What is the best way to prepare zucchini for twig catfish?

Hey guys, I recently bought a twig (farlowell) catfish froma not so local LFS (first time there) and was told he will eat regular flakes and bottom sinking pellets. I know better to research fish before I buy them but I drove 50 mins. to get there and wanted to bring something home other then a sag. chI and a Java fern so I bought the twig catfish. Today I researched him and found out he is pretty much 98% a vegetarian. This is my first time having a vegetarian fish so I know next to nothing about them. A friend told me algae pellets can get messy if they don't get eaten. He said that he knew of people feeding similar fish zucchinI or cucumber but he had no experience w/ this type of feeding. I read that u can blanch them?, microwave them, or boil them to soften them up and peel the outer skin off. I also read that they like drift wood so I will get a piece of that as well since he hasn't stuck to my big fake rock cave yet. I appreciate any help I may receive

Thanks Jerry

 

Here's a good article on how to prepare veggies for your aqua babies.

 

Thank you Mamajin, I will check that out now. I just turned the lights off, I read that is when you should feed him/her.

 

I find a lot of plecs like the skin, so I would leave it on. You don't need to do anything to the veg, just slice a piece and weigh it down. Different fish eat veg/plants at different times during its decomposition. Some like it hard and fresh, some like it when it has softened up a bit, hence the blanching. I would start with unblanched and see what your fish prefer.

You can feed slices of potato, carrots, etc. NorI is good too.

Another useful link...

 

Thanks Hampalong, I peeled a zucchinI up and sliced it up in about 5/16th's" thick slices. Then put a slice in the jaws of a real small set of tongs and tied it up using a improved clinch knot w/ some Ande 40lb flurocarbon fishing leader material (It's all I had in the house LOL). I dropped it in about an hour after I turned the lights off and he still has not touched it nor any other fish. How long should I wait to see if he eats it? I guess I don't want it to rot. If he waits awhile or doesn't eat it at all I will try blanching it next.

 

Hampalong, That was a great read as well as Mamajin's read too. They were both very informative and now I know how a dairy cow's stomach works! just j/k

 

For my otos and cories, I have to leave the cucumber in the tank for a few days before they start eating it, guess they like it soft. I would leave it there and after 3-4 days if you haven't seen him eat it or it looks like it hasn't been touched, remove it.

 

blanch, freeze, thaw. should be soft enough