Vegetables for Plecos

tophat665

Greetings,
I have rescued my Bulldog pleco from the turtle tank. He's not been getting enough to eat and I am going to try to fatten him up a bit. Right now, he is in my 20 gallon holding tank with 12 pygmy cories (1/2 inch long and cute as a button) 7 Otos (about and inch each), some Java Fern and Moss, and a couple of swords. He's only about an inch and a half himself.

To the question then:
In addition to Hikari tablets (which I will toss in there presently) I have a slice of zucchini clipped to the tank. However, the otos seem to be ignoring it, and the pleco (yclept Jumbaa) is ignoring it as well. Should this be blanched first?

What other veggies should I try out? I have some kale I could give him, and, as my wife goes through an entire cottage garden's worth of produce every day (I exaggerate. A little.) I will be able to get just about any other veggie that would work.

Advice is heartily appreciated. Jumbaa is hanging on your words.

Lupin

Source from another site..
Bean, Green (Blanched and open the pod slightly), Capsicum, Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, Carrots (Blanched), Cauliflower (Stem), Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant (Aubergine), Lettuce, Peas (Blanched and skinned), Potato, Regular (Blanched or raw), Potato, Sweet (Blanched or raw), Pumpkin (Dirties the water), Spinach, Zucchini (Courgettes)

Hope that helps.

tophat665

Thanks, Blue. I think I've seen that list before, but I'm glad you posted it so I could see it and remember it.

crazie.eddie

Depending how big your bulldog pleco is, it is noted to EAT SMALL FISH. So your cories or otos might become a meal.

What do you try to feed it?

My L18 Gold Nugget is an omnivore, much like your bulldog, and it eats bloodworms, sinking carnivore pellets, shrimp pellets, zuchini (blanched), and frozen peas (skinned).

girlofgod

i would like to try to feed my fish some veggies, but i have a couple of Q's...will my fish eat them? and what is "blanched"? i see this word alot when talking about fresh veggies for fishies...but im not familiar with the process....anyyways...thanks!

bri

crazie.eddie

My plecos eat the veggies I give them, which are either zuchini or peas. My clown loaches love zuchini also, but the inside part, the plecos love the skin. The bits and pieces that float around from the zuchini, all the other fishes eat. I drop the frozen peas in over night, which I assume the plecos eat, as well as the loaches. I know my angels will eat them too.

Blanching vegetables basically is just letting it sit in boiling water (or extreme hot water) for a few minutes to soften it up. Some people do it, some do. The people that don't say that you lose some vitamins in the water. I do it for the zuchini (corgette) becuase it sinks a little better when it's blanched.

Amphitrite

A good idea if you don't want to blanch it is to put a plant weight through it. That's what I do. :)

crazie.eddie

I also put a weight on my blanched zuchinis. I use an old spoon which I bend. But even blanched, it will tend to float, but very slowly. So the pieces will stay in the water longer, compared to no being blanched.

Frozen peas just sink, so no worries. I just stick it in warm water to thaw it out.

girlofgod

you put a metal spoon in your fish tank?

crazie.eddie

Yes, Stainless steel. We have tons of spoons in the house and allot in storage and only 3 people usually eat. And if we have a party, we buy plastic spoons and forks anyways, so 1 missing stainless steel spoon won't really be missed.