Why wont my shrimp eat veggies :(

My tank has a lot of algae, but im worried my shrimp arent getting nutrients they need. Ive tried boiling cucumber in a pan for like 30sec then blanching, ive tried boiling zucchini in the microwave for 2mins and also tried 1:20mins and then blanching, and ive also tried boiling fresh kale in a pan for 12mins and then blanching. They eat none of it!! Havent bought formal "shrimp food" because if they wont eat the veggies i feel like they wont eat the shrimp food either. Can they really sustain themselves off of only algae? I have 4 adults and like 20ish babies

 

What kind of shrimp? My Amanos are savage eaters. My Cherry won't eat anything I put in there. They may just be full.

 

cherries haha

What kind of shrimp? My Amanos are savage eaters. My Cherry won't eat anything I put in there. They may just be full.

 

richiep has smaller shrimps that eat veggies. He said to introduce it. If they dont eat it wait a few hours, take it out and try again in a few days. Eventually they will find out its food. I think mine lives on biofilm, It still won't eat anything.

 

yea i got the kale recipe from one of his posts, hmm sounds like ill just have to keep trying... how do you prepare your veggies?

richiep has smaller shrimps that eat veggies. He said to introduce it. If they dont eat it wait a few hours, take it out and try again in a few days. Eventually they will find out its food. I think mine lives on biofilm, It still won't eat anything.

 

They will come around forget cucumber, boil zanucchie 1"cubes for 5minutes cool then feed but take the seeds out. Cook broccoli completely

 

thank you!!

They will come around forget cucumber, boil zanucchie 1"cubes for 5minutes cool then feed but take the seeds out. Cook broccoli completely

 

I just blanch them until they sink. I freeze them separated on a sheet or plate. Then they are frozen separate and not stuck together. Thaw and feed. If they float weigh it down with a fork or plant weight.

 

My shrimp love blanched stinging nettles from my yard and cooked frozen green beans split open so they can get the soft insides. Other vegetables don't seem to excite them very much.

 

No salt green beans My pleco likes them too!

 

Probably just have plenty of algae to eat. Especially if you have only a small population.
Algae is highly nutritious so I wouldn't worry too much about nutrition. Keep cuttlebone for calcium and parameters especially hardness GH KH right and they will be fine.

Cook veggies first. Leave all day.
Try favorites like zucchini
If you population gets large, they will eat anything in my experience.

 

I would recommend canned (salt free) green beans (freeze the extra beans in a ziplock, they will last forever). My shrimp also love dandelion leaves (no stems or flower). Try to find the softest youngest dandelion leaves (assuming they haven't been treated with pesticides). Boil for 5 minutes. Cool. Add to tank and leave overnight. Good luck!!!

I also highly recommend feeding a shrimp food with protein 2x per week