plant crab

A while back I noticed my gourami sort of plucking at a few leaves here and there, like she was eating algae or air bubbles off them or something. Now that I have my oto cats, she's been trying to share thier cucumber (almost constantly). The otos don't seem to mind, even though occasionally they get thrown off, but I'm wondering if she will overfeed herself? Is there something else I can feed her that will keep her from doing this? Maybe she's lacking nutrients??

bbfeckawitts

With Cucumbers/zucchini and other veggies I would not worry about her eating it. It would be almost impossible for her to become constipated. She probably just likes the cucumber, I don't think she has a nutrient problem. But then again, I don't know what you are feeding her, could be gold fish flakes!

Dino

Feeding fish a variety of foods is always the best way to go.
The fish here get, over a weeks time, 3 kinds of flakes, 3 pellets, zuccini and live brine shrimp.
Plus, shredded salad shrimp, yellow squash and what ever else we think they might eat.

plant crab

Actually - not far off... that's the problem. She and the danios get TetraMin for Tropical Fish every morning and then two or three times a week get freeze dried bloodworms in the afternoon. I tried brine shrimp on a suggestion, but she tried it a few times and then seemed disinterested, and it just floated around in my tank.

plant crab

I will just start seeing what she likes. Thanks for the tip, Dino!

Dino

Glad to help out.

plant crab

I just realized how cute this is... that's not her tail btw...

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voiceless_kat

Such a neat photo. I have 4 dwarf gouramis - 2 blue & 2 red in my 55g community tank- and they really enjoy their veggies. They also like seaweed salad, the sheets of dried algae, which I feed on a clip.

Val
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plant crab

I will def try that kat, thanks.
Anyone have any advice on peas? I thought I heard gouramis will eat them.

voiceless_kat

When I do pea pieces into the 55, they all go crazy for them.....tonight I put a tubiflex worm piece on a clip and stuck it on the side of the tank...total mayhem...lol..they all loved it..gouramis included. The gouramis are so fun to watch eat, as they pick things with their lips....

miker

Peas are liked by all Fish. Just microwave for few seconds, remove the outer layer, tear the pea into bits and feed the fish. It is also good for their digesion.

plant crab

Thanks guys!

Do you start with the peas fresh or frozen?

Also - how do you cook the zuchini? I gave a slice to the otos the other day - raw with a weight wrapped around it - and after a morning of eating it they were having trouble swimming - like they were going to float away. Really cute, but I felt bad for them. At first I thought they were sick, but they've been fine ever since! I think cooking it weighs it down, correct?

Gunnie

Try getting some good veggie wafers also for him/her to pick at. And if you can find it locally, try switching your flake food to Omega One brand. Specifically the color flakes will probably make your gourami absolutely striking in color, and that brand is a much better flake for your babies.

voiceless_kat

I use frozen peas, let them thaw, pop the outer skin off, then cut them into wee teeny tiny pieces. All of my fish devour them. Pea mania for sure. Really fun to watch, too.

For zuchinni I cut a slice, nuke it for 10 seconds, put it onto a clip. For my clown pleco I let the clip fall to the bottom and leave it overnight, for all the others I stick it on the side of the tank. ( I sometimes have 2 clips in the 55g) I don't nuke it for the snails, and they love it. Otherwise it breaks down too fast, I find. My otos seems to like it raw, also.

I don't nuke cukes, just put them in on a clip.

Val

finmama

I take a couple frozen peas and let them sit in warm water a little while, take off the skins, then I use a toothpick to cut each pea into 8 pieces lol...4 pieces from each half a pea

fishgirl

I take about a 1/4 cup of frozen peas let then thaw in some tank water..then take each pea cut a hole in the skin squish out the pea, cut it up in to little bits and put one serving of chopped peas in an ice cube try with just enough tank water to cover the peas then freeze it. Then pop out the pea cubes out, place them in a zipper bag.

When I want to feed the peas I just tank out one cube and drop in the tank and as it is so small it only takes a minute or 2 to thaw the tank temp is not changed. The Platies wont even wait of the peas to thaw.

plant crab

Wow - thanks everyone for the advice!

voiceless_kat, i got some seaweed at the store yesterday on your suggestion and the gourami and the danios are both infatuated with it! I'm not sure the danios are eating it, but just enjoying its presence. LOL.

gunnie - i haven't seen omega one around here, but i will continue to look for it. are veggie wafers similar to algae wafers? i'm so scared of using them.. i've seen the posts about them polluting tanks and all the horror stories!

finmama - i can only imagine the proper cutting tool for a pea would be a toothpick! my husband's going to think i'm insane! LOL

fishgirl - great idea with the icecube trays - i do that for fresh herbs so i have them for winter - but i will def try that with the peas.

Thanks again guys!