Plant-eating fish

[Neuve]

Hello again.
I was just taking a look at my plants and i noticed that on the 10 gal tank the anacharis plants look as if they got ripped. All of em. Theyre all over the tank (the plants) and the bites are all over my plants.

I have a CAE, flame tetras, blood fin tetras and corys there. So... What could it be? My fish are well fed. They all have round bellies and swim happilly al day long. Never cought em biting. A plant seller told me it was temperature, "too hot" right now temp's 74° Still saving for my water testing kit. weekly 25% water change, i dunno.

Comments
TIA
Pato

 

[Allivymar]

Could be the CAE, I don't think the tetras nibble on plants quite that much and I doubt its the corys. Are you feeding the CAE vegetable type foods such as zucchini, cucumbers, algae wafers? It may be chewing on the plants to supplement its need for veggies.

Course, it may not be fish bites. I wonder if there are any snails which have snuck in...

 

[Neuve]

Ummm, for de CAE, yeah ive got sinking wafers. Algae ones. Snails... I dunno really they should be visible right? If they are, then nope, i dont think so... Id like one either way theyre kinda cool. Lol (though they eat plants )

 

[Allivymar]

I had a major snail infestation a while back. Before I saw the snails, I saw little holes in the plant leaves (was why I'm wondering if they are in your tank; they may just not be large enough or numerous enough to notice yet).

And I LOATHE snails. Besides the fact they destroyed the plants in that tank, they're just...icky LOL

Some people really like em; they do help with algae and aerate the substrate. I'm just not one of those people

Other then the CAE or possible snails, I'm not sure why you would have holes in the leaves. Maybe one of the plant gurus has some better suggestions then I.

 

[Neuve]

BTW, if i was to feed cucumber and so, how do you do that?

 

[Neuve]

Thanx Allivmar you're of great help,
*considers allivmar his friend*
Nothing emotional lol, i just like you because you help me and listen 2 my stupid stories...

 

[madasafish]

Oh, btw. Anacharis are really tasty plants (no personal experience)! The LFS sells them to turtle and fish owners as food... I have leaves ripped off of mine, and I know that my gouramis do it. I think that the CAEs might also be to blame, in your case.

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

If you'd like to feed cucumber (my pleco likes it quite a bit), you take a slice, cut out the seeds, then attach it to a veggie clip (which is basically a clothespin with a suction cup on it)...some people recommend blanching it 1st (dunking it in boiling water).

 

[Allivymar]

*looks embarassed* Thanx Neuve

I tried cukes; my guys ignored it completely. I then tried zucchini. Omg. Not only did they inhale it, they even ate the skin which I was told they wouldn't do LOL All of em, the plec, the loaches AND the angelfish went to town on it.

I did the lazy version of blanching btw; I nuked em for aout 10-20 seconds in the microwave LOL I don't have a veggie clip, so I rubberbanded one piece to the driftwood where the plec hangs out; the other bits I wrapped with the lead thingies plants come with.

 

[BillyZ]

pardon my ignorance, but whats the purpose of the blanching? to soften or to sterelize?

Are there any concerns of pestisides?

 

[Allivymar]

Soften; changes the cell structure and makes it easier to digest. Some folks recommend freezing instead of blanching, as blanching is felt to remove some of the vitamins, but I figure 10-20 seconds in the microwave softens it enough while not removing the nutrients (and is a heck of a lot quicker then freezing *grin*)

 

[tkos]

Blanching helps get rid of the trapped air in the veggie so it sinks easier.

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

microwaving is actually better than boiling, as you retain almost all the nutrients. Some of us are still in the stone age, though, and don't have microwaves...(or televisions!).

I've tried a lot of stuff...lettuce, various veggie greens (tops), broccoli...but the cucumber is all the pleco would go for. The goldies on the other hand, will pretty much attempt anything, but their fave is actually seaweed.

What I wonder is why if the plecos need the lichen from driftwood...why they need their veggies blanched for easier digestion?

 

[Guest]

What I wonder is why if the plecos need the lichen from driftwood...why they need their veggies blanched for easier digestion?

Good question. I'm not sure, but I'd guess that it's because cukes or squash are not water plants. Since they are grown terrestrially, they aren't made for the pleco digestive tract.

I know, neither is wood, but every stream, lake, and river has wood in it, and has for millions of years. Therefore, plecos and other fish have been able to adjust to munching on it. Just a theory, but seems sensible to me.

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

I'm just kind of confused on the whole thing...I read the planet catfish article (http://www.planetcatfish.com/core/index.htm), and they don't even mention driftwood, and every other care site I found (inc the ASPCAs) says they need roughage...but recommend veggies for that, and driftwood to (a) lower pH, and (b) proved somewhere for them to rasp on, and for algae to grow on.


Anyone who can set me straight, please do. I'll probably end up having to return my pleco to the LFS (although I haven't found one yet that wants him )...but until then I sure want to make sure he's happy.

 

[Allivymar]

Heh, is lignin, not lichen

Its generally found in wood, and not most vegetables. Its quite possible plecs can digest the cellulose as well, which is found in most plants. Not everyone nukes or blanches veggies. I doubt the other fish can digest it easily tho, and without some definitive studies IMHO its best to be sure the cellular structure is broken down for all of em.

 

[Allivymar]

And actually I got the info from Planetcatfish.

Check out Shane's world, Catfishology, Catfish Basics 2: Feeding Your Catfish

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

LOL, yea i caught my mistake shortly after typing it.

I don't think anything actually digests it (the fibrous stuff) do they? Isn't that part of the purpose of eating roughage, to get the fiber? I'm not second guessing you, I'm just confused.

Cows have multiple stomachs with lots of fun bacteria to live herbivorously...most omnivores need some fiber to keep the gut working, but we lack the enzymes to actually break it down (whether our veggies are raw or cooked).

I know fish aren't like cows and people...but my inner biochemist kinda wishes they were!

 

[Neuve]

Coool, ill be doing that. Tomorrow ill be going to my fish market and buying a veggie clip (Lol i always wanted one but didnt know if it'd be useful, they told me it was only for lettuce...) so besides cucumber, i saw something called zuccini... Any pics of that? Lol, remember im mexican...

Thanx Thanx Thanx
Youre all great
Pato

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

zucchini is a kind of squash (like pumpkins etc), it looks like a cucumber, green and skinny.