What veggies to feed?

[Lauren B.]

What do you folks give for fresh vegetables?

The aquarium personnel recommended lettuce and cucumber. I didn't think to ask what kind of lettuce but they had some type of light green, wavy-leaved lettuce, floating about (it was not iceberg). Are there certain lettuces that are preferred over others?

They also recommended (weirdly enough) oranges. It came with a caveat of leaving it in for only an hour or so. I don't have much experience, but I think citrus would be a bad idea in an environment which needs a stable ph, but what do I know. Do fish even eat fruits?

Also, how often would you feed them the veggies...every day or less often? Would you offer it at the same time as the flake food, or afterward (to make sure they've eaten the flake and not just the veggies).

[Chrona]

Every other day I drop in a small flat piece of zuchini for my pleco, dipped in hot water to soften it up a little. I take out whats left after an hour or so

[Lady Hobbs]

I feed Romaine lettuce, spinach leaves, zucchini (boiled about 10 seconds). I have fed them watermelon on occasion. One time I tried another type of squash but it made a mess of the water but zucchini they love. Unlike the above poster, I had nothing to remove. It's gone in about half an hour.

I definitely would like to find a veggie clip so I could attach stuff to the glass but haven't found one yet so anchor the lettuce down with a rock. I haven't tried cucumber yet. Seems like it would be too hard to eat for them.

[kimmers318]

A small baby feeding spoon works well to anchor vegs down. The dark green lettuce is usually taken quite happily by fish. I personally don't soften any of my vegs first and most of them go right in. The africans have 1/2 of the zucchini left before the day is out. By morning there is usually only the skin left.
I have tried cabbage....no luck.....banana because someone said their clown loaches loved it....no luck. Favorites are zucchini by far.
As for frequency, I try to remember to pick something up biweekly when shopping and they get it every other day as long as it is still fresh.

[Abbeys_Mom]

I have feed lettuce (all kinds), Peas (shelled) and zucchini. I tried Cucumber, but it was too watery and broke down in the tank, plus the fish didn't like it.

[jeffs99dime]

I feed Romaine lettuce, spinach leaves, zucchini (boiled about 10 seconds). I have fed them watermelon on occasion. One time I tried another type of squash but it made a mess of the water but zucchini they love. Unlike the above poster, I had nothing to remove. It's gone in about half an hour.

I definitely would like to find a veggie clip so I could attach stuff to the glass but haven't found one yet so anchor the lettuce down with a rock. I haven't tried cucumber yet. Seems like it would be too hard to eat for them.

hobbs, i can send you a veggie clip if you want.

[Glasstapper]

I tried zucchini last night, and it was certainly not a hit in my tank. It sat there for 20 minutes with only the tiger barbs checking it out, but no one took a single bite. The only way I could show them that it was food was to hold it in my hand (I do believe I have spoiled them). The tiger barbs and the dempsey got a few bites from my fingers, but they spit it back out most of the time. I think maybe only a couple of mouths swallowed it down. The cory cats didn't even acknowledge that it was food. I'm going to keep trying, though.

OH, and I used a bag clip you put on potato chip bags to hold them under the water. Next time I'll just let it float around and see if they will attempt to eat it that way.

[Lady Hobbs]

Jeff, thanks sweetheart but I use a fork. LOL

I appreciate it but I will find one someday, I hope.

Here's my angels going after their lettuce. 10 seconds later I had them all there.

[crackatinny]

I feed Romaine lettuce, spinach leaves, zucchini (boiled about 10 seconds). I have fed them watermelon on occasion. One time I tried another type of squash but it made a mess of the water but zucchini they love. Unlike the above poster, I had nothing to remove. It's gone in about half an hour.

I definitely would like to find a veggie clip so I could attach stuff to the glass but haven't found one yet so anchor the lettuce down with a rock. I haven't tried cucumber yet. Seems like it would be too hard to eat for them.

Why not try using aquarium silicon to stick a plastic peg to a suction cap, instant veggie clip:thumb:

[cocoa_pleco]

I have had success with cucumber, and my fish love it

[Lady Hobbs]

Hey, good idea Crack. Even a clothespin might work but come to think of it, can't use either is there's a metal spring. I may dream up something yet.

[cocoa_pleco]

most lfs's have veggie clips for 3 bucks

[kimmers318]

Don't give up on the zucchini glasstapper....did you soften it first? I don't but alot of people do and they may not be ready to try it till it softens. Oscars and puffers are the only ones around here who won't eat it. Try leaving it in the tank for a day or so....as long as it isn't starting to fall apart and float around it shouldn't be messing anything up.