# Feeding veggies...need advice



## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Hey everyone!
I know I haven't been on here much for a little while...things in the real world are getting pretty hectic for me... But I promise I'm not gone! 

Anyways,
I just won an auction for 3 calico bristle nose pleco Juvies, and I'm really excited to get them, kinda my dream fish! Hoping to get a pair and eventually sell the 3rd after they sex out.
I've done a lot of research on how to care for them and have most of it down pay, except for how to feed them their veggies.

I don't feed any of my existing fish them yet, but would like to be able to offer them for my Endlers, cories, and shrimp too if its a good idea, I know my bettas probably don't want need them.

Question is: what's the best way to prepare and then feed them?
Should I blanch them? And what's the best way to Blanche? I've read to microwave, steam, or boil...but how long and what's the best method?
What are the best types of veggies to feed? I assume mostly greens, but what greens? I always have a steady supply of cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, and bell peppers at my house, are any or all of those okay?

Also, if you have any other advice for me on BNP's themselves, I'd love to hear it!



These guys will only be about 1" when I get them so they will be staying in my 28 (just found out my 26 is actually 28) with the existing stock till I get a 50 gallon from skyewillow next month and obviously get it cycled.
There is a ton of plants and driftwood for them to hide in and munch on along with some caves and other hiding places for them. Hopefully that's a good enough set-up for now!


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## Chevko (Nov 15, 2012)

I use cucumber slices with Honey, my snail, and pop them in the microwave in a cup of water and nuke it until boiling for about 2-3 minutes, depending on size of said slice. I think the more water you have, the longer it "takes" to really blanche it. I haven't used anything other than cucumbers yet, but from what I understand carrots are another awesome one and romaine lettuce is popular, too. I haven't heard anything on bell peppers though. Thing to keep in mind with the tankmates - the cories and shrimp may get in on your BNPs food. I typically leave the cucumber in for about a day, maybe two, since I have to clean Honey's container fairly often as it is. Heard otherwise it shouldn't be more than 8 hours for decomposition.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Thanks for the info. I don't mind if anyone else gets to it, they probably need it anyways, will just have to make sure I put enough in for everyone


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Awesome....I have always wanted to get those and a few other pleco-some are really neat looking. Are these the long fin or regular fin-either way...nice fish...lol....

What I like to feed my plecos-is zucchini squash, sweet potatoes, spanich, carrots and peas being the main things I feed. I blanch sometimes by just boiling them in water-but not always-sometimes I feed raw-Blanching will help to keep them underwater better and it breaks them down a bit. If I use them raw-I will use a fork with a string tied to it and poke the veggie with the fork so it will stay underwater and the string so I can pull the fork and any uneaten veggie out within a day or two-Anything will work to help keep the veggie underwater-sometimes you have to get creative...lol.....I usually pull whatever I use in a day or so-but usually nothing is left after a day or if its covered with a lot of snails...lol.....

When you first start feeding fresh veggies or even frozen-it can sometimes take a day or longer for them to find it or figure out its food and you might have to leave it for at least 24-32h-I wouldn't leave it too much longer since it can foul the water pretty fast-even in a planted tank. If they don't touch it the first time you try-start over with a fresh piece in the back an hour after lights out-Once they find it and figure it out you can start to condition them to a better feeding time so you can enjoy watching them eat.

Good that you have some real wood-I am sure you already know this-but for those that don't. Most of the plecos need real wood to rasp on for digestion- a really important part of their diet. Not to mention they love to be on wood and will even enlarge holes to use for a clutch of eggs.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Thanks for commenting OFL!
I really enjoy hearing your input.
These are short fins, I think that the long finned, along with albino varieties are kind of creepy looking lol.

I'll definitely keep everything you mentioned in mind.
Should I be feeding them veggies daily if they finish it every time? Or should I only do it once or a couple times a week?


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I don't know about plecos, but I have a crayfish that I feed veggies. Cucumber clouds the water FAST. I use blanched carrot. It clouds the water fairly quick, but I do a 50% wc the next day and that pretty much takes care of it. Blanching makes it easier for them to eat.


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## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

Ok. I have a question that has not realllllly been answered yet. Is it or is it not okay to feed bettas veggies, I have had very opinionated responses both ways (of those I have had. No one has really answered me, so I am piggy backing this thread. bite me ) anyone??


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Bettas don't need veggies, but if you put some in for a tankmates and the bett picks at it, oh well.


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## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

MattsBettas said:


> Bettas don't need veggies, but if you put some in for a tankmates and the bett picks at it, oh well.


HAHAHAHAHA waesome attitude


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Yeah, agree with Matt.
In the wild I'm sure betta's don't try to eat much plant matter so it isn't a necessary part of their diet. But if they do try to eat whatever you add for others it's not going to hurt them.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Betta eat a lot more veggie matter than you think-It won't hurt the Betta to graze on any veggies.
I feed fresh veggies to my plecos at least twice a week-and I feed them processed food twice a week-plus they love to feed on the homemade food I make. I will toss in a live red worm on occasion too-they need higher protein on occasion.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Yeah, I guess they probably do eat a decent amount, but its not the most important part of their diet is what I meant to say.


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## Shadyr (Mar 27, 2012)

Kinda related question...how often is too often? I put a blanched cucumber round in a clip for the first time a few days ago. My bristlenose had found it by the time I went to bed a few hours later. He was still on it in the morning. It resembled a tire by the time I got home the next evening, and there was nothing left but the skin by the next morning. Is it OK that he ate that whole thing? How long should I wait before putting in another?

And a last question - I sliced up the whole cucumber and blanched all the pieces. Since I just put in the one slice, the others I put single layer while still wet into ziplocs and laid them flat in the freezer, with the thought that I'd snap one off and stick it right in the clip next time - is that a good way of doing it?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I only feed my plecos a total of 5-6 times a week with a mix of fresh veggies, processed foods and homemade food-with a live red worm on occasion. I don't feed mine a lot at one time and try to skip 1-2 or more days a week so they will still graze a bit on some of the natural algae that is in the tanks. That said, I don't think you can feed too much of the fresh veggies-so much as more isn't needed-Then you can make them too dependent on added foods and they stop grazing and get lazy waiting on food all the time....if that makes any sense....lol.....


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Thanks for all the info everyone!

I got them in today, so excited! They look so much better than I could have asked for. They have a piece of cucumber in there with them right now, but havent seen anyone but my endlers try to touch it. Wondering if its because it was fresh instead of blanched?

anyways, heres a picture of one of the new additions


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## Kuronue (Oct 12, 2012)

Next to blanched veggies such as zucchini and carrot I also have a couple veggies I feed to my clown pleco raw veggies such as swiss chard, baby spinach and kale (she love kale). Lettuce is okay, but it won't provide much nutrition. I actually feed her more leafy veggies than heavier veggies. Though, if you get a carrot that has gone a little woody, blanch it and you have the pleco version of Christmas dinner. XD

I use a veggie clip, that usually works for me raw or blanched.


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## Shadyr (Mar 27, 2012)

aemaki09 said:


> Thanks for all the info everyone!
> 
> I got them in today, so excited! They look so much better than I could have asked for. They have a piece of cucumber in there with them right now, but havent seen anyone but my endlers try to touch it. Wondering if its because it was fresh instead of blanched?
> 
> anyways, heres a picture of one of the new additions


Very cute! I really enjoy watching my Bristlenose, always so active and swishy!


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