Cucumber floats?

[lucy42083]

So, I figured I'd put some cucumber in my tank for my 2 otos and 1 SAE. I know I don't have that much algae in my tank, and I feed them Hikari algae wafers, but I thought they could use some variety. I peeled a seedless cucumber and put a couple big pieces in the tank and....they float?? I waited a few hours to see if maybe they would sink once they got logged with water or something but no. I'd try kind of pressing them into the gravel but they were so bouyant, they'd just pop back up. I tried putting in an even larger piece (way more than they could ever eat, and this was a huge cucumber) but that didn't help at all. I'm always reading about people feeding cucumber to their bottom feeders, so I have to assume that other people aren't having this problem?? Did I just buy a mutant cucumber or something??

 

[msjinkzd]

I use a plastic chip clip to sink mine, or you can use a fork or a plant weight etc.

 

[Rbishop]

Plastic chip clip, veggie clip...a rock...

 

[Weezer]

Thats what we use also, sometimes weighted down with a marble.....

 

[lucy42083]

Ahh thanks guys, I'll clip a chip clip to it next time. Sometimes I wonder why I can never figure these things out on my own, it didn't even occur to me to attach something to it to make it sink, I just assumed everyone else had some super dense cucumbers or something LOL.

 

[Rbishop]

another tip, tie a piece of fishing line to it to easily pull it out in the AM.

 

[octopus44]

You can also boil it in water for a bit then it will sink to the bottom on its own.

 

[jm1212]

have you tried blanching it?

 

[Picklejuice]

I don't know if this is an urban legend regarding fish, but I heard/read years ago about a fish (Pleco?) getting caught in the ring the rind left when an entire circle slice was put in the tank. This killed the fish.

So, since then all cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, etc. that goes in my tank are slices cut in half. Because I figure it's plausable it could happen - even if it isn't true - and so I'd rather err on the side of being cautious.

 

[The Zigman]

Just attach a fish hook and sinker to it. No wait, thats how to bait a hook,,, Uh.. Nevermind. Go with the clip, and tie a line to that so's you can feesh it out later.