Zuchinni for cichlids?

[deli_conker]

I was at the local Petsmart and saw hunk of zuchinni on a spike in several of the african cichlid tanks. They all looked like the cichlids (all mbunas) tore them up. Is this really a good idea or were they just skimping on the fish food?

 

[tkos]

Mbunas are veggie eaters. They love zuchinni and spinach and plants. It is a good addition to their regular food. Kind of like a salt lick for cows I guess. It will make them healthier. Good for that Petsmart for not just dumping food in.

 

[ferret]

Cucumbers work but not as well. I believe my plecos did most of the eating on those. The mbuna/malawi I have would eat the seeds out of it, then the pleco would devastate the rest.

 

[davoz]

its great for mbuna and other veggie lovin fish. I think a wide variety of foods are freat for the fish.

 

[deli_conker]

I'll have to try it at some point. Right now I think I'm overfeeding them. They're a bunch of pigs though so it's hard to tell sometimes.

Couldn't putting something like that into a tank be considered a piece of terrain as far as territory is concerned? Wouldn't the more dominant ones try to take and defend it from the others?

I wouldn't want to put a piece in only to have some of the fish be able to eat it and the others starve for a day. I suppose I could put in more than one but then I'm probably looking at overfeeding them, again. I guess I could find an alternete method of giving it to them so I could have more control over the amount and distribution of it...

 

[stoneydee]

Put it in a couple of places and check on it in a few hours. You're not going to leave it in forever anyhow - that way everyone gets a chance to graze.

 

[TankGirl]

Missing a meal one day is not a problem for fish. They can go at least a week, and I know some on this board who have been unable to feed fish for 2 weeks without a problem. I generally skip a day feeding about once a week. I think the benefits of feeding a varied diet far outweigh any skirmishes over the veggie. I cut mine in long strips, so several fish can get at a section. The plecos chow down overnight. Don't leave it in for longer than 24 hours, though, because it starts to break down and mucks up the tank. My little daughters are so impressed that the fish like to eat veggies!

 

[deli_conker]

The strip idea sounds better than just scooping it out. I'll give it a try. I'll also have to show it to my daughter. Maybe it will "encourage" her to do the same (eat veggies, that is).