PlanetCatfish.com

I have several groups of pl*cos. I feed zucchini and cucumber, id additon to prepared, frozen and live foods. Should I keep a chunk of veggie in the their tanks 24/7 or just ever now and then ? I have noticed they will eat the zucchini completely, skin and all but not so with the cukes. I am going to try frozen peas when I get my next day off. Has any found any types of veggies that Hypancistrus will eat ? I feed my L260 and L333 groups live worms, sinking carnivore pellets and earthworm sticks but they won't touch anything green. I didnt expect them too but thought I would try anyways.
Also, should I feed younger fish different veggies than older fish ? My LDA33 and alot of my BNs are quite small but my L177 and albino BNS are near adult size. FYI each type(group) is in it's own tank. Mostly 25G and 40G tanks. Water changes are 20-30% 3-4 times per week. I will not bother posted the parameters for each of their tanks. Sorry to be so longwinded.

With my baby bristles, I've got something for them to eat at all times. With the adults only, I put a slice in every other day or maybe twice a week, depending on what "feels right". I also give algae wafers and occasionally the odd "catfish pellet" (designed for cory's).

The bristles also get sweet potato and frozen peas (cooked for a few minutes before given, in both cases).

Clown plecos get lighly cooked (just about enough to get the skin soft) courgette and cooked sweet potato.

Of course, they are not alone in their tanks any of them, they are all in community tanks.

As long as your water isn't going dirty by having the vegies in there, I dont't see a problem with it.

I don't think Hypancistrus will eat much vegetable matter, they are almost purely carnivore and probably get enough vegetable matter from the odd nibble of algae wafer or other prepared food that you give them. My rule is "if the fish don't eat it, don't give it...".


--
Mats

Thanks. I do appreciate you taking the time to answer.

I'm glad this posting is here. I have an L-187B, a Chaestoma sp. (rubberlipped). He's showing an interest in things other than algae on rocks and I'm thrilled! He was playing with a piece of spinach that was in the Emerald Entree frozen food. I hear these guys can be difficult to switch over to prepared foods. Would the veggies you describe be appropriate to try with him?

I would think so. I plan to get some yellow squash next time I go to the Food Lion. I tried sweet potato once but they didnt seem to like it.

I have tried Yams and Sweet potatoes and niether the Clown or Bristlenose did not seem interested. How did you blanch them and how soft were they when you put them in and how long did you leave them on the tank before they ate them?
any help is appriciated
Thanks

All my fish LOVE sweet potato, including hypancistrus, baryancistrus and panaque.

it'll take a several feeds for them to get hooked, but they will (if your LDA33's are anything like mine!)

feed as much as they'll consume in 24 hours, and pull the rest out.

cut it into slices and boil for about 7 minutes. aim to have it about the same softness as you would want to eat.

wrap each slice in clingfilm and put it in the freezer.

rde1959 wrote:I have tried Yams and Sweet potatoes and niether the Clown or Bristlenose did not seem interested. How did you blanch them and how soft were they when you put them in and how long did you leave them on the tank before they ate them?
any help is appriciated
Thanks

As racoll mentions, it may take a few feeds before the fish "gets used" to the new food. My clowns are quite shy, so they don't like "new things" very much, and it's not helping them to find new food. [I think the technical name for this is "neophobia", which is common in many animals].

I boil the sweet potato for a few minutes, not really measuring how long, just as long as it takes to do a few other things in the kitchen. I have "overboiled" sometimes, and got to the stage where it's mushy. That's no good for clowns and big ancistrus, but for baby ancistrus it's fine.

--
Mats