How often should I be feeding?

[cathaven2007]

At the moment I have only two young plecos. Every night I give them a slice of zucchini. I insert broken algae wafers into the slice, so the fish get more nutrition.

I take the zucchini out the next morning, otherwise it starts to foul my tank and I see slime all over the place. It's left in for about 12 hours.

My tank has no algae at all, thanks to these guys, so should I keep feeding every day? What else besides zucchini do they really like?

[Dr.Stretch]

Check this out.
http://www.canadapleco.com/showthread.php?t=368

[cathaven2007]

Thanks. That's a great list and I'll start trying some of the items on it.

But I'm still not sure if I should be feeding every day, every other day....?

[Dr.Stretch]

I no longer feed zucchini for that very same reason it messes up the water. I mostly feed English cucumber, no blanching necessary and it's not messy at all. I would replace the cucumber a day after the first piece appears to have been totally consumed to ensure that any broken of pieces around the tank bottom has been consumed as well. I also alternate between different protein pellets and algae wafers nightly. Now bear in mind that my method as well as any other that you may receive on this site is not written in stone. But this is what works for me.
Hope this helps.

[klc]

I regularly feed zuchini in my tanks and have no problems with it. DO NOT blanch it. It lasts longer that way, 2-3 days before it starts to turn to goo. What plecos do you have?

[trebor69]

I regularly feed zuchini in my tanks and have no problems with it. DO NOT blanch it. It lasts longer that way, 2-3 days before it starts to turn to goo. What plecos do you have?

I've never been lucky enough to get that long out of it

I put it in around evening time...and I remove it by mid-day the following day.(if I can remember to haha)

I try to size the pieces so that most of it is consumed in 24 hours and whatever is left gets thrown out before it goes mush.

[Rush2112]

Hi trebor69, you have A PM from me.

[Bwhiskered]

Bushynose plecos are grazers and should have food at all times. You could be blanching your zucchini too long. In Europe they feed Brussel Sprouts. Buy them already frozen and thaw one in warm water and then pull it apart. It does not foul the water and lasts several days. I got this from Ingo when I was talking to him in October.

[jackson]

You can keep yams in the water for more than a week at a time. They stay hard as a rock and dont cloud the water.

I think blanching is a waste. It only kills the foods you are doing it to. If sinking is a problem get a few stainless steel knifes and tie some fishing line to them so you can pull them out and not have to reach in. The foods stays down and they are better for your fish that way.