# Vegetables.... how long??



## fireman5214 (Mar 4, 2009)

Im not sure exactly where to put this but i figured under DIY because I am Doing It Myself just looking for info......

I have seen and read u can feed fish vegetables, also saw a post of fruit on here. What vegetables and fruit would you consider? I have Red CHerry Shrimp, Pleco, Neons, Cory, Cherry Barb, Swordtails, Guppies. Do you let it sink to the bottom, Hang it up somehow?, How long? I heard a few hours but to me a few hours is 3, and I heard not until they rot... how long does it take for fruit and vegies to rot? What vegies and fruits would you suggest to be the safest....I know so many questions but i dont want to kill my water quality.


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## bsmith (Dec 13, 2006)

I feed my shrimp and Plecos Zucchini that has been boiled for about 2-3 mins. let it sit in cool water then drop in. I also let it sit in the tank untill its totally gone, maybe 2-3 days.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Not sure about feeding fruit, but I have seen mangos and banannas fall into tropical streams and the fish tend to eat it. So I assume those would be safe to add raw.

As far as veggies, you can add boiled zucchini, peas, corn, cucumber, Romain lettuce, garlic and carrots. Garlic is great because it stimulates appetite and if fed regularly kills internal parasites, I think it might be toxic to shrimp and snails though since it kills invertebrate worms. These must be boiled until they begin to get soft. Do not feed onions to the tank as they are probably poisonous to fish.

All fruit/vegetables must all be thoroughly washed to remove pesticides.

Try make sure the food sinks to the bottom so everyone can get some. Bottom dwellers don't feed from the surface of the water.


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## ncy (May 18, 2008)

Wouldn't sweet fruits break down into fructose,and potentially lead to a bacterial bloom?


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

That is what I was thinking. I haven't heard of anyone feeding fruit, but I know it is safe for fish to eat (as in, it won't poison them).

Then again, I suspect that bacterial blooms depend on how much fruit you feed them. If you dropped a dozen mangos in the tank I'm sure you would see problems, but then again if you drop a container of fish food in the tank you would see problems too.

Only feed as much as the fish will eat in a day.


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## PaulNorth (Jan 17, 2009)

Once a week, I place a thick round of washed, raw zucchini or cucumber into the tank. I peel it, and place it on a knurl at one end of my mopani DW, a perfect mount. I do so in the morning and leave it until next morning, when I take it out. My BN pleco and otos love it. I haven't tried it, but I've also heard other people like to use various squashes and pumpkins.


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## Chancey (Mar 31, 2008)

Lettuce and spinach are good too. You can use an algae clip to keep it down. I have heard a lot about feeding bananas to most all kinds of fish, so that seems worth a try.


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## ramis (Feb 19, 2008)

I put a slice of fresh cucumber and clip it to the glass with suction cup. My cherry barbs and ottos love it. It's gone in a couple of days.


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## Wet Pet (Mar 9, 2009)

bn's will eat french cut green beans I feed mine the frozen kind because they last longer in the tank. They sink pretty quick after thawing 10-20 seconds.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Yams, hard squashes (butternut and others) and pumpkin can be baked to about the same tenderness we like and it will not fall apart in the tank. If you boil these they are wetter, and fall apart faster. 

I feed enough of any vegetable that it is usually gone the next day, but once in a while the remnants stay for another day. 

Thinly sliced orange can be fed too. The fish like the same part we eat, and the rind becomes snail bait overnight. Net out rind and snails the next morning. 

When you are introducing new food try a small amount. They may not like it the first time.


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

About once a month I throw a chuck of raw zucchini and cucumber sliced open length-wise and rubber-banded to a stone into my 72 gal tank. My two BN Plecos find it within about 5 minutes and munch away. My SAE and Otos nibble it too. In about 2-3 days it is completely gone.


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## angel_saza (Dec 29, 2008)

i've tried cooked pumpkin with my bristlenose and whiptail and they both loved it! Steam the pumpkin in the microwave for about a minute just to soften it a bit. My angels also like cooked peas.


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