Those Pesky Plecs.

[John q]

Thought it might be a nice idea to start a thread showing the damage that our cherished fish can sometimes cause to aquatic plants, especially when somebody slacks off feeding them courgette for a week or two. 🙄

Don't generally mind them munching on the odd echinodorus leaf.

But yesterday I spotted she's been getting a taste for the red leaves, impressed not!!!

So anybody else any photos to share?

 

[fredi]

Damage? I have damage 😂😂😂

 

[fredi]

 

[fredi]

 

[fredi]

2xL128, 2xL200a, 2x honeycomb’s

 

[Bradders]

Get one of these. I have found it a very useful warning to all fish not to eat the plants.

 

[LFNfan]

Ottos with a food deficiency: 70L planted - first tank Just nibblers compared to what I see earlier in the thread!

 

[Tim Harrison]

I can understand the attraction. I kept an Ancistrus dolichopterus way back in the day. But I wouldn’t put a plec in a planted tank now. I cringe watching this

 

[John q]

But I wouldn’t put a plec in a planted tank now

Lol, nobody in there right minds would mix a plec with plants, other than mother nature. 😃

 

[John q]

So.... the culprit is caught in the act, thankfully this time chewing down on some courgette. Lol.

 

[Bradders]

So.... the culprit is caught in the act, thankfully this time chewing down on some courgette. Lol.

By the way, what do you do to prepare the courgette for the fish?

 

[John q]

what do you do to prepare the courgette for the fish?

Very technical process, so I'll add some pics.

Open packet and remove courgette.

Cut said courgette in half.

Remove the tail/top.

Cut it in half.

Then rinse it under the cold tap for 5 seconds and put it in the tanks.

You gotta promise not to tell to many folk about this technique, its our little secret 😉

 

[Bradders]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I asked for that. 😂

Although, I am surprised that no condiments and cutlery were supplied to increase the flavour and experience. I guess that's the difference between Lancashire and Essex boys.

 

[John q]

Lol. To answer the question on a serious note I find if you blanch courgette it ends up turning to mush in a couple of hours. Putting it in untreated allows me to leave it in the tank for about 18 hrs, by which time it has usually been consumed.
Plecos will hit it within a few minutes of it being put in and tend to graze on it all night, the ottos prefer it when it's been in a few hours and usually have their fill in the morning/afternoon.

Aslo worth noting I don't blanch my plants and they bloody eat them . 😀

 

[Bradders]

Lol. To answer the question on a serious note I find if you blanch courgette it ends up turning to mush in a couple of hours. Putting it in untreated allows me to leave it in the tank for about 18 hrs, by which time it has usually been consumed.
Plecos will hit it within a few minutes of it being put in and tend to graze on it all night, the ottos prefer it when it's been in a few hours and usually have their fill in the morning/afternoon.

Cheers John!

 

[Ironix1]

Very technical process, so I'll add some pics.

Open packet and remove courgette.
View attachment 215664

Cut said courgette in half.
View attachment 215665

Remove the tail/top.
View attachment 215666

Cut it in half.
View attachment 215668

Then rinse it under the cold tap for 5 seconds and put it in the tanks.

You gotta promise not to tell to many folk about this technique, its our little secret 😉

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