How do you get veggies to sink?

[JamesBenjamin]

I've tried boiling them, and it just doesnt work. I've heard people use lead weights, but isnt lead bad for the fish?

any ideas would be helpfull.

also: what kind of veggies are best for fairly large plecos, and mollies/sworldtails?

[ChilDawg]

Courgette (aka Zucchini) is one of the best foods for algae eaters. Try tying it to a rock, which will be placed in the same position consistently, and your algae-eating fish will know where the food is.

[KateA.]

You can also purchase plastic clips that have a suction cup on the back. Just place the food in it under the water, wherever you think is best. They don't stick well unless the glass is free of scum/algae.

[kveeti]

I like the veggie clips mentioned by KateA. I don't even bother with the suction cup though, the clip provides enough weight to keep the zucchini (etc.) down.

[wetmanNY]

Thin slices of zucchini blanched in boiling water for a minute sink, IME. Chunks float.

[ArkyLady]

I tie mine to a small flat rock with fishing line. Thanks for reminding me, I need to go shopping for my pleco. He's getting sick of those nasty algae wafers :)

[GEV83]

I use a rubberband and a rock to old it down.

[NJ Devils Fan]

I also rubberband mine down after I boil it.

[GEV83]

I dont boil mine I just put it in raw it seems to last longer. They eat it like normal it just doesnt go bad as fast.

[Hunter2001]

My algae eaters and catfish love spinach leafs. If you boil them, they sink.

[Allison Reed]

I've been using forks >.>;

[NJ Devils Fan]

GER, how long do you leave it in the tank?

[dbcb314]

my pleco just eats algae, he gets nothin special. now, if i bought a cool looking pleco, then maybe he would get some lettuce, maybe

[ChilDawg]

Originally posted by dbcb314
my pleco just eats algae, he gets nothin special. now, if i bought a cool looking pleco, then maybe he would get some lettuce, maybe

And he will eventually starve to death, because, as they get bigger, they'll finish a whole tank of algae in a day.

Lettuce really has little nutritive value for plecs.

I hope that you are enlightened enough now to realize that letting your pleco subsist on algae is going to be a death sentence as his size increases.

[aquariaddictus]

It's funny how people buy plecos to 'clean' their tank, and then wonder why they starve to death. Ever watch a pleco while he's facing you on the glass? Ever see him really get anything off the glass?? It's algae wafers, spinach and cukes for mine. I use a lead sinker (and take it back out after he's done eating) and run a lock tie thru the slice of cuke (after I've nuked it). Then run the lock tie through the loop on the sinker.

Agreed: lettuce has no nutitive value at all, people shouldn't even bother eating it. A spinach salad is so much better.

dbcb314: for the sake of the fish, I hope you don't buy anything 'cool-looking' or otherwise, since you don't seem to have a clue about proper fishkeeping.

[Bantam]

dbcb314: for the sake of the fish, I hope you don't buy anything 'cool-looking' or otherwise, since you don't seem to have a clue about proper fishkeeping.

that seems a bit harsh. ok so he/she may need to do a bit more research but then don't we all?

[dbcb314]

batam,
wow, im surprised

aquariaddictus,
1st thing, actually, yeah, my tank is perfectly clean of algae on the glass. i wonder whose doin that? maybe my pleco, just a thought. and there's plenty to eat, trust me, hes lazy.

2nd thing, i knew lettuce is worthless for humans, didnt think of fish that way though. granted, thats probably true. spinach is good by the way.

3rd thing, i do know stuff about fish. just because i dont feed my pleco other sources of food does not mean i dont know anything. i knew that they needed another source of food IF they have nothing else to eat. mine has plenty, including algae and he eats flakes for some reason. now, about the cool looking pleco thing. if i bought a pleco that cost $20 instead of $3, i will dang well make sure it had plenty of food. i wouldnt take the 2% chance of my pleco starving that i am now. better safe than sorry.

4th thing, i do have cool looking fish, including an african knife, elephant nose, red devil, severum, krib, loaches, ect ect (i have a lot of fish) and they are doing just fine. i like fish, they are cool, i was just bringing up the point that not all people feed there plecos different sources of food. didnt mean to **** anyone off (again)
peace

[Heady]

They sell these little bendy metal strips in the lfs - just poke one thru a piece of veggie and it sinks to the bottom. Nice!

My pleco loves zucchini, cucumbers, etc. BTW it's really funny to just drop a round slice of zucchini or cucumber in there. It floats and the pleco will attach himself to it to eat upside down. Hilarious! :D

Myself, I don't care whether a fish cost $2 or $20, since this is the last home they'll ever have, I'm gonna see to it that they're happy and well-fed.

Large algae tabs work wonders. Great for daily feeding. I give my 12" pleco 2 each day with fresh veggies as treats every once in awhile.

[dbcb314]

a foot long? jesus christ, mines only like 3 inches tops

[ChilDawg]

dbcb, you're looking at a 24" fish if it grows to its full length!

[dbcb314]

i knew they got 2ft. ive actually seen some that big. you should have seen it when they tried to get one of those out of a tank and to someone else. it was hilarious. that thing was a monster, it about knocked the PEOPLE down.

but mine have never got that big, however. i got one that is 1in that i just bought for one tank, and won that is 3in in another. my brother has one thats like 8-10in. the biggest one i ever grown was about 10in but, my mother killed him (my whole tank actually) on accident. :(

[Heady]

Don't be embarrassed, many people own fish but don't have the first clue about proper fishkeeping.

It depends on the variety and how well you take care of them, but yes, many plecos get to be 12"-24" long if they survive to adulthood. In general, fish you see at the lfs are nearly always juveniles and WILL get bigger if you take proper care of them.

You should always do research on fish you want to put in your aquarium BEFORE you buy them. How big do they get? What will their temperament be like? How active are they? How big of a tank do they need? Any special dietary requirements? These are all really important things you need to know BEFORE you bring a fish into your home.

AquariaCentral has really good species profiles, or you can just do an internet search and find out that way, if you don't want to buy a decent (but expensive!) fish book/series like Baensch's Aquarium Atlas.

In fact, if I were you, I would start right now! What fish do you have in your tank? How big is your tank? What kind of filtration do you have? Is it planted?

[dbcb314]

heady,
i know your tryin to help, but it sounds like your lecturing, i hate lectures, i get enough at school. i do do research on MOST fish i get in my tanks. exceptions include the pleco (i knew it got huge, but i heard it took forever), barbs (there like the easiest fishes to take care of. if you kill one of them, stop taking care of fish), and cory cats(i had a couple for a while, but i feared for their life in a certain tank and gave them away). and yes, i have used this site for research many times, in fact i first came hear looking for information on a red devil, which i found, became satisfied and bought the fish. i have some books ( i dont like most of them) and i look in there first.

i have tons of fish! i have tropical, american cichlids, saltwater fish. ive had africans cichlids, and brakish fish. and actually, im doin research right now, trying to find another fish to put in one of my tanks to finish it off. but please, dont lecture me like im a newbie, because im not.:)

[Bantam]

dbcb314 i gave you the benefit of the doubt before but you really should listen to what people are trying to tell you. it seems like you think you are above listening to advice and that will make you an irresponsible fishkeeper.

i can't decide whether you need to grow up or if you're just taking the micky

[Heady]

dbcb314, Don't worry, I won't "lecture" you any more. As a matter of fact, I don't think I'll be responding to any of your posts from now on, since you're so much more of an expert than me. I mean, it never even crossed my mind to buy a fish and never feed it. :rolleyes:

Back on topic, jamesbenjamin, you can use:
1) Little bendy metal strips to make pieces of veggie sink to the bottom,
2) Plastic clips with suction cups to stick the food to the side of the tank, or
3) It can also be fun to let the veggies just float on the surface of the water.

Personally I am a little intrigued by Alison Reed's fork idea! Why pay money for extra equipment you don't need? :D

[Bantam]

i use a spoon myself. just stick it through the veggie, handle first, and watch it sink!

[BK]

I would reccommend being cautious when using a rubberband and a rock to hold veggies down. i have seen several smaller plecos get the rubberband caught around their pectoral fins when the veggie was eaten away and the rubberband came loose. My lfs almost killed a chocolate zebra pleco this way.

i would imagine larger fish could impale themselves on a fork if they got spooked while eating.

IMO veggie clips are one of the best way to go and thats what i use to feed my plecos. even those all plastic closepins or clips for potato chip bags work well.

[Heady]

BK, good "point". LOL :)

[GEV83]

NJ Devils Fan
In response to an earlier responce I leave it in there for a little over 24hrs just when boilded it goes flying all over the place which ends up rotting behind rock and driftwood and clogs my filter tube.

BK
In response about the rubber bands. I though about that ant I use a flat rock not a round one and I put the rubberband extra tight to the point were a guppies would have a har time getting throuogh plus I have no really small fish my smallest fish is a 6-7" gibbiceps. I really need to measure that fish and my other pleco finn.

dbcb314
Ok not to chew you out or anything. These people are just giving suggestions for one. Also a fishes health should not be more important just do to price. There are two people when it comes to fish. Fish keepers and fish havers. Fish keepers will go to almost any length to keep there fish healthy if feeding them more is what it take then so be it. They wont hesitate to feed more even if there is only a 2% chance of them dieing as you mentioned earlier. As far as a fish keeper they just buy fish for the look and nothing really else. Yeah some will do research and stuff like that but it never really sinks in. Just because you have many fish doesnt make you an expert or make you experienced. Which you have proven in this thread. Not chewing you out ok. If I were going to chew you out it would look worse then a dog chewing a bone.

Oh also to the person useing a fork. Thats not to safe what if your fish stabs its eye or something. Also the one with a spoon why why do you use spoons. Nothing bad with spoons but I dont know you guys are wierd.

I let my cucumber float sometime and it is funny but I would recommend you doing this on a regular basis. You try eaten your food upside down your going to get one major head rush. Well Im done posting here.

Make Love Not War.

Kill Sadam and his sons shove a nuke in there butts. HEHEHE.
Peace.:cool:

[dbcb314]

aiight, im confused hear. what exactly am i not doin?
GER,
you say im not listening to advice, what exactly am i not listening too? someone told me plecos have a tendacy to starve without other food. i did listen, and i said that when the algae is gone (which it isnt even close to being gone on the rocks) i will give it other sources. in fact, because so many people said this, in one of my tanks, i have that leafy spinage stuff in there right now, because there isnt a lot of algae present. in another post about elephant noses, they said not to get anymore in a 50 gal. before then, i was planning on gettin another, but they changed my mined. tiger barb thing, well that was just stupid period. i probably shouldnt have done that, it was a spur of the moment thing. and i am a fish KEEPER, not a haver. i DO do research, i buy books, and i know as much as possible before i buy a fish. if i was a fish haver, i would have lost a lot more fish than i have.

Heady,
when did i ever say i am more of an expert than you? all i said was that im not a newbie. i know to do research. and ive NEVER NEVER let a fish starve to death. when did i say once that a pleco or any other fish died of starvation. IT HAS PLENTY TO EAT! ive said that for like the 3rd time now. if you dont ever want to reply, thats your choice.

[wetmanNY]

Not every Lory is a pure vegetarian.

[RENEGADE]

someone isn't humble:p :rolleyes:

[superstein61]

1. try feeding your fish cooked peas - squeeze out the insides from the outer shell - they will sink by themselves no problesm and lots of my fish love them

2. dbcb314 - I hear you - a few folks on board do come across as lecturing or know it all types. I don't think that is everyone's intent, but that is the style some have IMO. Don't let it bother you

[Bantam]

Also the one with a spoon why why do you use spoons. Nothing bad with spoons but I dont know you guys are wierd.

hey less of the weird! :p

i started using a spoon cos my plecos pretty big and so i need something fairly heavy to sink the amount of cucumber/courgette he gets through. it was the first thing that came to mind that would be non toxic.

[GEV83]

Look I know I got a little preachy but hey thats me some times. Sorry if I got anyone mad.

Give to nukes way up osamas but for the twin towers. :cool: