how long can you leave a blanched veggie in the tank?

[dud]

As a future oto owner, I am concerned with the diet of my future oto (actually, I love them already and I feel attached to my future otos already!!! Talk about expectations!). I read in a couple of threads that one can feed otos some blanched veggies, which is fine, but I'm wondering how long I can leave the veggies in the water. I guess the veggies will have to go bad as anything else in the world, so I'm just curious how long others leave their veggies in the water.

Just curious... My tank hasn't even cycled yet... So a long way left to get some otos... Funny though, that I find myself almost trying to answer questions in the forum.

[mitche8359]

I added some cukes a few days ago for multipurposes: oto food and snail bait. I attached the cukes to a nail and string hoping to pull out a snail covered piece of [acronym:6109fb3119="Sea cucumber"]cuke[/acronym:6109fb3119]. Next morning the [acronym:6109fb3119="Sea cucumber"]cuke[/acronym:6109fb3119] was off the nail. Not sure how. I suspect that the [acronym:6109fb3119="Sea cucumber"]cuke[/acronym:6109fb3119] got soft from being in the water. I've left the cukes in the water and so far haven't seen any problems with them. I'll probably remove them tonight and try tieing cukes on to the nail better.

[TankGirl]

I try not to leave veggies in there for more than 24 hours, and usually it is gone in about 12 so it is not a problem.

Dud- I am sure there are things that you know about already that you can help others with on the forum!

[mitche8359]

Hey Tankgirl, your veggies are gone from the fish eating it? What type are you using and how large? The only part of the [acronym:950095a5a5="Sea cucumber"]cuke[/acronym:950095a5a5] I put in thats still left is the peel. My first try was with two slices of cukes about 1/2" thick.

[kmlong]

my fish won't even touch a cucumber. I put a nice wedged piece in there for them and they could have cared less! i didn't have it anchored down though, but i still think they would not have touched it.

-3 red minor tetra's
-3 rasbora's
-3 long finned danio's
-gouramis
-betta
-2 oto's
-rubberlip pleco

[mitche8359]

I haven't tried again with the cucumber. Not sure if the veggie simply discolved or was actually eaten. Just know the next day it was gone except for the peel. Tankgirl uses zuchini which I might try if I remember to buy some.

[dud]

I went to the [acronym:dac60c4a7e="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:dac60c4a7e] and saw their otocinclus, and found out that their mouth looked pretty soft and tender. I'm wondering, even when blanched, cucumber could be too tough for their mouths? It's amazing that you guys say they can munch on those stuffs. I can't wait to get some of them!

[TankGirl]

I do not blanch my veggies, which goes against popular wisdom. I've never had any problem with it getting consumed. I put it in at night right after lights out, first thing in the AM before lights on there is kindof a skeleton, with the peel having major holes in it, and by midday that day there is not a single shred of anything left, anchored or floating.

[cginflorida]

I just tried a slice of cucumber the other day for the first time. My otos loved it! They ate that way faster than they eat zucchini.