Cucumber Question...... Kinda A Weird One.

[starscream]

is there a certain type of cucumber i should give them or is any kind fine? and how can i make them sink? they always stay at the top and all my other fish eat it..... so if anyone has a way i can get them to sink let me know.... and how long should i leave a cucumber in there before i take it out?

 

[lilfishie]

i just use regular cucumber, i have a little 'gadget' called a scwercumber you can get them off ebay, alternatively you could weigh it down using a stainless steel spoon/fork, i have often left cucumber in a tank for near 2 days although now it only lasts overnight

 

[simonas]

I use courgette more than cucumber I;ve read somewhere that more good nesss in it

I use a screwcumber or lead plent weight to weigh it down

 

[starscream]

should i get a screwcumber?
seems like overkill for a cucumber pecce....

 

[lilfishie]

there ideal if you have more than 1 tank as they come in packs of 2, i got fed up of *why is there a spoon in your tank * and *wheres all my cutlery gone *

 

[Baccus]

I generally use every day zucchini and weigh it down on a small piece of slate and a rubber band. Makes it really easy to remove the mostly untouched skin which stays stuck under the rubber band.

 

[starscream]

what if i take a peace of string and tie it to the cucumber then put something 0n the other end? i dont want to get my fish sick.... idk ill find some way to do it.... *wheres all my cutlery gone?" haha thats funny lol.

 

[Baccus]

I guess it depends on the type of string and how friable it is, because undoubtbly the fish will have a nibble on it to. Then it also depends on if the string has any dyes in it or totally organic like a plain cotton (that more than likely is dyed anyway). You could try wedging the zucchini or cucumber on one end under a heavy piece of rock like some spare slate but that could be hazardous if the rock/slate moves or is bumped by boistrous large fish.
Am not entirly sure on the current methods used to make rubber bands but at least they are organic to a degree being (usually) made from the sap of a rubber tree (laytex), but again I am not sure what processes they go through to get the end product, apart from heating and possibly adding some dye to get other colours besides brown. Since the rubber band would only be in the tank a short time (although I have accidentally left one in longer than a day with no ill effects to the fish) I couldn't see it having a diabolical effect on the water stats or the fish health. A rubber band will naturally deterioate over time as well, and if you see one that you are using for the above application I would change over to a new one.
Alternatively go to your local op/ second hand shop and buy up on spare forks (they usually have a bundle sitting around) so that your not raiding your cultery draw.
Maybe the little spiked things that go in the end of corn cobs so you can eat the corn straight of the cob would work, if you can find a couple heavy enough to counter weight the zucchini or cucumber.

 

[starscream]

oh thats a good idea with the corn cob things i think i have3 a few laying around but what about the point end should i file the ends down?

 

[Baccus]

I was thinking of one of this sort of corn cob holder.

Here's one on a bread plate with a standard post it note to indicate size.

same one again you can see the handle end is blunt so shouldn't be a problem.

After hunting around in one of my cultlery draws I also found a fondu fork

that would work just as well.


And then I got to thinking why not use a metal skewer like the ones used to hold a stuffed roast chook together. They have a bit of weight in them and all should be ok provided the sharp end stays inside the zucchini, cucumber or carrot that you are feeding the fish. Or if your really worried you could take some of the point off but not so much that you can't push it through the veg easily.

Hope these help.

 

[starscream]

hey thanks man you really went all out for me i really apriciate that! i have another kinda weird question do plecos eat apples, is it good for them cuz i wanna give my pleco a treat but i dont have any cucumber or zucchini... do you think a peace of apple would be ok?

 

[starscream]

what do you think of this think is it to big you think or will it be ok?

sorry about the dog.... he was asleep didnt see a point in waking him to move him...

just a different pic

 

[Baccus]

They would probably have a munch on it but I think I saw somewhere else where a person thought the extra sugars in fruit would be a bad idea for them. In thier natural rainforest fruit would undoubtly end up falling into the water and I would think that any nearby pleco's would relish the manna from heaven. I used to have some BN's in my 1000L pond which is situated underneath a large Ice cream bean tree. The fruit always fell in the pond thanks to local fruit bats knocking them in at night and the sulpher crested cockatoos raiding them during the day. Any way the upshot was I rarely found much in the way of remains of the pods or the actual fruit in the pond. But I can not say for certian that it was only the BN's eating it. If anything I suspect the BN's were enjoying eating the hard almost woody case of the beans fruit pods. And just for the record an Ice cream bean tree is native to both tropical and sub tropical parts of the Americas the fruit is edible for people and apparently dogs too beause my two LOVE

eating them. I'm not suggesting you go out and try to find Ice Cream beans but it gives you an idea of the type of food the fish might come across in their natural environment.
Failing Zucchini and cucumber you could try carrot, pumpkin and I think somebody even suggested capsicum (bell peppers depending on where you live) to me. I once had some meat (the white coconut flesh) left inside a coconut that the dogs hadn't managed to eat all of and my BN's also enjoyed rasping away at that.

 

[starscream]

they eat carrots? im a go try a baby carrot haah... see if he eats it...

 

[Baccus]

what do you think of this think is it to big you think or will it be ok?

sorry about the dog.... he was asleep didnt see a point in waking him to move him...

just a different pic

Is that a spring out of the couch? Or just where you happened to be sitting to take the pic? Wise choice not waking the dog.... they say let sleeping dogs lie LOL.

I don't see why it wouldn't be a problem, I guess it all depends on your tank size and if any fish are capbale or stupid enough ( I have known some dozey fish in the past able to do things you'd think where impossible) to manage to get themselves stuck/ jammed in the curled part. From the pic it looks as though the whole thing is flat and if you are planning on putting the veg on the non curled part fine, otherwise you'd have to sort of elongate the curl and sort of screw the veg into/ onto it.

I remember being told by a BN breeder that giving BN's carrot and pumpkin actually made the BN's more sort of orange - I'd believe that as too much caratine can make people take on an orange hue. So I guess offer them carrot and pumpkin but sparringly between them getting other veg treats and thier normal discs etc.