms of fish-feeding, but only if you have fish that are not inveterate carnivores.
ChilDawg
05-16-2003, 7:24 AM
It depends on the fish that you are keeping...neons would obviously need some really tiny bits, but may feed from whole (unshelled) peas at the bottom of the tank, while Plecs will take to normally-sliced zucchini.
OrionGirl
05-16-2003, 8:20 AM
Actually, you're better off not boiling or freezing the greens--it's recommended because it makes the veggie in question sink, but it reduces the nutrition value for the food.
All manner of veggies can be fed. I feed zucchini, broccoli, spinach, and cauliflower. I leave the veggies in the tank for 3-5 days with no ill result, though they seldom last that long. Floaters can be sunk with rocks, veggie clips, or scewers. I don't chop anything up--the fish can tear of little bits, and the bigger fish leave shrapnel that the smaller fish clean up.
Peas are usually just for treating constipation.
Anaxus
05-16-2003, 11:19 AM
Its fine to attach veggies to a screw for sinking? I thought you wanted to avoid metal in a tank.
superjohnny
05-16-2003, 11:39 AM
I think he meant skewer as in what you make shish kebabs with when you barbecue.
Anaxus
05-16-2003, 12:01 PM
Arn't skewers metal too though?
OrionGirl
05-16-2003, 12:59 PM
Wooden skewers--mine are bamboo. Stainless steel is fine to use as well. You just dont' want to add something that's going to rust. One member uses a stainless steel fork without problems, so I don't think that stainless steel screws would be a problem either--though I did mean skewers. ;)
Anaxus
05-16-2003, 1:17 PM
I will have to look around and see what I can find laying around the house. I don't think my wife would be to happy if i used one of our forks :p
ChilDawg
05-16-2003, 1:24 PM
Yeah, Anaxus, don't push the hobby to where it has been pushed in other threads! :)
The bamboo skewers seem like they would be the best and safest bet out of what has been espoused as holders so far.
JSchmidt
05-16-2003, 1:25 PM
I blanch veggies before I feed them to my fish. They get fuzzy pretty quickly if I don't. I don't usually feed leafy greens, though... my mbuna love zuchinni.
Jim
OrionGirl
05-16-2003, 1:39 PM
Jim--do you think that the fuzziness is bad? I think the fuzziness I see is just from the cells swelling with water, so it hasn't worried me. Seldom do veggies last long enough in my tanks to decompose, but the fuzzies show up after about 2 days. I experimented and found that they get that way in pure water as well, even if in the fridge, so concluded that it was a product of being submerged rather than bacteria or decay.
Anaxus
05-16-2003, 1:52 PM
What do you mean by blanch veggies? Is that boiling them?
OrionGirl
05-16-2003, 1:58 PM
Yes, blanching is adding the veggies to boiling water for about 30 seconds, then rinsing in cool water.
Vagabond
05-17-2003, 2:35 AM
I've attempted to feed my fish veggies cause I heard they were good for them, but they completely ignore them. I've tried Romaine lettuce, broccoli, and spinach (all blanched or steamed). It kinda reminds me of trying to get kids to eat their veggies. They (the fish, not the kids) just look at me as if to say, "Ok buddy, that was funny, now where's the REAL food. We want MEAT!!"
My fish:
6 Mossy Green Tiger Barbs
2 Dwarf Gourami's
1 Golden Zebra Loach
glittergirl
05-23-2003, 12:10 PM
I know this is a bit of an old thread now, but I tried to feed the otos spinach, but they just 'sat' on it and 'vacuumed' it, you know how they do. They were not the least interested in eating it. My friends the snails loved it though! I have now bought some zuchini (it's called courgette over here I think). What should I do with it. Should I slice it, dice it, or partially cook it, or all of the above?
ChilDawg
05-23-2003, 12:17 PM
Ever heard of blanching? That is the recommended way to cook food for Plecs (and your Ottos would count as Plecs, since the term has now encompassed the whole of Loricariidae).
wetmanNY
05-23-2003, 1:28 PM
Vagabond, fFish need to get accustomed to a new vegetable. Don't add too much, but don't take it away either. Wait and see. Tiger Barbs, Dwarf Gouramis, and all Botia will tear into spinach. They like it pretty soft, though.
I feed chopped frozen spinach, blanched (and re-frozen in handy ice cubes in a tray, then stored in a Zip-Loc bag).
Even some inveterate carnivores like tetras will eat spinach once they know what it is.
ChilDawg
05-23-2003, 1:29 PM
The other point of which I just personally thought...wetman, you beat me to it on that one, but I'd had my turn :)...is that what the Ottos are doing to the spinach seems to be consistent with eating it.
glittergirl
05-23-2003, 2:00 PM
Well I blanched a few bits of zuchini and speared them with a straw to anchor them down (haven't got any skewers). WetmanNY said to leave them there for a while, so I'll leave them for a couple of days and see what happens.
ChilDawg
05-23-2003, 2:05 PM
Originally posted by glittergirl
I have now bought some zuchini (it's called courgette over here I think).
It is. We'll see how well the courgette works! I'm looking forward to hearing from you along that front.
Actually, you're better off not boiling or freezing the greens--it's recommended because it makes the veggie in question sink, but it reduces the nutrition value for the food.
Just a little note. Freezing does not reduce the nutritional value of the vegatables. Frozen vegtable are just as nutrious as fresh.
[QUOTE][[B]Actually, you're better off not boiling or freezing the greens--it's recommended because it makes the veggie in question sink, but it reduces the nutrition value for the food.
Just a little note. Freezing does not reduce the nutritional value of the vegatables. Frozen vegtable are just as nutrious as fresh.
glittergirl
05-24-2003, 4:56 AM
It worked! :D :D :D
After about 15 minutes the big oto found it and was extremely interested! He's usually a bit shy and hides if I'm near the tank, but he didn't care if I was there or not, he couldn't get enough of that zucchini!
The smaller oto didn't seem that interested, he was more interested in the plants and dashing about, but this morning I noticed he had discovered the other piece of zucchini and seemed to like it.
A definite success!!!