Feeding Leaf Lettuce

[Bristlenose Chuck]

I just wanted to know how you guys feed this stuff to your fish. I have heard people say that they boil the lettuce before they add it to the tank and some people freeze it for a few minutes before they add it. I was under the impression that boiling it will remove some of the nutrients. What is your preferred method?
Thanks

 

[TKOS]

Veggie clips work well to help them sink. Boiling for a short period of time will of course reduce the nutrients but won't make them go away altogether.

 

[OrionGirl]

I just stuff a corner underneath a rock. No boiling or freezing. For mollies and other mid-surface feeders, I float it.

I freeze zucchini, but that is mostly because I end up getting 4-5 of those huge ones each year, and can't feed it all up before they go bad. Fresh is preferable.

 

[Pink Pat]

BnC,

Blanching (pouring boiling water over the leaves) the lettuce helps make the leaves easier for the fish to tear off and eat. Same with zucchini/cucumber. I would think that boiling the leaves would make the leaves break down too easy.

You can blanch an entire head of leaves at one time and then freeze them with some wax paper between each leaf. When it is time to feed, simply remove a leaf, hold under cold water for a minute or so and then feed. Remove any uneaten food after 12 hours.

HTH

PP

 

[wetmanNY]

Or take your blanched leaf veggies, roll them into a cigar (a clean towel helps if you're not Carmen) and freeze. Then you can slice nicespinach or lettuce curls off the end...

 

[Dahlia]

veggie clip

For a "veggie clip" I use a rubber band to hold a toothpick to a river stone and tie a piece of thread to it. The veggies get skewered on the toothpick to feed. Then I lower it into the water and dangle the end of the thread out the top of the tank. When it is time to remove it I just pull it out by the thread instead of reaching in the tank. I usually use fresh young zucchini or lettuce and do not cook or freeze them. I blanch the peas I feed to them, though. I also crush them a bit which seems to make them easier to feed.

Does anyone feed fish spinach? I haven't really heard of people doing it... but is there any reason not to?