Plecos & Cucumber -- How Long Can You Leave It in the Tank?

[Jill-O]

Hi --

I'm pretty new to keeping plecos. We have some bristlenose plecos and they have thoroughly cleaned their tanks of algae. I put some cucumber in their tanks yesterday (held "down" with forks). I can't tell if they've eaten any of the cucumber yet.

How long is it okay to leave the same piece of cucumber in the tank? I don't want them to go hungry now that the tanks are pretty much spotless, but don't want cucumber to go bad in the tanks, either.

Thanks a lot,
Jill

 

[andyjh]

I've left pieces of cucumber in the tank for a few days with no ill effects. If you see it starting to deteriorate then pull it.

 

[Taysius]

I would try other veggies as well. I don't have a pleco, but I have found that my aquatic critters prefer zucchini over carrots. They left nothing but the skin by morning on the zucchini but the carrot looked barely touched.

 

[katana1200]

I have found that you kind of need it to start going bad for them to want it. My snails and pleco wont touch a piece of fresh zuccini for at least 2 days, unless you blanch it first. They like it a bit softer I think. Try nuking it in the microwave in a bowl with an inch of water for 1-2 minutes. Just untill it goes a bit soft, cool it off under some running water and toss it in. Then leave it over night or for 24 hours and repeat.

The grocery store I go to always gives out fresh parsley with any fresh produce purchase. I always grab a bundle, roll the little rubber band up to the middle, slide a butter knife under it and let it sit for a few days on the bottom. Everyone seems to like to much on the parsley.

They also like strawberries, cilantro, spinich, romain lettuce, canned (rinsed) green beans, and sphagetti squash.

 

[excuzzzeme]

If it jumps out of the tank and runs you down, you know it was in there a little too long.

 

[platytudes]

If it starts getting white fungus looking stuff on it, you'll know you left it in too long and that no one even touched it. When/if it ever gets that stuff on it...ugh. It falls apart and smells like vomit...not exaggerating, that's what it really smells like.

I find that zucchini is preferred over cucumber and is the best "first time vegetable" for a pleco who up to then has only had wafers and what not. Blanching it does work best, if I do a whole lengthwise slice then I put it in a bowl with a little water, nuke it for 1 minute. Half a zuke, 30-45 seconds...etc.

 

[RDTigger]

I just got a rubberlip and hifin along with a group of oto's..

After putting in some aged squash... I will be putting older/blanched veggies that I have scraped the seeds/innerds out of...

 

[DarrylR]

I usually leave in a slice during the night and take it out in the morning.

 

[Michwol42795]

I blanch zucchini and yellow squash. I occasionally give peas, carrots, broccoli. They seem to like them all. I usually don't have to leave them in too long because they'll be gone. I'd say overnight is fine.

 

[katana1200]

It should be noted that some veggies are higher in phosphates and will cloud the water after a while. I will routinely leave a few large pieces of zuccini in the tank until they are gone. This will make the water cloudy after 12 hours or so. I have noticed no ill effects from this and the cloudy water will go away on its own.