fish treats (food)

[Lauren]

My fish are on a flake and algae diet. I've seen people put zucchini in their tank for the fish to nibble on. I was wondering if I should do this. How much and how often? Also, many times I'm gone for the weekend. I don't let other people in the house feed my fish, and I know they are okay going for a few days without food, but I'm wondering if a wedge of zucchini would be a good thing to give them before going away for a day or so. Any other fruits or veggies I can use as well?

[OrionGirl]

I feed zukes, cukes, and leafy lettuce. Broccoli stems and carrots--but rarely. The bigger question--what fish are you feeding? Many 'pleco' fish will love veggies, as will sharks, gouramies, danios, and many tetras. Some fish won't touch them.

[Hydro]

When feeding vegetables like broccoli stems and carrots, do you cook them a bit to soften them first or put them in raw?

[Lauren]

just some white clouds right now, gold barbs are next, then a few rasboras and a pair dwarf gouramis

[OrionGirl]

I would wait til you've added the gouramies before feeding veggies. My white clouds never touched veggies--not sure about the barbs. My gouramies prefer spinach to other veggies.

I don't cook the veggies first. The zucchini I buy in bulk during the fall, cut it up and freeze it. Most veggies will float for a while, so I have a handful of small rocks I use to anchor them to the bottom--though I will leave one slice floating for the gouramies, and other top feeders.

[Lauren]

THanks oniongirl, I'll start that up when I'm all stocked I guess.