Boiling veggies

[Anaxus]

How long do you usually boil your veggies? I tried to boil some zucchini and I boiled it for about 10min but it still didnt sink.

[JSchmidt]

I don't think they'd sink regardless of how long you boiled them. I blanch them (boil 'em for 60 seconds) to keep them from getting fuzzy so quickly. You can rubber band them to a stone and drop it in, or get a feeder clip that attaches to the tank with a suction cup.

Jim

[ChilDawg]

RTR has something to say on this issue. Here is the article that he wrote for AquaSource on feeding Loricariids. (http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/pleco2.html)

[OrionGirl]

Boiling the veggies for that length of time nullifies much of the nutritional benefits--some will argue the boiling them for anything length of time will do this. The reason to feed veggies is the increased number of fresh vitamins. Most vitamins are sentive to extremes in temperature, so the good stuff either breaks down, or is released into the water.

Instead, just throw them in raw. The fish will eat them, even if they float.

[Anaxus]

Ok thanks, I was confused about the subject. That was a great read thanks for the link.
I added a peice attached to a rock with a rubber band. My pleco hasnt found it yet but the cories are going crazy over it.
What do you do about the seeds?

[ChilDawg]

Originally posted by Anaxus
What do you do about the seeds?

Um...let them grow?

I'd take them out, because they wouldn't grow so hot and would probably rot.

[OrionGirl]

Leave 'em in there. They'll get eaten. Same thing for the rind.

[RTR]

Panaque and several other species of Loricariid will actually eat the rind first if given the opportunity.

The blanching or freezing and improved sinking depend a lot on the scale of the slice. If thin, it is likely to sink after blanching or freezing, if a chunk you are likely to still need to secure it. The action of the blanching or freezing is to make the nutrients a bit more accessible to fish without cellulose digesting bacteria in their guts.

[Anaxus]

Doesn't seem like my pleco liked the zuccini. I might try a cucumber next.

[RTR]

Anaxus - don't give up too soon, it usualy takes several tries for a fish to dicover that newly offered materials may be food.

[net_shark512]

Yes don't give up. It took mine close to a week to find a cucumber (not the same one I kept changing it) After he did he ate one every night.

[Rometiklan]

It might be helpful if people can list the type of vegetables they use, how you prepare it (frozen, raw, fresh, blanched? sliced? diced?) and what type of fishes eat that particular vegetable. Thanks in advance.

[brianfl]

It probably depends somewhat how big your plec is. I would keep trying. None of mine would eat it at first, but now they go crazy over the zuchini. It usually just takes them a while to figure it out.

[Anaxus]

I am trying again tonight. I am going to start rotating algae wafers and zuchini every night. Hopefully he will start eating it. My plec is about 3.5"

[brianfl]

He should take to it eventually. Then you won't be able to keep up:) I don't do anything to mine, I just feed then raw.. Mine likes the wafers a lot too.

[Anaxus]

He decided to eat it tonight. So all is good.