BN's and Zucchini Question

[DLV082]

Can you give too much zucchini to a BN. As you might of read in some of my previous threads I had a population explosion of BN fry in my 180g tank and recently stripped down the tank and relocated them to growout tanks. Well whilst they were in the 180g they never touched the zucchini as they could not compete with the larger BN's but now they are in there own tank they can go through a whole zucchini a day. Is this too much? I do daily WC to clean the bottom of the tank and 2 x 50+% WC weekly.

In the community tank I would give zucchini only twice a week. They also receive other foods such as blood worm and alge wafers but as soon as the zucchini hits the tank all the inhabitants converge on the zucchini it can disappear in less than 8 hours.

Should I cut back or just let them have as much as they want?

 

[BioHazard]

I wouldn't worry about it. If your parameters are stable, and trates are not getting too high, let them feast!

 

[Ashes2ashes]

I have 15 very young pleco and they LOVE to eat the zuchinni lol. Like Bio said, I would think it would be ok as long as you are not having issues with nitrates or ammonia.

 

[ianab]

You cant overfeed plecos on fresh veges like that, it's their natural food.

Only thing is that they may eat so much that water quality becomes a problem. More filtering and water changes can make up for that though.

Feed em, and keep changing the water and they will be OK.

Ian

 

[pinkertd]

:iagree:As long as you are still giving them foods that contain some proteins and vitamins, let them have lots of zucchini. When you offer the other foods, don't leave the zucchini in there too.

 

[patrick.paul]

Question -

How do you prepare your zucchini? I boil water and toss it in for 3-4 minutes. It sinks like I want it to but gets really mushy really quickly though.. Any other suggestions?

 

[pinkertd]

I put large wedges of it in raw on a fork with the adults and subadults. For the young I either do a wedge if the zucchini isn't very wide around or a thick slice on the big zucchini, cover it with water and microwave for 1 minute, served on a fork.

 

[patrick.paul]

I will have to try that today Just room temperature water enough to cove the zucchini and then nuke it for 1 minute? Served on a fork to make it not float?

 

[pinkertd]

That's correct.:thumbsup:

 

[rockhoe14er]

I put large wedges of it in raw on a fork with the adults and subadults. For the young I either do a wedge if the zucchini isn't very wide around or a thick slice on the big zucchini, cover it with water and microwave for 1 minute, served on a fork.

Do you ever have to worry about the pesticides on the zucchini? is it better to peel?